Fmr. Rep. Ford: Gov. Paterson should consider resignation

Former Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.) on Sunday suggested embattled New York Gov. David Paterson (D) consider stepping down from his job.

Ford never once issued a direct call for Paterson's prompt resignation during a discussion this weekend on NBC's "Meet the Press." But he did say that Paterson should relinquish his title if he discovers "he can't govern," and he added later he was not sure how, exactly, the governor could continue serving "in this arrangement, in this climate."

"How do you govern in that kind of environment?" asked Ford, who was previously considering a primary campaign against N.Y. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D).

"That's a question he's going to have to answer," Ford continued, adding Paterson's troubles would only further complicate New York's already contentious budget-setting process.

Nevertheless, Ford is not the only Democrat to call on Paterson to resign his post, in connection with the governor's growing list of political and ethics troubles.

More than one-in-three New Yorkers told CNN last week that Paterson should leave host office early, while just slightly under one-third told Marist pollsters similarly.

However, Paterson has repeated he has no plans to heed those calls, though he has already terminated his gubernatorial re-election campaign.