Given the dire economic times that face our nation's states, sitting governors, Democrat and Republican, have become sitting targets.

The list of states in serious economic trouble - including such mega-states as California, Michigan and New York - grows daily. Across the country, governors are struggling to stay above the water line and politically survive. Even given the voilatile terrain, nowhere has the politics around the Governor's office become more interesting than in New York.

When Governor Paterson took office after Governor Spitzer's socks became front page news, he was respected even after he admitted his own very human flaws. People love him personally, he was a hard worker and had a powerful story with his political family background as well as an acute sight disability. A few months ago he led ambitious Democratic Attorney General Andrew Cuomo by over 22% points in the primary polls. How quickly have times changed for the Governor.

The slide in the polls began with his mishandling of the replacement for Senator Hillary Clinton. While the appointment of Congresswomen Kirsten Gillibrand appears to be a strong one, the dreadful treatment of Caroline Kennedy was a serious mistake. The slander and misinformation that the Governor's office spread about the well-liked Kennedy removed his strong suit for the voters. He appeared to them to be mean instead of lovable. By a huge 15% margin, the voters disapproved of how he treated Ms. Kennedy. Those events were the turning point for the Governor.

In a statewide poll just released by Quinnipiac, Attorney General Cuomo now beats Governor Paterson in a primary by a margin of 32% points. In a general election race with potential Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani it is a dead heat with the sitting Governor. Cuomo defeats Giuliani by 14% points. Clearly over the next months in a time of economic crisis, the Governor has his work cut out for him. He has the almost impossible task of making the state fiscally sound and at the same time recovering what so many of us liked about him.