The ongoing scramble to replace Hillary
Updated Wednesday at 11 am
While you were opening presents and downing egg nog, the contestants on Top Senator were angling to set themselves up for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat.
Here's where things are at...
+ David Paterson has sent a 28-page disclosure form to at least six of the contenders. Among them: Kirsten Gillibrand. [NYT]
+ Gillibrand hasn't said much publicly about the Senate, but a website has popped up touting her for the seat.
+ Two people (aside from Caroline Kennedy) who have been vocal about their desire to replace Hillary Clinton: Reps Carolyn Maloney and Steve Israel. Unfortunately for them, it seems nobody really cares when they serve up pastries in Utica. [NYT]
+ Kennedy's campaign for the seat appears to have changed public's view of her -- for the worse. A polling org reports that it found 44 percent of the New Yorkers it polled now have a lesser opinion of Caroline than they did before she started touring upstate. [Public Policy Polling]
+ Speaking of upstate, Kennedy says she once enjoyed visiting the battlefields near Saratoga. [NYT]
+ Andrew Cuomo apparently is interested in the seat -- or, at least, he's interested in Caroline Kennedy not getting it. [NYT]
+ With all the competing egos and dynastic families involved in the scramble for this seat, Politico describes the situation "a 16th-century power struggle among Florentine families, only without the dagger thrusts, poisoned figs and vicious, allegorical frescoes."
We can only hope the vicious, allegorical frescoes are still ahead.
David Paterson has said he won't announce his choice for the seat until Hillary Clinton is confirmed for her new job as Secretary of State.
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Comments
I don't feel passionately about who should be named, but I do want to make one point. There are two camps on this issue, and the one that opposes Caroline Kennedy as a candidate for this seat is saying she has no experience, she's a celebrity, etc. If I hear the word meritocracy one more time I'll puke. Then the other camp says, hey guys, isn't it the same for Hillary? Didn't she end up in office because of her celebrity, family connections, etc? I would just like to point out one minor distinction between these two women when it comes to the senatorial seat: one of them was ELECTED. Even if it is for the reasons stated above. That qualified her for office, I'd say.
... said jibberjabber on Jan 6, 2009 at 4:30 PM | link
She's like, you know, ehm, i don't really, ah, you know, what was the question again?
... said jb on Jan 6, 2009 at 6:28 PM | link
*sigh*
If the other aspects of Utica could match the stellar quality of its food, Gotham would have a mighty Upstate rival.
As it is, Utica looks back on the good ol' days of mob rule and an industrial economy. And the scions of the original "Sin City" are left rather homesick as we scatter to the winds.
/I'm one of them.
//And I want a tomato pie.
... said Kim on Jan 7, 2009 at 5:02 AM | link
Our replacement, space-holding senator should be former Governor Mario Cuomo. Intelligent, wise and knows our state east/west/north/south.
... said upstater on Jan 7, 2009 at 1:16 PM | link
Another example of somebody getting a job bec of daddy's name:
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=756992&category=REGION
... said jb on Jan 7, 2009 at 6:44 PM | link