An NBC New York report:

Embattled Gov. David Paterson has hinted for the first time that not may not be running for election next year — this after a political flap with President Barack Obama who apparently wants him to stand down in the 2010 election.

“I think if I got to a point where I thought my candidacy was hurting my party, obviously it would be rather self-absorbed to go forward,” Paterson told a luncheon in Syracuse, according to the Daily News. However, his administration says the governor still plans to run — for now.

Gov. Paterson’s wife, Michelle Paterson has rushed to his defense, echoing the feelings of many New Yorkers, saying she thought it was wrong of the White House to have become involved in state politics.

“I have never heard of a president asking a sitting governor not to run for reelection,” Michelle Paterson told NBC New York in an exclusive interview. “I thought it was very unusual and very unfair.”

Paterson is due to appear this Sunday on Meet the Press to talk about his political future.

Paterson shared an awkward moment with Obama this week when the president introduced him and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo at an upstate appearance, gushing over his could be successor, Cuomo.

With Democrats worried that Paterson’s flagging approval ratings could cost them the governor’s mansion, aides close to Obama have reportedly urged the governor, who took office when Eliot Spitzer resigned to step aside, fearing his defeat could have a ripple effect throughout the party.

Meanwhile, Gov. Paterson has privately accused Cuomo  of “wiring up” President Obama’s bold attempt to get him out of office next year, the New York Post said.

Paterson “definitely believes Andrew Cuomo wired this up, set this whole thing in motion,” a  Democrat with strong Washington connections told the Post.

“The governor believes that Andrew’s friend Jennifer Cunningham went to [Obama political director Patrick] Gaspard, who went to Obama and convinced him to do this thing.

Gov. Paterson has said he has every intention to run for governor in 2010, even after it was leaked that President Obama wants him to stand down in that election.  Sources have also said Obama’s White House will back Cuomo for the Democratic ticket.

A second source, within the governor’s own administration, said “Paterson definitely blamed Andrew,” the Post said.

Another source said Paterson told several people that “Cuomo made the case that unless the White House intervened to get David out, [former Mayor Rudy] Giuliani was sure to run, and could win.”

While Paterson claimed through a spokesman that he never accused Cuomo of being behind the Obama attacks, he suggested just that during a public appearance in Syracuse.

“A number of people connected to [Cuomo] certainly did that,” said Paterson. “I’m sure it didn’t bother him,” the Post reported

A spokesman for Cuomo denied that the attorney general was involved.

(Source: NBC New York)