David Paterson Tells Imus: 'I'm Black, I'm Blind, and Still Alive!'

Embattled Gov. David Paterson appeared on "Imus in the Morning" Wednesday to bat down the chorus of rumors swirling about his tenure as governor, including the possibility that he may resign because of a damaging, but still-unpublished, exposé coming from The New York Times.

Although the focus of the Times story -- if it exists -- is unknown, New York tabloids have written breathlessly in recent weeks about Paterson's possible extramarital dalliances, as well as his son's run-in with police while playing dice outside of his private school.

Reports also surfaced Wednesday that the governor is under federal investigation for his role in awarding lucrative state contracts to a politically connected firm whose support he is seeking.

The governor has often used Imus' show, on the Fox Business Network, as a forum to address the stream of innuendo that has followed him since he took over the job from disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

On Wednesday, Paterson said there is an underground campaign in New York to force him from office, but that he's not going anywhere. "I don't know who it is," he said. "I just know that it's a well-orchestrated attempt to do this."

Paterson also told Imus that he has not cheated on his wife since becoming governor in 2008 and denied allegations that he spent a recent lunch hour kissing another woman in a New Jersey steak house. "I'm blind, but I'm not a dope," he said. "I know everyone in the restaurant is looking at me for 45 minutes. If I even got within three inches of her, why didn't they take a picture? Because I didn't."

His defiant message to his critics: "I'm black, I'm blind, and still alive."

As for the reported federal investigation, New York's WPIX says the Eastern District U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn is leading the probe. The matter in question involves a contract awarded to Aqueduct Entertainment Group, which includes former congressman Lloyd Flake, whose support Paterson has been aggressively pursuing. Flake has said that he is considering endorsing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for governor, and Paterson is said to fear that the loss of a prominent black figure's support would deal a blow to his re-election campaign.

Paterson has defended the contract, saying AEG was best suited for the job, and that the decision was made jointly with the leader of the state Senate and the speaker of the state Assembly. The governor's office says it is unaware of any investigation.

Video of Paterson on "Imus" is below.