1115.org

Paterson Doesn’t Want 9/11 Suspects Tried In NYC – TPM Live Wire (11/16/09):

New York Gov. David Paterson said today he doesn’t agree with the Obama administration’s decision to try five 9/11 suspects, including self-proclaimed mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in New York City, partially because New Yorkers are “having trouble getting over” the attacks.

“This is not a decision that I would have made,” Paterson said according to the Daily News.

“Our country was attacked on its own soil on Sept. 11, 2001, and New York was very much the epicenter of that attack,” he said.

“It’s very painful. We’re still having trouble getting over it. We still haven’t been able to rebuild that site, and having those terrorists tried so close to the attack is going to be an encumbrance on all of New Yorkers,” he said.

I find this hilarious. Paterson is of course wrong. I understand what all the pants-wetting on the right is about, it’s obviously an “oppose anything Obama does” scenario. But for Paterson, it seems to be a weird combination of political payback for Obama’s ham-handed attempt to push him out of the Governor’s race, and a possible primary election issue between Paterson and Andrew Cuomo. I’m not sure what constituency he’s playing to, because my informal survey of New Yorkers I know indicates that it’s not going to be an encumbrance at all. So we’re left with revenge, and turnabout is fair play, in this case one politically tone-deaf move begets another.

Just don’t tell Obama supporters. I’m not sure they can handle the knowledge that there is a cost for Obama constantly making stupid decisions.