The White House has weighed in on the New York governor's race, encouraging Gov. David Paterson (D) to step aside in favor of the more poll-friendly Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Today, you can likely add Bill Thompson to the list of Empire State Democrats being spurned by the White House.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs would neither confirm nor deny a New York Daily News report that President Obama is "refusing to get involved" in the New York City mayoral race unless the Democratic nominee can close the gap with Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent Michael Bloomberg.

"I haven't talked to anybody in political affairs about that," Gibbs said when asked if Obama would like to see the Democrat win the race.

During the 2008 presidential race Obama publicly wooed the New York mayor for his support, even having breakfast with him at a city diner for the cameras to see. Bloomberg has praised Obama at times since his successful election, and visited the White House multiple times. No poll has put the Thompson closer than 9 points of Bloomberg, who is on the Republican ballot line in November's vote.

Still, it's an open question whether the Obama White House's heavy involvement, or lack thereof, in local and state politics will backfire when he needs allies down the road. Of course, it's not just Obama staying out of the New York race. Al Gore strongly praised, though stopped short of endorsing, Bloomberg last week, praising his record on environmental issues.