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Former Governor Pataki Fires Up GOP Convention in Rochester

Former Governor George Pataki was the keynote speaker at the GOP convention in Rochester. Pataki gave a fiery speech against President Barack Obama, and says this year’s election is a fight for the very “soul” of the nation.

The normally laid back former governor gave a red meat speech aimed at energizing delegates. Pataki says

the health care act that opponents call Obamacare is the worst law he’s seen in his lifetime. Pataki says the President has deeply divided the county and  driven up the national  debt by billions of dollars.

“He is stealing from our future,” Pataki said. “To pay off political interests.”

“We have got to stop it,” said Pataki, to applause.

Pataki only once mentioned Mitt Romney, the GOP presidential candidate that he is supporting,  but said afterward that even if another candidate like Rick Santorum wins the nomination  he’d be “perfectly willing to work very hard” to get him elected President.

Pataki also praised the current governor, Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat saying Cuomo’s “made some very positive steps”.

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau chief for the New York Public News Network, composed of a dozen newsrooms across the state. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.