Paterson's Dalliance[s]

Within 48 hours of taking office as the new governor of New York, Democrat David Paterson has admitted to having an extramarital affair, as has his wife, during a difficult patch in 2001. They've since gone to counseling and patched things up.

Paterson also denied rumors that he had a love child with another woman. Well, that's just peachy.

The First Couple agreed to speak publicly about the difficulties in their marriage in response to a variety of rumors about Paterson's personal life that have been circulating in Albany and among the press corps in recent days.

They spoke in the governor's office even as scores of friends, family members and political supporters were celebrating in the corridors of the Capitol his ascension to the state's highest post.

Given the call-girl scandal that erupted last week and forced Spitzer's stunning resignation, Paterson conceded that top government officials are bound to come under closer scrutiny for their personal actions.

The governor flatly denied what he called a "sporadic rumor in Albany that I had a love child" by another woman. "That's just not true," he said.

"Don't you think he'd take care of a child if he'd had one?" Michelle Paterson said, in obvious disgust over that persistent rumor.

The romantic relationship he did have, Paterson said, lasted until sometime in 2001. He did not identify the former girlfriend.

As this was a private matter between Paterson and his wife, I don't think there's much to this story. However, were it ever to surface that he used campaign contributions or state funds for his hotel rooms or transportation to meet with this other woman, then Paterson could find himself in the same position as Spitzer - an ex-Governor.

UPDATE:
Make that dalliances because Paterson has admitted to having several affairs.