Paterson sworn in as New York’s governor

David A. Paterson, minutes after being sworn in as New York’s 55th governor, sought Monday to woo lawmakers with humor, inspiring words about public service and a call for compromise in the face of a potential economic meltdown.

It was a stark contrast to his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, who warred with lawmakers for much of his 14 1/2 -month tenure. The audience seemed relieved and thrilled that a man they had perceived as a self-righteous bully had been replaced by one of their own.

While the 40-minute ceremony lacked the pomp and music of Spitzer’s inauguration, the crowd of several thousand relished witnessing history as Paterson became the state’s first black governor and only the nation’s second legally blind governor.

“There’s been tension here for months and confrontation,” said state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, Spitzer’s nemesis. “So I think there’s relief . . . it’s a new day and the sun is shining.”

Paterson briefly acknowledged the events leading to Spitzer’s downfall in a prostitution scandal but didn’t mention him by name. Instead, he signaled he would pursue elements of Spitzer’s ambitious agenda but add his own initiatives.

Echoing his predecessor, Paterson vowed to boost the upstate economy, build affordable housing and reduce property taxes. He then added, “I have a vision for New York. It’s a New York where achievement is developed only from hard work, where doors are always open and where anyone can achieve no matter where they live.”

In an interview with the New York Daily News after his swearing in, Paterson acknowledged that he and his wife, Michelle, had affairs during a rough patch in their marriage several years ago.

Paterson told the Daily News that he had a relationship with another woman from 1999 until 2001. He and his wife sought counseling and repaired their marriage, he said.

The couple agreed to speak publicly about the affairs in response to rumors that have been swirling in Albany since Spitzer resigned, the Daily News reported.