Giuliani Surprised by Pressure on Paterson

Rudolph W. Giuliani, who has been publicly flirting with a run for governor next year, expressed surprise on Thursday about the Obama administration’s efforts to push Gov. David A. Paterson out of next year’s race for governor.

Mr. Giuliani said Mr. Obama’s intervention put Mr. Paterson in a tough position.

“That’s an awful lot of pressure to put on a governor, the president of the United States telling you not to run for office,” Mr. Giuliani told reporters after addressing a Jewish Community Relations Council protest against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran near the United Nations.

At the same time, Mr. Giuliani seized the opportunity to criticize Mr. Paterson’s performance in office as financially reckless, and he said the governor had no one to blame but himself for his political problems.

“I think some of the governor’s actions have caused this, too, and I’m not talking about the ones other people are talking about,” Mr. Giuliani said. “Increasing spending by 9 percent. I mean, you just don’t do that in the middle of a recession. You shouldn’t increase spending at 9 percent ever, probably.”

Mr. Giuliani’s possible candidacy has become a source of concern for the Obama administration. And it was one of the major reasons the administration approached Mr. Paterson to encourage him to bow out of the 2010 race for governor.

Mr. Giuliani said he did not believe reports that his possible run for office was the reason behind the Obama administration’s lack of support for the governor. “I guess in some strange way its flattering,’’ he said. “But I don’t think it’s for real. I think that sounds more like an excuse than a reality.’’

Mr. Giuliani said he would decide whether to run for governor after the November election. And he playfully noted that he was not receiving any instructions from the White House.

“The president hasn’t advised me on what I should do, nor has he told me I shouldn’t run,’’ Mr. Giuliani said. “So I’m free and clear to make my own decision.”