I’m gonna grab the low-hanging fruit and call this an example of racism. And maybe sexism, too.

Somebody tell Eugene Robinson: I think we’ve got a clear example of racism, and it’s coming from the White House:

In a stunning request, the Obama administration has made it clear to poll-challenged Gov. Paterson that the White House would prefer he not seek election to a full four-year term next year.

The “official” line is: they’re worried that Paterson will lose. But: please. This is quite obviously racism. Paterson is, after all, black. Not to mention blind. The White House doesn’t think a man with a physical disability can win!

And if it isn’t racism, why isn’t it racism? Doesn’t it fit right in with the “criteria” created by people like Robinson, and President Carter, and the whole bevy of race-baiting Democrats and liberals who absolutely loved dissent until somebody aimed it at them?

You bet it does.

And if it isn’t racism — and of course I don’t believe it is — this still begs the question: why?

Why would the White House make this “stunning request?” Asking an incumbent of your own party to forego re-election is no little thing. Asking a sitting governor? That is stunning.

Wisconsin’s governor, “Diamond” Jim Doyle, has already decided not to run for a third term, making it far more likely that a Republican will win the Governor’s chair in 2010. Did the White House try to convince Doyle to stay?

If so, we haven’t caught a whiff of it. Not the lightest whisper.

So to suggest that they’re worried about hanging onto that governorship…maybe, but…I dunno.

Here’s what I think. The story says:

A Paterson decision to withdraw from the race would clear the way for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who many Democrats and union leaders would prefer to be the candidate.

But there’s somebody else who’d like that job, too: Hillary Clinton.

If Paterson leaves, whatchawanna bet Hillary takes a crack at it? How better to position herself for one more White House run?

So the real question is: how badly does the Obama White House want to get rid of Hillary?

Badly enough to push Paterson into moving traffic?

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