Since the disclosures about former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's alleged dalliances, a great deal of the press' energy has been spent on finding out about David Paterson and what makes the new governor tick. For those who have met and worked with him, he is known as a remarkable individual.

It is well known now that he is not only New York's first black governor, but he is also visually impaired. Combine his rise as the first black to head one of the Legislature's conferences (he was Senate minority leader from 2002 to 2006) and add his status of being legally blind and you have someone who has overcome numerous challenges and may, at times, wear his heart on his sleeve.

That showed three years ago when he spent most of an afternoon in Auburn with state Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, speaking to an assembly of human service advocates. He was also able to shift gears soon after and talk about the status of specific pieces of a legislative agenda with local leaders, clearly defining what would and wouldn't get passed by what was then seen as a clearly dysfunctional government.

While Spitzer was taken to task for his outbursts and lashing tongue when it came to members and leaders of the Legislature, as well as those who opposed him, expect none of that from Paterson. While Spitzer's humor may have been biting, Paterson's is self depreciating, poking fun at institutions and failures in government, by often pointing out his own challenges and foibles, as was heard in his comments on Monday after being sworn in.

While this may say much about the man, what is more important, in this period that must be given not only to pass a budget by the end of the month and heal a state battered about by Spitzer's personal lapses and his hubris over the last 15 months, can he do this job?

Paterson possibly can. It can only be hoped that he will have a lengthy honeymoon to heal rifts and get things done. It will help, in no small measure, that he served in the state Senate as a member for more than 20 years. While George Pataki was a former member of the Assembly and Senate, he showed great disdain for the Legislature, a body that Paterson was reluctant to leave in 2006.

He comes with a skill set so needed in New York - how to get things done in the Legislature. His reaching out to members of the Assembly minority and to the Senate majority last week is a sea change from the last two governors, and a great first step.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com