The Berkeley Beacon

Issue date: 9/22/05 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Beacon graphic/My Kim Dang Both Romney and Pataki seem to have an eye on the White House

The taxing campaign for the American presidency drew to a close less than one year ago. And yet, the inescapable conversation topic in most political circles is, of course, "The Road to the White House."

The ethics of pulling double-duty as both a responsible state executive and auditioning commander-in-chief are muddy and unclear. The greatest and clearest contempt for such hubris must be reserved for those politicos who would seek the position of leader of the free world when they would have chosen to run for another term, would most likely have lost their current job after the voters had their say.

Governors George Pataki of New York and Mitt Romney of our own Commonwealth are the most glaring examples of such questionable stances. So much for the triumphant will of the people. Pataki currently stands as a lame-duck, having already informed the New York press that he will not seek a fourth term in 2006. All this, of course, capped off months of talk concerning a Pataki presidential campaign, particularly following his attendance at New York fundraising dinners and town picnics in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Analysts cite his poor poll numbers as the most direct reason behind Pataki's decision not to seek a fourth term. In a head-to-head match-up released by the Siena College Research Institute on July 20, the Governor stood to lose 37 to 49 percent against Democratic candidate Attorney General Elliot Spitzer.

Ironically, lame-duck status has been kind to Pataki, resulting in an approval rating which hovers near 50 percent-his highest in over a year.

Governor Romney stands as a far worse example of state governance having apparently morphed his personal political ideology after first being elected to the governor's mansion. Elected in 2002 on a moderate Republican platform, he asked Massachusetts voters to discount his former Utah residency. The Governor has since made an about face, particularly on social issues key to neoconservative Republican party activists, like those in the Bush administration.

The center-right Mormon governor of liberal Massachusetts has the kind of oddball success story that launches national figures. Romney apparently concurred, beginning to enlist speaking engagements in Iowa and South Carolina in 2004-less than two years following the inauguration of his first gubernatorial term.

Governors Pataki and Romney speak to two different breeds of political animal. The prior is a tired old maid who now wants a hip new makeover.

The latter is a fraud and ideological enemy to his own people whom he may choose to ignore altogether in the hopes of seeking greener pastures. I know the overall feelings about Pataki in my hometown of Levittown, NY are distaste, disappointment and bare-minimum satisfaction.

But, being a freshman, I have yet to earn the right to summarize Bostonians' general opinion of their governor.

I do know, however, that based on Senator Hilary Clinton's pledge to remain faithful to her first term in office, that my fellow New Yorkers, like most Americans, do not take too kindly to being leapfrogged over by ambitious politicians. Let that stand as a piece of advice to Governor Mitt Romney.

Kevin Brady is a freshman print journalism major and a contributer to The Beacon.

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