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Faced with a daunting mountain of rock-bottom poll numbers, Governor David Paterson is trying to inch his way back by targeting his African-American base.

Surveys find Paterson trails Attorney General Andrew Cuomo badly among black voters in a hypothetical 2010 matchup. It's a lethal prognosis for Paterson's dreams of a full term.

On Tuesday night, the Democrat was before the second black church in as many weeks, an overflow audience of about 650.

"I doubt its coincidental. Its probably planned. But, you know, why not?" said Assemblywoman Barbara Clark.

Paterson listened to concerns that his budget cuts would lead to a loss in jobs, posing a serious threat to the most vulnerable.

To that, he repeated the message of keeping spending down and doing more with less.

"We are going to set a new culture. It is going to be difficult for a while, I'm not gonna lie to you. But that the alternative is even worse, that's what you have got to understand," Paterson said.

According to the governor, the State Legislature has also failed to understand the severity of the fiscal crisis. And he's using their disagreement as a campaign tool to show he's the only responsible one in Albany.

One target has been senate Democrats, whose president is Malcolm Smith.

"Traditionally is the relationship that goes on sometimes with the executive branch and legislative branch," Smith said. "Not that we dislike him or anything, but the fact of the matter is if we didn't cut with care this time, we would have lost close to 12 to 20,000 jobs in the health care industry."

As to targeting his base, Paterson is playing it down.

"It's not particularly significant. Last week, I appeared at a Jewish synagogue. And I'm moving around different parts of the state," Paterson said.

Those in the audience seemed warm to voting for him and offered up support.

"Well I hope that an event like this would help him because he seems to be a great man, a caring man, having to make the tough decisions at a tough time," said one audience member.

"How can you not support the governor that's here, making these tough decisions in light of what's going on with this economic crisis," said another audience member.