Pataki said that he and Mayor Bloomberg are in favor of having "more of the Homeland Security dollars allocated" per a threat-based analysis, rather than the current system of handing out money equally to localities, whether or not they are high-profile targets.

"President Bush has been supportive, Director Ridge has been supportive, and we hope that Congress will be as supportive," he said.

Varney then asked: "Can you tell us if there was any political angle in this heightened terror alert. ... Governor Dean says there is a political angle to it. What do you say?"

"Governor Dean is an embarrassment," retorted Pataki. "To me, it's quite clear that there is specific information - with specific targets - like we've never seen before."

He said that New York would always be a target, but New Yorkers are stronger than the terrorists and their threats.

Pataki does not expect New York to empty out for the Republican convention, as did Boston for the Democrats' event.

He quipped, "I hope New York City fills up. ... We're going to have tens of thousands of Republicans, and hundreds of thousands of protesters - it's going to be the most exciting place in America."

Editor's note: