This week Comptroller Carl McCall officially announced that he is running for Governor of the State of New York.

At face value, the prospect of having a black Governor is exciting.

Then I heard two things that disturbed me and skewed that excitement.

First a nasty rumor that the Democratic Party is going to abandon McCall, who, for all intents and purposes, is the number one Democrat in the party.

The Democratic Party would basically pull a "Jesse" on a local basis, and rather than put the money on the front-runner, they will create a contender. That contender is the son of a former Governor – Andrew Cuomo.

Boy this all sounds too familiar doesn’t it?

But upon further review I had to stop and think about what McCall has done with his position to further the status of his people.

It occurs to me that a lot of people don’t even know Carl is black.

I was thinking hard about what he has done that was high profile, edgy, and proactive.

I could only remember one time when he got arrested with some of the crowds down at One Police Plaza to protest the shooting of Amadou Diallo.

Now I like Carl. He has done an excellent job watching the state’s purse strings.

Part of me is thinking that should be enough — to do your job and show the world that black people are more than just capable, they can excel.

However I am uneasy with the notion that he hasn’t really been out there for black people. I am equally disturbed that the Democratic Party would abandon McCall and risk alienating the African American community, which could cost Cuomo if he wins the primary.

All this being said, I have gone from a "decided" to an "undecided" and now both men will have to work for my vote.

Neither man can win without the black vote.

McCall has a long record of public service, from being an Ambassador to the United Nations, to a long run in the State Assembly, to his current job, which he has held for two terms.

But that will not give him a walk with us.

He has a huge task in front of him.

Cuomo doesn’t get a walk either just because he’s Mario’s son.

There are still some issues from his days at HUD that he will have to explain.

He instituted policies that have affected a large number of black people.

He does have the support of some of out favorite sons like Hollis native Russell Simmons and others who say he’s the best shot at unseating Governor George Pataki.

Make no mistake. Even though there is anti-Republican sentiment among some voters, because of the Presidential election, it will still be a difficult task to beat Pataki.

It’s going to be quite an adventure over the next few months.

We have that race plus the locals for City Council.

We’ll have to sort through all the wanna-be politicians, who by the way have already started with the handshakes and the overtures.

I have a message for all of them.

You know I have always said that we should use our positions for the good of our people. It doesn’t have to involve radicalism.

But we should be seen as a deterrent to those subliminal or even overt acts of racism that contaminate at all levels.

I heard once in a movie, "You don’t have to stand tall here, but you do have to stand up."