NY governor says he'll step aside only 'in a box'

[cory777]

Source: AP

By MICHAEL GORMLEY, Associated Press Writer Michael Gormley, Associated Press Writer – Tue Feb 9, 11:12 pm ET

ALBANY, N.Y. – New York Gov. David Paterson, defying calls from even fellow Democrats to drop out of the race for a full term, said Tuesday that he would leave only if the voters turned him out through the ballot box, or he's carried out "in a box."

Paterson spoke to reporters after several days of rumors sweeping the state Capitol about carousing in the governor's mansion, all of which Paterson strongly denied.

A few months after Paterson took over from his predecessor, who resigned in a prostitution scandal, his popularity plummeted and many Democrats voiced their preference that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo run for governor when Paterson's term is up.

That infighting and the recent rumormongering have further fractured state Democrats and added a decidedly weird edge to the national party's struggle to maintain ground it gained in the last election.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100210/ap_on_re_us/us_ny_governor