Poor Andrew Cuomo never stood a chance. He had a better chance of getting a job with the NAACP than replacing Hillary Clinton as Senator. Attorney General Cuomo was caught up in New York, "Inside Baseball", politics. The "it needs to be a woman to replace her" talk didn't help his case either. His former cousin-in-law Caroline Kennedy, was expected to replace Clinton with an overwhelming vote of confidence from Paterson. But before she could say I do, she said I don't.
Her quest for Clinton's seat was shaky from the beginning. For a person that had kept a private life (as much as a Kennedy could) it seemed like an odd decision. Her interactions with the press were just as confusing. She looked like a 6th grader interviewing for a job with NASA in their Atmospheric Chemistry Department. It was a Speech Teachers nightmare to watch her talk. The only time she looked comfortable was when she was eating yams with Rev. Al Sharpton.
[Editor's Note: I see Gillibrand also did the Harlem Shake with Rebb'n Al this weekend, which included the obligatory trip to Sylvia's. Folks, please tell me there's better cuisine in Harlem than that dogg-food. Please. Take her to Gray's Papaya. Anything but Sylvia's. Sheesh.]
Last week the dream candidate ended her quest by withdrawing her bid. Reports differ on the reasons for her change of mind. Some say it was marriage problems, health problems with her Uncle Ted Kennedy, or possibly the fact that she has been a sometime voter since 1988. Whatever the reason was Gov. Paterson had a backup plan. Not since O.J. Simpson has a black man had a backup white woman. Patterson named Blue Dog Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand as Clintons replacement. I guess he was trying to impress the upstate voters of New York City. I hope it works because a "Blue Dog" Democrat is a Closeted Republican.
Caroline Kennedy needs to come clean and stop the madness. I don't believe all the made up reasons for her quitting. Let's be honest and just agree that Kennedy was not up for the task. I'm not going to go into her qualifications because that is beside the point. She was not ready because……she didn't want the job. I guess the Kennedys were drawing straws and she got the short one. Kennedy is a private person that has done a good job of staying below the radar. You know just enough about her but not enough about her. She was not ready for the public scrutiny in her personal life. But don't feel sorry for Kennedy because this will pass. This will eventually become a footnote in New York State history.
In her next job search, she should take a different approach. She needs a job where qualifications aren't a big thing and they don't require background checks. It's too late to get a job in the Bush Administration but I'm sure something will come up.
Question: Between Patterson's waffling and Blagojevich's cluster, are the Dems trying everything in their power to erase all the ObaMomentum? Why did Kennedy really pull out? Could your Grandma also outcook Sylvia with both arms tied behind her back? Whaddaya' think about Citizen Ojo?
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I've never had Sylvia's so I guess I really can't say.
Citizen Ojo you're alright with me. I don't really care too much for politics but that won't make me not like you :)
I believe I called this one. :)
No coronation for Princess Caroline!
I've lost a lot of the respect I had for Paterson (and it's ONE 't', people! Get it right!) because of this. And I don't even mean what a national embarrassment it is that even Fruit Loop Blagojevich handled this more efficiently. I mean what a disgrace it is that not only did the governor allow Kennedy to be unfairly trashed (she was probably not qualified, but that's beside the point), but he has no control over his office or the messages coming out of it. It's been nothing but mixed messages for weeks leading up to this. And when the dust all settles, what does he do? For reasons known only to himself, he appoints Blue Dog Gillibrand (who, incidentally, was my congresswoman for 4 months before I moved to the city). The appointment makes no political sense that I can see, let alone Gillibrand not being a suitable replacement for Clinton in terms of positions.
Paterson, yer a joik. I've been on your side up to now, since you seemed to be the only adult in state government regarding the budget crisis, but you just royally effed up with this.
Unfairly trashed? Cry me a river.
;) At least Andrew Sullivan wasn't insisting that JFK Jr.'s death was really staged so he could have a sex change and assume Caroline's identity...
Maybe Paterson is thinking that upstate can carry him to another term, and that picking a pro-guns Democrat from the area will ensure their love in the next election? I'm just guessing... don't really know a whole lot about NY State politics.
Citizen Ojo- nice job. I'm mostly an average lurker but wanted to show you some love today.
Caroline couldn't stand the heat... so she quick stepped out the kitchen. I don't think she was quite ready for the flack that ensued when she announced her interest in the seat. Her bidding for the seat was about as random as Blagojevich throwing Oprah's name in the ring of candidates for Obama's senate seat.
And Sylvia's is about as tired as Reverend Al's perm application comb. You're better off buying her canned collard greens from the grocery store and doctoring them with a neckbone and some onions...
@dark n stormy
is the food that bad?? Goodness...
Welcome Citizen Ojo!! Good start!!
I don't know enough about Paterson to comment on his decision making process but at least he didn't rush into anything. I'd rather a Gov take his time and weigh his options. I heard that Caroline Kennedy withdrew due to "tax issues" with the hired help. Could be total heresay.
@ Spool
Do you ever visit any liberal/progressive blogs? Many folks on the left, including myself, did not think Caroline Kennedy was a good choice. It had nothing to do with her name but rather her lack of credentials and voting record (or lack thereof).
Not all lefties buy into the BS of Camelot...nor do we believe a politician should be handed a position based on name, i.e. Hilary Clinton.
As an upstate NYer, I'm hoping that Gillibrand can bring some help and support back to the area considering its where she's from. Something Hilary NEVER did. Upstate is seriously the stepchild of NY state and we always get the most budget cuts. I and I think what someone said about Paterson hoping to get the upstate vote in the choice may have been right.
Either way, Paterson has hit my Ish list and that was before this whole senate seat thing really (I kinda of wanted to see what Caroline could do. The seat was only for two years and after that the people would have to decide if she need to keep it). All these absurd cuts and taxes. Obesity tax? Luxury tax for going to a salon or barber. My cousin said her husband if the tax get's approved will have to raise his rates from $10 a cut to $20. Ridiculous!
TD1016: From one upstater (well, from 1991 to 2007, anyway) to another, do you agree with me that, since it basically means everything from Buffalo to Syracuse to Albany to Watertown to Binghamton to freakin' Plaatsburgh, "upstate New York" is the most incredibly stupid, meaningless term on earth? XD
@ Spool:
What!?! Who in hell said THAT?! That's disgusting.
I never supported Kennedy for this, but that doesn't stop me from thinking the way she was treated by the governor was horrible. (Just like my extreme antipathy toward Sarah Palin did not blind me to the grotesquely sexist way the media treated her.)
Don't know much about New York State politics? All you need to know is that they're completely dysfunctional, and apparantly have been for decades. (Being only about 10 years into political awareness, I'm taking the local curmudgeons' word for it. :)
@ Vanilla:
Are you a New Yorker, too? Couldn't tell from your words.
@ Marbles... yeah it's kinda stupid. Anything that's pretty much not NYC is considered Upstate. I'm from Rochester area so sometimes I'll say Western NY. Everyone knows that Syracuse, Albany and Binghamton are Central NY. Duh :P :) It's sad that we have to differentiate the regions, but unfortunately when people ask where you're from, and you say NY, they automatically think you're from NYC. I use to get that all the time when I was in college. Hello, although its a major city its only like 5% of NY State. Or you get the smartass remarks when I would say I'm an hour from Buffalo, "Oh, you're really from Canada" and then they say "eh" after it. For one of the public schools in the nation it had a lot of morons.
@ Marbles
Born in DC. Raised in southern MD. Currently reside in the now beautifully blue state of VA (northern).
I'm a political junkie...I follow a fair amount of issues. New York has always interested me...and the accents, whooa!! Brooklyn,Queens,
Long Island. Love 'em!!!
@VLatte:
Northern Virginia. Ah, yes! The part of the state where the "real Americans" don't live! XD
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