Next Senator from New York ...
 

Who will be next to represent this "Empire State" in United States Senate? "The Nanny" - Fran Drescher - or a Kennedy or a Cuomo? Then there are Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand, Brian Higgins, Steve Israel, Nydia Velazquez, or Carolyn Maloney, to say nothing about a certain former candidate for governor, Tom Suozzi to the east, in Nassau County, or how about Buffalo's mayor, Byron Brown - all are possible choices according to what has been written. Another scenario exists, however, and it is a last resort: an as-yet unnamed person, just might be waiting in the wings for Governor Paterson, whom you or I or someone else (with inside knowledge) can name from behind this impenetrable screen of anonymity, known as "Wired New York."

Earlier today, the floodgates may have begun to open, as this breaking news came rushing forth:




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Caroline Kennedy to Seek Clinton’s Senate Seat


By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
Published: December 15, 2008


Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of an American political dynasty, has decided to pursue the United States Senate seat being vacated by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, a person told of her decision said on Monday.


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Chitose Suzuki/Associated Press

Caroline Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Caroline Kennedy campaigning for Barack Obama
in Hartford, Conn., in February.

The decision came after a series of deeply personal and political conversations, in which Ms. Kennedy, whom friends describe as unflashy but determined, wrestled with whether to give up what has been a lifetime of avoiding the spotlight.

Ms. Kennedy will ask Gov. David A. Paterson of New York to consider her for the appointment, according to the person told of her decision. The governor was traveling to Utica today and could not immediately be reached for comment.

If appointed, Ms. Kennedy would fill the seat once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy.

Ms. Kennedy has been making calls this morning to alert political figures to her interest.

Ms. Kennedy’s decision is likely to have a major impact on the governor’s considerations as he mulls who should succeed Mrs. Clinton. Already, some other Democrats have pointedly questioned her credentials for the job. United States Representative Gary Ackerman, a Queens Democrat, said last week that he did not know what Ms. Kennedy’s qualifications were, “except that she has name recognition — but so does J. Lo.”

Others, including Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg have praised her abilities.

Ms. Kennedy first telephoned the governor on Dec. 3 to inquire about the job, but Mr. Paterson described that conversation as “informational” and said it was clear that Ms. Kennedy had not decided whether she wanted to pursue the position.

But since then, she has begun reaching out to key political figures in New York, including Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the State Assembly, and Thomas P. DiNapoli, the state comptroller. She has also hired Knickerbocker SKD, a prominent political consulting firm headed by Josh Isay, a former chief of staff to Senator Charles E. Schumer, to advise her.

Ms. Kennedy’s family members, especially her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have urged her to seek the post.

Mrs. Clinton has said that she would not vacate the Senate seat until she was confirmed as President-elect Barack Obama’s secretary of state, which is expected to occur in January or February, and the governor has said that he would wait until then to make the appointment. But he has also said that he might make his selection known before then, to allow whomever is chosen to prepare for the new role.

Ms. Kennedy, 51, a resident of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, took an unusually public role in Mr. Obama’s campaign, and the two became friends. Mr. Obama appointed Ms. Kennedy to the panel that vetted potential vice-presidential candidates for him.

Before that, Ms. Kennedy had devoted much of her time to charitable works and institutions linked to her family, like the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, of which she is president.

Others likely to be considered for the Senate seat are members of Congress including Kirsten Gillibrand, a rising star in the Democratic party who represents an upstate district; Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County chief executive and a former candidate for governor; and the New York State attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo.


Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

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Caroline Kennedy,
[John F. Kennedy Library Foundation] President

Caroline Kennedy is an attorney and the editor of the New York Times best selling A Family Christmas; A Patriot’s Handbook; The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; A Family of Poems - My Favorite Poetry for Children; and Profiles in Courage for Our Time, and the co-author of The Right to Privacy and In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action.

From 2002-2004, Ms. Kennedy served as chief executive for the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Department of Education where she helped raise more than $65 million in private support for the city’s public schools. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of The Fund for Public Schools.

Ms. Kennedy is the President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Committee. She is a Director of the Commission on Presidential Debates, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and serves as Honorary Chairman of the American Ballet Theatre.

Ms. Kennedy was born on November 27, 1957. She is a graduate of Harvard University and Columbia Law School. She lives in New York City with her husband Edwin Arthur Schlossberg, president of Edwin Schlossberg Inc., a multi-disciplinary design company that specializes in interactive exhibit design and museum master-planning. Kennedy and Schlossberg were married on July 19, 1986. They have three children.


Web Source

Politics Schmolitics ... Fran was all over Larry King tonight promo-ing herself for Hill's seat.

Senator Nanny? Fran Wants It!

Appoint her, or she’ll run.

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Photo: Patrick McMullan

NY MAGAZINE
By Diana Scholl
Published Dec 7, 2008

Fran Drescher wants to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate. She says she’s qualified.
“I’ve just been given the appointment of U.S. diplomat,” she said at a party for
HBO's Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven at that restaurant on December 3. “My title is
public diplomacy envoy for women’s health issues, and I just got back from a
four-country European tour of duty. I believe next I’ll be sent to the Middle East.”
Also an anti-cancer activist, Drescher has been considering a run for office.
“I’ve been very successful in getting a bill passed in Washington,” she said.
“I was thinking I’d take the next four years to lay some groundwork, but I’m
throwing my hat in the ring.” What else makes her a good candidate? “I’m an
authentic and honest person,” she said. “And I think Capitol Hill needs more of that.”

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December 9, 2008, 3:13 pm
Poll: Cuomo, Kennedy Deadlocked for N.Y. Senate Seat


Susan Davis reports on politics.


... According to the latest Marist Poll, Caroline Kennedy and New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo are tied at 25% among registered New York voters. An equally high number, 26%, are unsure of who the next New York senator should be. Gov. David Paterson will appoint a person to the seat after it’s vacated in January.

Among registered Democrats, Kennedy is the choice of 31% compared with 21% who prefer Cuomo. Among registered Republicans, Cuomo has the edge with 34% compared with 21% for Kennedy. Kennedy is more popular among New York City residents, while Cuomo is more popular in the suburbs. Upstate New York is divided.

Both Democrats enjoy positive perceptions among voters, with 64% rating Cuomo positively and 62% saying the same of Kennedy.

Former President John F. Kennedy’s daughter also has too forceful advocates: her uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, who is lobbying for her to get the job and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who touted Kennedy Monday as “very competent” and as someone who “can do anything.”

Other contenders, such as Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown or Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand, Nydia Velazquez, Carolyn Maloney, and Steve Israel all registered in the single digits with voters.

As for Clinton herself, the vast majority, 70%, said she will do either an excellent or good job as secretary of state.



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Key Hillary friends oppose Caroline Kennedy
for N.Y.'s Senate seat


BY KENNETH LOVETT
DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF
Sunday, December 14th 2008, 12:15 AM


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Caroline Kennedy takes heat
from Clinton pals.

ALBANY - The backlash against Caroline Kennedy replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate was in full gear this past week, much of it coming from key supporters of Clinton herself.

In recent days, Robert Zimmerman, a Clinton adviser and member of the Democratic National Committee, and Stuart Applebaum, a former Clinton delegate and president of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, ripped Kennedy's qualifications.

Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens, Brooklyn) and Gary Ackerman (D-Queens), both of whom are loyal to Clinton, have also harped on Kennedy's lack of political experience. Ackerman compared Kennedy's name recognition with that of Jennifer Lopez, saying popularity doesn't make someone qualified to be a U.S. senator.

Some New York Democrats are still miffed that Kennedy, along with her uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, endorsed and campaigned for Obama over Clinton - who is leaving the Senate to become Obama's secretary of state - during the primaries.

"It's been a little vicious," said longtime Democratic strategist Joseph Mercurio of the backlash. "It's a little over the top."

The criticism followed days of praise of Kennedy - though no official backing - from political powerhouses like President-elect Barack Obama and Mayor Bloomberg as well as members of the Kennedy clan.

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines said that out of respect for Gov. Paterson, the outgoing senator will not comment publicly on the process or any particular candidate. "Nor does any third party speak on her behalf," he said.

A number of elected Democrats said the governor would be smart to pick Kennedy.

"How many freshman senators at the bottom of the seniority list can pick up the phone and get the President?" asked one influential Democrat, who asked that his name not be used.

Mercurio, who listed Kennedy and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as two of the most-qualified candidates, said New York has a list of past senators, including Clinton and Kennedy's uncle, Robert F. Kennedy, who had no prior electoral experience. ...


© Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com. All rights reserved.

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Maloney on Pursuing the Clinton Seat:
'We Should All Sit Back and Do Our Work'


by Jason Horowitz
December 12, 2008


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Getty Images

The next Senate couple?

Of all the potential candidates to fill Hillary Clinton's seat in the Senate, Maloney has been the most conspicuous in her efforts to convince David Paterson to pick her for the job. She has talked about how much "clout" she has, she touted endorsements from women's groups for the job and then she hired Bill Lynch Associates, a consulting firm that may or may not be in the governor's good graces, to help land the job, and even put out a statement in which she said she had retained the firm "in her efforts to be considered by Gov. David Paterson as the replacement for Senator Hillary Clinton."

But when she returned a call today to talk about her pursuit of the seat, she seemed somewhat less inclined to talk openly about her efforts.

"It's totally a very unique situation," she said. "The governor of New York State is able to make this decision. He will be making the decision and making those determinations. The only thing I have answered, people have said would I be interested and I said yes. And they've asked me if I would be offered it would I say yes and I said yes. So that's about it. So really the comments on this should come from the governor it is totally his decision. I just know what you know that he will not be making a decision until our great junior senator is confirmed which means it will be after January 20. And I think we should all sit back and do our work. I'm working very hard."

She then talked up her efforts to get "health care dollars for the 9-11 men and women who are very ill," said she was working to open a new health care facility on Staten Island, and establish high-speed rail between New York and Washington.

"All the other information really you have to call the governor. Right now I have got to run out the door. OK? We can talk later and maybe you can come to our press conference on Monday in Staten Island. OK? Great. I got to run. I got to run. We'll send you the information. Bye bye."


© 2008 Observer Media Group, All Rights Reserved Worldwide. "The Politicker" is a registered trademark owned by The New York Observer LP.

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... Mr. Cuomo has developed a genuinely constructive and even warm relationship with Mr. Paterson, no small accomplishment given Mr. Cuomo’s history of clashing with fellow Democrats with an aggressive — some would say abrasive — style. After aggravating Mr. Paterson and his advisers over what they saw as his unsubtle angling for the seat, Mr. Cuomo has been trying as hard as he can these days to appear as if he does not want the job. His refrain: It is the governor’s choice.

News Analysis
A Newly Circumspect Cuomo’s Senate Tap Dance


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Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo discussed the expected Senate vacancy at a
news conference on Thursday. He deflected questions, saying, “I have a job.”

By JEREMY W. PETERS
Published: December 11, 2008


ALBANY — Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, at a news conference at the State Capitol complex here on Thursday, displayed a trait he is not known for: brevity.

Did he think, a reporter asked, that Caroline Kennedy, another person under consideration for an appointment to the United States Senate, is qualified for the job?

“I’ve known Caroline for years,” Mr. Cuomo said. “I have a high opinion of her. But that’s going to be up to the governor.”

Did he think that the Kennedy family has championed Ms. Kennedy as a way to prevent Mr. Cuomo from getting the appointment? “No,” Mr. Cuomo said flatly, pausing to take a sip of water. “I haven’t heard that either. But no.”

In the days since speculation began that President-elect Barack Obama would choose Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state, leaving Gov. David A. Paterson to fill her seat, Mr. Cuomo, an often blustery and rarely reserved politician, has at times seemed to pull back.

The prospect of an open Senate seat appears to have unsettled Mr. Cuomo and thrown off his usually reliable political radar.

For anyone interested in the seat, the dance is delicate. But for Mr. Cuomo, the situation is especially freighted in part because of his highly public and acrimonious divorce from Ms. Kennedy’s cousin Kerry Kennedy, who has been prominently suggesting that Caroline Kennedy would be an excellent choice.

Mr. Cuomo, in an interview, said his divorce is irrelevant, and his ex-wife declined to comment.

And Mr. Cuomo has developed a genuinely constructive and even warm relationship with Mr. Paterson, no small accomplishment given Mr. Cuomo’s history of clashing with fellow Democrats with an aggressive — some would say abrasive — style. After aggravating Mr. Paterson and his advisers over what they saw as his unsubtle angling for the seat, Mr. Cuomo has been trying as hard as he can these days to appear as if he does not want the job. His refrain: It is the governor’s choice.

On Thursday, he insisted that he is perfectly content in his current role.

“My position is, I have a job,” he said. “I’m the attorney general of the State of New York. I have my hands full doing it. I enjoy doing it.”

Mr. Cuomo, 51, the son of former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, has earned generally high marks for his tenure as attorney general, showing a populist streak in railing against executive pay packages and deceptive tactics in student lending practices.

His supporters say the fact that he is in the top tier of candidates being considered to replace Mrs. Clinton is evidence of the respect he now commands.

Still, Mr. Cuomo wants to avoid tripping up.

At the news conference on Thursday, he offered a curious explanation of why he would not discuss any conversations he might have had with the governor about the Senate appointment.

“The conversations between the governor and myself are private. Why? Because I’m the attorney general. We have an attorney-client relationship,” he said, prompting a few raised eyebrows.

Mr. Cuomo later called a reporter to clarify the matter. He said that he did not mean to imply that his conversations with the governor were legally protected, but that he meant to say the discussions were private exchanges between two high-ranking state officials on sensitive business and should not be discussed publicly.

Mr. Cuomo’s careful treading on the subject is evidence to some who know him well that he does indeed want the seat.

“The fact that Andrew has refrained from comment on the matter is a clear indication that he really wants the appointment,” said one longtime Albany Democratic operative with knowledge of Mr. Cuomo’s thinking on the matter, who was given anonymity to avoid antagonizing Mr. Cuomo. “Otherwise, you just know that he and his father would be opining on what it takes to be a great senator. They’d be talking about rationale and process, and the poetry of campaigns versus the prose of government.”

Mr. Paterson, without naming names, has joked and expressed exasperation over the incessant lobbying by those interested in the job and their allies. He has compared all the speculation and intrigue about the process to a reality television show.

Elizabeth Holtzman, a veteran of New York City politics who has been a district attorney, member of Congress and city comptroller, met with Mr. Paterson in his New York City office on Thursday to discuss her own interest in the seat.

"I talked to him about what I thought were the unique attributes that I thought I could bring to the position," said Ms. Holtzman, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate twice, in 1980 and 1992.

Ms. Holtzman, 67, said her meeting with the governor, which lasted about half an hour, left her feeling upbeat.

"He did say he’d get back to me," she said.


Nicholas Confessore and Danny Hakim contributed reporting.



Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

What about perennial candidate Mark Green?

Aside from being the worst candidate ever, what would be the downside http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/confused.png

The sad thing is that Fran Drescher is better qualified than Kennedy to be Senator.

I suspect our Governor will be politically smart, as he always seems to be, and go send a potential rival for the governors seat up to the Senate.

Why is that ^ sad?

Can you list some of the supposed "qualifications" that each woman might need to put them in the US Senate?

Per the US Constitution it seems that being 30 Years of Age, a somewhat Long-Time Citizen of the US and at least a short-term Resident of the State in question are the few actual qualifications for the office.

Thereby both Fran and Caroline reach the bar.

Seems you're angling for Cuomo. Don't know of any other Dems who seriously fit the bill.

The more formidable challenger for our next Governor might be Rudy. Think that Paterson would send him to DC to get him out of the way?

hey - I should put my hat in the running too! I'm over 30 and have no relevant experience! Knew losing my 20's was good for something...

I think its sad because while neither have any real experience in government, at least Fran Drescher is (or was?) an official US diplomatic envoy. That technically is more than Ms Kennedy's government service resume.

Sure we _elect_ unqualified officials all the time. But appointing one? When we need someone with political experience up on Capital Hill, who can help funnel some more bailout $$$ our way? Not the time when I want a political virgin up there, even a well connected one.

Do I want Cuomo (or Suozzi or any of the other 2010 potentials) as Senator? I don't particularly care. But at least they know something about NY politics. Not to mention how the government really works - which would make them vast improvements.

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December 1, 2008, 3:00 pm
Buffalo Mayor Gains Support to Be Clinton Successor


By Jonathan P. Hicks


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(Photo: Mike Groll for The New York Times)

Byron W. Brown was elected
mayor of Buffalo in 2005.

With Hillary Rodham Clinton’s nomination to be secretary of state now official, the discussions are ratcheting to a more frenzied level regarding her possible successor as United States senator. In fact, a number of elected officials from western New York are publicly urging Gov. David A. Paterson to appoint Mayor Byron W. Brown of Buffalo.

His supporters say that Mr. Brown, 50, would be the first black senator from New York and that he would also provide a national platform for a state official from western New York.

Mr. Brown was elected to the State Senate in 2000 and served there until his election as mayor in 2005.

“I think that the mayor would generate a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and excitement,” said State Senator Antoine M. Thompson, a Democrat who represents parts of Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

“He’s a former state senator, and so he’s familiar with state issues,” Senator Thompson said. “I think that people would like to see someone from upstate, particularly since we don’t have anyone from upstate holding any prominent statewide office.”

Of course, the governor has indicated that he will not announce a successor to Senator Clinton until she is confirmed by the Senate. But that has not prevented the lobbying from western New York from moving forward vigorously.

“Byron would be great in that position,” said Steven Pigeon, a former Erie County Democratic Party chairman. “And I’m one of the people promoting him. I think it would mean a tremendous amount to the people of western New York to have him there.”

Mr. Pigeon is also a co-chairman of Responsible New York, a political organization backed by the Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano.

“He would be great for the whole state,” Mr. Pigeon said. “He can deal with people in urban, suburban and rural parts of the state. He’s done it his whole career. If the governor is inclined to consider anyone from western New York, he’s the person that makes the most sense.”

There are several other officials from upstate and western New York whose names have been discussed as successors to Senator Clinton. One is United States Representative Kirsten E. Gillibrand of Hudson and her colleague, Representative Brian Higgins of the Buffalo area.

But neither seems to have supporters as vocal as those of Mr. Brown.

“It would allow David Paterson to make history by placing an African-American with a strong record in the Senate,” said Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples, a Buffalo Democrat. “I think it’s important that we, as a nation and a state, don’t go backwards. We should make sure that our legislative bodies are diverse. And he’s well qualified.”

Even George D. Maziarz, a Republican from parts of Niagara and Orleans Counties, issued a press release recommending the appointment of Mayor Brown.

“Clearly, I would much prefer to have a Republican,” Senator Maziarz said, in an interview this afternoon. “But I think there is little chance of that. But, I believe that Byron brown [sp] would be a great selection. When you look at the political makeup of the state’s officials, just about every one we have is from either the city or Long Island,” he said.

“I think Byron Brown has the experience and the credentials and would be a great choice.”

According to people who know the governor’s preferences, Mr. Paterson would prefer to have a candidate who is from upstate or is a woman or is Hispanic. Even more preferable to Mr. Paterson would be a combination of those qualities, according to people who know the governor’s preferences but who spoke only on the condition of anonymity so that they could speak openly about his thinking.

If he cannot find a suitable candidate who meets those criteria, they said, he would prefer someone with high statewide name recognition who could withstand a challenge from a potentially well-financed Republican in the 2010 election.

Mr. Pigeon indicated that he was of the belief that Mr. Golisano would be favorable to contributing to an effort to a 2010 campaign for Mr. Brown, if he were to be appointed.

For his part, Mr. Brown is saying little on the matter other than his praise of the selection of Senator Clinton as secretary of state.

“She is an excellent choice, and she has served New York extremely well,” Mr. Brown said in an interview Monday afternoon. When asked about his view about his own name being promoted for the Senate seat,” Mr. Brown said: “I trust the governor’s judgment. He’s someone who thoroughly does his homework before he makes decisions.”


Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

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Rep. Nydia Velazquez is front-runner for Senate seat
if Hillary takes Cabinet job

Sunday, November 16th 2008, 8:25 PM

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Antonelli/News

Rep. Nydia Velazquez, whose district includes
parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, is
one of the top contenders for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat
if she becomes Barack Obama's Secretary of State.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez is the front-runner - for now, at least - to replace Hillary Clinton if she becomes the next secretary of state, a source close to Gov. Paterson said yesterday.

There are two other top contenders: Rep. Brian Higgins of Buffalo and Rep. Steve Israel of Long Island. Each would help Paterson with key constituencies when he makes his first run in 2010 for the post he inherited from disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer - upstaters in Higgins' case and suburbanites in Israel's.

Velazquez offers the tantalizing possibility of killing two political birds with one stone by appealing to Hispanics and women - both critical voting blocs.


© Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com. All rights reserved.



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Rep. Velazquez doesn't want Clinton seat

December 12, 2008


WASHINGTON - Brooklyn congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has taken herself out of contention as a potential successor for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Velazquez, one of the state's most prominent Hispanic politicians, says she told New York Gov. David Paterson Friday that she is not interested in the Senate appointment.


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Courtesy New York Times - Inserted Here by WNY Poster

"While I have been proud and humbled to be considered, I have decided to stay" in the House of Representatives, where she chairs the Small Business Committee and the Hispanic Caucus, Velazquez said in a statement.

"Going forward, I will keep advocating for more Hispanics in statewide office," she added. "Governor Paterson has my full backing as he makes his decision, and I will give my support and counsel to help our next senator achieve success for New York."

The behind-the-scenes jockeying for the job has intensified in the past week after supporters of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, said she was interested in the job.

Paterson, a Democrat, will appoint someone to fill Clinton's seat for two years if she is confirmed as President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of state.

Kennedy is by far the biggest name in the mix, but there are plenty of others …


Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. (Courtesy Newsday.com)

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Caroline Kennedy has the advantage
of great name recognition, political background,
and an ability to raise vast sums of money.

Updated: 12/10/08 08:36 AM
Poll shows N.Y. Democrats favor Kennedy for Senate
Attracts 44% support to Cuomo’s 23% in poll


By Jerry Zremski
NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF
Tuesday, December 16, 2008


WASHINGTON — Caroline Kennedy is emerging as the favorite among New York Democrats to succeed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Given how much it will cost for Democrats to hold the seat in a special election in 2010, pundits said, Gov. David A. Paterson might want to appoint a big name such as Kennedy or State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.

Within the party, support for Kennedy is about 44 percent, compared with 23 percent for Cuomo, according to a new poll of 957 Democrats in the state, conducted by Public Policy Polling.

While such early polls register name recognition more than long-term voter appeal, political pros said Kennedy and Cuomo should rank as favorites because they, more than anyone else, would likely be able to raise the tens of millions of dollars needed to defend the seat in 2010 and again in 2012.

“The question is: Who can raise $40 million?” said veteran Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf of Manhattan.

The cost of the race would make getting re-elected a greater challenge for an upstater such as Rep. Brian Higgins or Mayor Byron W. Brown of Buffalo, especially since they would more likely face a downstate primary challenge than would Kennedy or Cuomo, several sources said.

Whether there is a Democratic primary or not, New York’s next senator could also face a strong Republican challenger who would virtually guarantee that the race would be costly.

Rep. Peter T. King, 61, a widely respected Long Island Republican, said Tuesday that he is exploring a bid for the seat, and he has a hunch he will be running against Kennedy.

“It’s a political sense,” King said. “I don’t think her name would be being pushed as aggressively if she weren’t interested. And if she’s serious about it, she has to be the presumed favorite.”

King said he would have to raise $25 million to $35 million, “and maybe as much as $40 million, especially if it’s against a Kennedy. They have a built-in finance team.”

Kennedy’s cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disclosed her interest in the race last week, noting that she had discussed the possible appointment with Paterson. And the buzz about a Kennedy inheriting the seat once held by the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy has only grown since then.

Polls released Tuesday seemed to indicate that voters aren’t troubled by the fact that Kennedy, the 51-year-old daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, has never run for public office and has largely shunned the public eye.

A Marist College poll of 503 registered voters showed Kennedy and Cuomo deadlocked among New York voters overall. But Kennedy had 10- point lead over Cuomo among Democrats, while the attorney general led Kennedy by 13 points among Republicans.

“It’s clear that Caroline Kennedy and Andrew Cuomo are the only candidates under serious consideration who have much name recognition,” said C. Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. “The good news for David Paterson is that both of them are very popular with the Democratic base, and he couldn’t really go wrong by appointing either of them.”

Lee Miringoff, who heads the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, said the name recognition that Kennedy and Cuomo enjoy has a tangible benefit.

“It’s just name recognition — but politicians spend a lot of money for name recognition,” he said.

The built-in advantages that Kennedy and Cuomo enjoy won’t be Paterson’s only consideration.

The appointed senator presumably will be sharing a ticket with the governor, Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general, and Paterson may want to use either the Senate appointment or the lieutenant governorship to offer the ticket some geographic balance.

Higgins, for one, thinks Western New York deserves due recognition in the process.

“Certainly [Kennedy and Cuomo] are bigger names, and a vast fundraising network comes with that,” he said. “But all regions of the state have to be represented, and an upstate perspective is important — and that can only be found in an upstate candidate.”

However, Higgins said he has not spoken with Paterson about the post, as Kennedy has. “I stand on my record and my work in the House,” he said.

But that might not be enough with a Kennedy in the picture. Several sources believe that Paterson will determine that King, who has heard encouraging words about his candidacy from State Republican Chairman Joseph N. Mondello and Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, could be a formidable candidate.

“Peter King could do very well in Western New York and Central New York,” Sheinkopf said.

A self-described “blue-collar conservative” from Seaford in Nassau County, the eight-term congressman said he would stress homeland security issues to protect downstate while favoring tax incentives to boost the upstate economy.

A lawyer who lost a 1986 bid for state attorney general, King stressed he has “some appreciation that upstate New York exists beyond the Bronx.”

King said he will be testing the waters to see if he can raise the money he will need for a campaign. ...

“Obviously, Kennedy or Cuomo would be a shoo-in,” said Kevin R. Hardwick, a Republican political scientist at Canisius College. “No question about that.”



© 2008 The Buffalo News.

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[Cathy] Lasry said [Governor] Paterson has an opportunity to give women a "leg up" and send a message to people across the country.

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Updated 9:32 p.m. EST, Tue December 16, 2008
Pressure's on for New York governor to pick female senator


By Kristi Keck
CNN


(CNN) -- With Sen. Hillary Clinton's expected appointment as secretary of state, women are at risk of seeing a decrease in their representation in the Senate -- and some are putting pressure on New York Gov. David Paterson to make sure that does not happen.


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New York Gov. David Paterson must
pick someone to fill Hillary Clinton's
Senate seat.

Caroline Kennedy, the 51-year-old daughter of President Kennedy, is the most prominent female contender who has expressed interest in becoming the junior senator from New York.

Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threw his support behind Kennedy.

Reid told Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston on Tuesday that he personally called Paterson, urging him to appoint Kennedy to the seat.

Reid said in an interview on Ralston's Nevada-based television show "Face-to-Face," "I've spoken to her. She was part of a vetting process for vice presidential choices for Obama. She's lived in government and politics her whole life. I think it would be a tremendous thing. ... We have a lot of stars from New York. Bobby Kennedy. Hillary Clinton. I think Caroline Kennedy would be perfect. "

Asked by Ralston if he planned on calling the governor, Reid answered, "I already have."

A Reid spokesman confirmed to CNN that he called Paterson last week expressing his support for Kennedy.

Kennedy is not the only woman interested in succeeding Clinton. Also eyeing the seat are Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Kirsten Gillibrand, New York City teachers union President Randi Weingarten and actress Fran Drescher, best known for her starring role on "The Nanny."

Women's advocacy groups are calling on Paterson to turn to what they see as an abundance of qualified women when it comes time for him to make his pick. Paterson has the power to appoint a replacement, who then will face a special election in 2010 to fill out Clinton's term. The candidate would have to run again in 2012 for a full six-year term.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee, an organization dedicated to "building a new generation of Democratic women candidates, informed voters, and political activists in New York state," has not endorsed a candidate, but said any contender must have experience in government as well as statewide appeal.

"I think there are a lot of women who can fit that bill, and it's really important to us that we don't lose another seat in the U.S. Senate," said Cathy Lasry, president of the organization.

"I think that we've proven that once we are in there, obviously we can govern. ... We just need that extra push and some help in getting in there."

Women would have held a record 17 Senate seats come January, but with Clinton's expected departure, that number drops to 16.

Women have not seen a decrease in their numbers in the Senate in three decades.

"Women are dramatically underrepresented at every level of government," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. "We need more representation of women. We need more women's voices at the table."

NOW, along with the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee, has been urging people to call Paterson to voice their support for a female senator.

NOW's political action committee has endorsed Maloney for the appointment, saying, "Sen. Hillary Clinton leaves big shoes to fill, and Carolyn Maloney has what it takes."

...

Kennedy's interest in the seat could mean the continuation of a family legacy in the Senate that began 56 years ago with the election of her father as the then-junior senator from Massachusetts.

But her appointment also could upset some Clinton backers, because Kennedy was a vocal Obama supporter during the primaries.

Hank Sheinkopf, who worked for President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign, said name recognition does not make Kennedy qualified for the job.

"Does she have name recognition? So does Jennifer Lopez," Sheinkopf said.

"The Senate seat is not a legacy place. We haven't had a Kennedy elected to office from New York state since 1964, and a lot of people would like to keep it that way," he said, referring to Caroline's uncle Robert Kennedy.

While Drescher said she has the "utmost respect" for Kennedy, the former sitcom star said, "I think I'd probably be good for New York."

Drescher told CNN's Larry King that "senior senators on both sides of the party lines" have encouraged her to go after the seat.

"I've moved away from the acting career anyway. I mean, I dapple in it, and I do things that only interest me. But I'm finding that all roads lead to Rome. And nowadays, Rome is Capitol Hill," she said.

Paterson has said he intends to consult with people across the state to appoint "the best possible candidate to replace Sen. Clinton."

He said he will announce the replacement after the seat becomes officially vacant.

Lasry said Paterson has an opportunity to give women a "leg up" and send a message to people across the country.

"The more women you see in that position, the more comfortable people get with that -- and they think, 'Wow, I really could run for office,' " she said. "I think that really does make a difference in people's lives and the way people see women.



© 2008 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Among the more respectable women groups that support Carolyn Maloney are organisations such as NOW (National Organization of Women) and Feminist Majority. But the wild card is PUMA. Yes, that PUMA, complete with a spiffy logo that you may have glanced at, when you paused at this post:

http://pumapac.org/wp-content/upload...13-258x300.jpg
And they are ready for Bear. …

OK, let’s remove the metaphor, and “cut to the chase”. PUMA consists of Hillary fanatics, who apparently go off without Hillary most times to take stances based on what they think Hillary would like to have done on her behalf (but more likely on their behalf).

Two articles posted on their site: “Princess Caroline Demands a Pony Named ‘Senator’ for Christmas" and “89% Believe Obama Involved in Blagobamagate” (note the oh-so-cute spelling of Blago and obama with overlapping “o”s), are dead giveaways. They have not given up on former Senator Clinton becoming President someday, but that is a dormant wish at the moment. Her move over to President-elect Obama’s team as Secretary of State has not altered their view of him in the least. Officially, they are an unaffiliated Political Action Committee, or PAC.

Congressperson Maloney may not want their overtures at this stage, but that has not stopped PUMA in the past or the present. Whatever Ms. Maloney's merits, IMO there may be a bit of a problem with this "other" association.




Puma P.A.C.
People United Means Action

Carolyn Maloney for Senator from New York

by murphy (aka Executive Director Darragh Murphy – Z)
on December 4, 2008

in 30% Solution, Action, Hillary Clinton, Women Who Smoke

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ACTION ALERT!! Please sign the petition to NY Gov. Paterson, urging him to appoint Rep. Carolyn Maloney to the US Senate to replace Hillary Clinton. The petition was started by our friend and ally MadamaB of Oh! Nuance and the Confluence. Sign the petition HERE and please pass along to all your friends and family.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
With Hillary Clinton ascending to the cabinet and taking the reins as chief diplomat for the United States, her senate seat should be filled with a qualified and experienced woman. Representative Carolyn Maloney, of New York’s 14th District, is the perfect choice. Hillary’s legacy in the Senate deserves no less, and Governor David Paterson should ignore calls to appoint an up-stater like NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. While Cuomo would likely be a reasonably good senator, his record, experience, and accomplishments are inferior to Maloney’s. He also has ties to the the sub-prime lending industry, widely acknowledged as a lynchpin in the current economic meltdown.

Rep. Maloney, on the other hand, has been a leader on issues affecting working families, women, and children since 1991. She is the first woman to represent Manhattan in Washington and has been reelected 8 times. A best-selling author, Rep. Maloney earned an “A” on middle class issues in 2005.

Some highlights of her legislative career, from her wiki page:

Maloney has been active on issues involving women, children and families. A former Co-Chair of the House Caucus on Women’s Issues, she authored and helped secure the enactment into law of a measure to provide federal funding to clear the backlog of rape kits for which evidence had been collected, but never entered into law enforcement DNA databases. It was called “the most important anti-rape legislation ever considered by Congress” by the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network [12]. Maloney’s bill, included in the “Justice for All Act of 2005_, was named in honor of Debbie Smith, a rape survivor; the effort to enact it was later the subject of a Lifetime Television movie, “A Life Interrupted: The Debbie Smith Story” [13].

. . .

In 2008, Maloney authored and secured passage through the House of a bill to provide four weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees [15]. She has also authored and introduced the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act that would expand the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act to include couples in domestic partnerships, civil unions, and same-sex marriages [16].

In 2008, Maloney published a book on women’s issues entitled “Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women’s Lives Aren’t Getting Any Easier — and How We Can Make Real Progress for Ourselves and Our Daughters” [17]. In the book, Maloney argues that progress for women has stalled and offers recommendations for resuming their advance toward full equality [18].
Marcia Pappas, head of New York state’s chapter of NOW (you remember her for her rock-solid support of Hillary during and after the primaries. She was publicly critical (aghast even) that Kim Gandy and the national NOW endorsed obama and the all-male ticket), has been an early and ardent supporter of Maloney.

And Puma PAC’s good friend MadamaB has been watching Rep. Maloney for a LONG time. Back in September she published a fascinating 2-part interview with Rep. Maloney about why women are still so far behind. I loved the interview because of Maloney’s long, detailed answers and especially her unflinching honesty about how much sexism women continue to face. Rep. Maloney is a treasure. In a better world she would have already run for president.

It goes without saying that Maloney is a die-hard Hillary supporter.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * TODAY’S PROWL * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Please use this template and send a letter to Governor Paterson’s office.

Also, call the Governor’s Office and urge him to appoint Rep. Mahoney!

• PHONE: 518-474-8390
• FAX: 518-474-1513
• EMAIL: http: // www state ny us/governor/contact/index.html (use 555 Fifth Avenue, NYC 10020 for your address)

Dear Gov. Paterson,

I urge you to appoint Rep. Carolyn Maloney to the US Senate to replace Senator Clinton when she is approved as Secretary of State. Rep. Maloney has been an outstanding representative to Washington DC for the men, women, and families of New York and her experience and legislative accomplishments clearly make her the best choice.

It is imperative that you replace Senator Clinton with a qualified and experienced woman. Today women make up about 16% of both houses of Congress, a far far cry from their 52% majority of the citizenry. Studies show that countries with governing bodies made up of less than 30% women have much higher rates of poverty, crime, illiteracy, and many other social ills.

Puma PAC, People United Means Action ([www pumapac org) is committed to supporting and promoting as many qualified women for office as possible, until the United States has at least 30% woman representation in national office. But we don’t support just any woman candidate, only qualified, experienced, and competent women. Rep. Maloney is CLEARLY on of these women and truly deserves the opportunity to serve the people of New York in the US Senate.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Puma PAC Member



Web Source

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The Woman Who Might Take Hillary's Senate Seat

by Benjamin Sarlin
December 18, 2008
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Why Kirsten Gillibrand, a relatively obscure upstate congresswoman, may be the pick to succeed Clinton in the Senate.

As New York Gov. David Paterson prepares to pick to the successor to Hillary Clinton in the Senate, Democratic sources say a top candidate is a relative neophyte, Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand. Who is Gillibrand and why is she being mentioned as a Senate contender alongside heavyweights like Andrew Cuomo?

"My personal feeling is that [Gillibrand] has the inside track for several reasons," said Doug Muzzio, a professor of public policy at Baruch College. "She is a woman, she is smart, she's an up and comer, and, probably most importantly, she's not from New York City or the metropolitan area but a true upstater."

You might call Gillibrand a bizarro version of Sarah Palin: she proudly touts her 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association.

Indeed, geography is considered central to Gillibrand's appeal. The 20th District of New York borders Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. New York City and its surrounding areas currently hold a monopoly on every statewide office from governor down. Appointing an upstater could help boost both Gov. Paterson's re-election chances and give the Democrats a wider base as they face the prospect of defending the seat in a special election in 2010, as well as again in 2012. Moreover, as a woman and a Catholic, Gillibrand could help solidify two key Democratic constituencies.

Politically, Gillibrand, who is 41, is a conservative Democrat and a member of the Blue Dog caucus, which might make her more palatable to some of the more right-leaning areas outside the city. You might call her a bizarro version of Sarah Palin: she proudly touts her 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association, and has two young children, aged 4 years old and six months old.


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Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

(Picture above, not in original story. Inserted by WNY poster)

Although Caroline Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have all been discussed as possibles, Andrew Cuomo, New York’s attorney general, stands as her primary competition for the seat. Cuomo has strong statewide name recognition and, as a potential gubernatorial rival for David Paterson in 2010, he could appeal to the governor’s instincts for political self-preservation. However, Democratic observers say that it’s unclear Cuomo would want the job—he has become a star as attorney general. Moreover, his outsized reputation could clash with that of the state’s other U.S. senator, Chuck Schumer, who is regarded as one of the most powerful legislators in the country. Gillibrand, an attorney, was a former special counsel to Cuomo when Cuomo was Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The bigger problem for Gillibrand may be Rudy Giuliani. According to Democratic consultant Joseph Mercurio, Gillibrand's status as a relative unknown could threaten her in a 2012 race against, say, a former high-profile mayor who is looking for his next job.

“Giuliani might not be strong now against an incumbent governor [if were to challenge Paterson], but against somebody who's never run statewide, who is not an incumbent...he could really cut into the Democratic vote in New York City if he ran,” Mercurio said. “That's the danger.”

However, Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf suggested that Gillibrand might play especially well against a big name Republican opponent.

“I think New Yorkers love the lion versus the lamb or David versus Goliath scenario,” he said. “They're kind of enchanted by it. So it might in fact work.”

Gillibrand was a member of the class of 2006 that swept the Democratic Party to the majority in Congress. It would have been easy to regard her defeat of the 20th district’s incumbent Republican, John Sweeney, as a fluke. Sweeney was in the process of a political implosion in which he turned up—acting strangely—at a college frat party. Days before the election, The Albany Times-Union published police reports that his wife had called 911 on him during an argument (they have since gotten divorced).

But Gillibrand faced a seemingly far tougher race this year against an experienced and well-funded candidate, Sandy Treadwell, who had previously served as New York Secretary of State and as chairman of the state Republican Party. In one of the most expensive congressional races in the country, Gillibrand won in a landslide, taking 62 percent of the vote to Treadwell's 38 percent.

Now with her skills as a campaigner no longer in doubt, her fundraising strong, and her political stock higher than ever, Gillibrand may be on her way to the United States Senate.


Benjamin Sarlin covered New York City politics for The New York Sun and has worked for talkingpointsmemo.com. He is a graduate of Vassar College.


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