Charles O'Byrne

DENVER—Here's David Paterson and City Councilman Hiram Monserrate in the lobby of the Sheraton last night after the Obama speech, where Monserrate seemed happy to get to the side of the man who made him the Democratic nominee (and favorite) for a State Senate seat.

Back in June, Paterson named the incumbent Monserrate was challenging, State Senator John Sabini, as head of the state's Racing and Wagering board, ending their primary fight, which looked like it was going to be a tough race for Sabini.

Right before this picture, Paterson was horsing around and insisted on switching roles. He put his chief of staff, Charles O'Byrne, in the shot, as the blind governor tried to take the picture.

It didn't seem to work out. Paterson put the viewfinder up by his eye, but fell into hysterics multiple times before he handed the camera off to someone else.

When David Paterson is sworn in as governor in a few hours here in Albany, the faces that surround him--drawn from his many years as a legislator and Senate minority leader--will likely be familiar to lawmakers, lobbyists and reporters.

Lobbyist James Featherstonhaugh, as a result, expects Paterson's transition to be smoother than Eliot Spitzer's.  read more »

For all David Paterson's considerable charm and wit, his managerial style has been described by Democratic insiders as "jazz government." He is not into discipline. He's no good at firing people. His greatest political talent seems to be being in the right place at the right time.

But always walking one step behind Paterson now is his own éminence grise, Charles O'Byrne, an extremely intelligent, well-connected, tough and reclusive former Jesuit priest who as the governor's chief of staff will be one of the most powerful players in New York government. When the Spitzer governorship fell under the weight of the recent sensational sex scandal, Mr. O'Byrne became the gatekeeper of the new regime in Albany.  read more »

"Earlier this morning, Senator David Paterson was brought to St. Peter's Hospital in Albany after experiencing some chest pain last night," according to a statement issued by Paterson's acting chief of staff, Charles O'Byrne. "All of the tests performed by the physicians at the hospital were negative. At this time, the senator is resting comfortably and expects to be released from the hospital in a few hours."