The Real Slim Shady

What's going on here? The NY post is reporting this morning that Governor Paterson believes that Mayor Mike is simply losing it, and his trues personality colors are starting to show. The stark observation came as negotiations over the fate of OTB were concluded last week: "Mayor Bloomberg is a nasty, untrustworthy, tantrum-prone liar who "has little use" for average New Yorkers - like the 1,500 workers who would have lost their jobs had OTB closed, a furious Gov. Paterson has said privately."

Which, if true, means that Bloomberg has been amazingly deft at disguising himself;, pr perhaps it's Paterson who's a little off here: ""He appears to be self-destructing," the governor said..."He has the same kind of anger that reminds you of Spitzer," Paterson said. "I think he's starting to be concerned that he can't get anything done." The governor charged that Bloomberg has repeatedly misrepresented the facts to the point that "you can't trust him."

Usually the truth lies somewhere in between, but we're going to guess that the gov's observations might be closer to the mark, particularly when he characterizes Bloomberg's frustrations: "The source quoted Paterson as saying of Bloomberg, "There's some kind of destabilization over there." "His presidential thing didn't work out, term limits is looming to force him out, he's waiting and waiting to be asked to be vice president, congestion pricing didn't happen, he lost teacher tenure, the Jets stadium, and OTB isn't going the way he wants it."

This could continue to get interesting as the Bloomberg tenure winds down. Because, as it does, he'll be less able to get things done, and more frustration will inevitably challenge his public projection of calm. Will the Mike Bloomberg of private sector legend then emerge in full bloom?