Paterson kicks off media blitz

On the heels of Democratic gubernatorial losses in Virginia and New Jersey, Gov. David Paterson (D-N.Y.) kicked off a media blitz today, launching two campaign ads touting his record and personal story.

The biographical commercial starts by highlighting Paterson's blindness. Showing a black screen with glimmers of light, the narrator says: "When this is what you see of the world you learn to listen."

The second spot pushes back against those who've urged Paterson not to run for re-election.

"Some say I shouldn't be running for govenor," Paterson says, before touting his record on the budget.

Though Paterson doesn't mention it in the ad, one of the people calling for him not to run for a full term was President Obama, whose political clout wasn't sufficient to push Democrats across the finish line in Virginia and New Jersey.

Appearing on Morning Joe today, Paterson denied that he was "empowered" or vindicated by those losses.

"How could i be empowered? Every incumbent suffered shocking challenges," he said.

See the two ads after the jump: