In an exclusive interview with NY1, Archbishop Timothy Dolan speaks out on the scandals encircling Governor David Paterson and his administration.

While the archbishop is certainly sympathetic to the governor’s political headaches, he also says that the negative media coverage is taking its toll and distracting Paterson from leading the state.

In the sit-down interview with NY1’s Roma Torre Thursday, Dolan also said that stories which are focusing on the governor’s personality and character are fair game.

“In some ways, sometimes, you shake your head and say, ‘boy I wish we could get along with the business of governing and didn't have all these side stories, all these personal things that seem to muddy the waters,'" said Dolan.

"On the other hand, there's something to be said for our American way of doing things, that character, integrity, personality have something to say and that the American people expect their elected officers, and by the way their church leaders, so we are not immune to it either, to be people of integrity, of justice, of fairness and of good character,” he continued. “So in some ways, it is fair when you bring these things up. Does it have a negative impact at a time when we need strong leadership? It does, undeniably.”

In the half-hour conversation, the archbishop also talked about his media splash when he arrived in New York a year ago, and how he’s been on a listening tour of sorts since then.

”I thought, hey, for the next six weeks, two months, I'm the new kid on the block, I am news, they will be following me, but sooner or later, they're going to be saying, 'Hey this guy's no savior, this guy's no messiah, he's about his work,’” said the archbishop. “I did set for myself the goal that what I was going to try to do for the first year is simply dig in and get to know the people and that's not all that newsworthy. So I said before I make any daring creative changes, darn it, I've got to know my people. I've got to get to know the terrain. So for a year I've just tried to get all over the place and I have.”

The archbishop would not shy away from controversial issues. On the subject of gay marriage, Dolan said he was grateful that the State Senate last year defeated a same-sex marriage bill. He also said he has no plan to support the gay and lesbian community in its fight to carry banners in next month’s St. Patrick's Day parade.

As for major Catholic events like the annual Al Smith dinner, the archbishop said all Catholic politicians will be welcome, but they would not necessarily be honored if they break with Catholic doctrine on hot-button issues like abortion.

"Everybody's welcome. There's a difference between being welcome and providing someone who is dramatically, radically, publicly at odds with the church on a particularly given issue to have a place of prominence and receive an award," said Dolan.

The archbishop also spoke about the state of the city’s Catholic school system and warned that he could not guarantee, in the current economic environment, that there would not be any more closures.

"I’d love to be able to sit here and tell you I’m never going to close a school, I’m never going to close a parish. If I said that, I would be fibbing, and earlier in this enjoyable interview I mentioned you got to be honest," said the archbishop. "I’m sure we'll have to close. No, we’re fine for now, we’re okay now, but I’m sure that in the future we will have to make those tough decisions.”

Finally, Dolan said he feels that his world view has widened in the past year because of his time in New York City, saying his views on immigration have changed after interacting with more first-generation Americans.

He also no longer considers the New York Yankees to be "diabolical," but has in fact become a fan of the World Series Champions.