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Replacing Hillary: A New York Political Minefield
Choosing a new senator opens a can of worms for New York's governor.
Out here in New York, Democratic Governor David Paterson finds himself in the unusual role of holding an embarrassment of riches. Having been placed in the unenviable position of needing to fill Senator Hillary Clinton’s sensible pantsuits in the nation’s upper chamber, he is rewriting the old Shakespearean Twelfth Night adage to read, “Some people are born to greatness while others have greatness dropped upon their doorstep like a bag of flaming dog poo.”
The original script of the Hudson Valley power brokers never included Paterson spending his nights in the Empire State’s governor’s mansion, to say nothing of filling a seat in the newly burgeoning Democratic Senate majority.
Ignoring his early displays of talent as a peace broker between Sheldon Silver and Joe Bruno, liberals in Albany viewed the legally blind, African-American politico as the perfect minority vermouth to Elliot Spitzer’s gin, but they had no plans for him to play first chair.
Had the Sheriff of Wall Street not been discovered in flagrante delicto with a woman of negotiable affections, Paterson might never have faced this quandary.
As things stand, however, local sources indicate that the governor’s arm is being twisted into shapes previously imagined only by bakers of opiate laced pretzels. The Old Money of the Hudson Valley has not forgotten the way the DNC foisted an Arkansas carpetbagger off on them in 2000 and would like to see some home grown talent move up, so Paterson is no doubt grateful that the Cigar Aficionado in Chief has demurred from possible consideration. Likewise, Bobby Kennedy’s son has passed on the seat, as did Michael Bloomberg. Still, Paterson faces a minefield in the remaining contenders.
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Jazz Shaw is a heretical, Northeastern former RINO and regular columnist at The Moderate Voice. He can be reached at jazzshaw@gmail.com.
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17 Comments
1. cedarford:I wouldn’t nominate a Jew (Lowey), or someone from NYC (Velazquez).
Voters recently elected 3 Jews as Governor, Mayor of NYC, and the other Senator, Schumer. Appoint another Jew as the 2nd Senator? Excessive.. New York has 1,625,000 Jews out of 19,298,000 people. Patterson has to balance his constituencies and not favor Jews centered around NYC.
And right now, Patterson, Schumer, and Bloomberg(obviously) are long-time NYC power wielders. A 4th bigshot from NYC, occupying the other Senate seat, would also be excessive. And seen as a slap in the face to Upstaters & Long Islanders that don’t think NYC is the Center of the World, of America, even New York State.
He might try a black, but if Illinois appoints a black to replace Obama, it would be like Cuomo appointing a paisan pal in a similar situation. If Illinois doesn’t, it makes it much easier for Paterson to go with a black from Upstate, like Buffalo’s mayor.
Dec 4, 2008 - 2:21 am 2. seven:I liked the expression sherrif of Wall Street. He was defrocked. We of course need a Jew.. Since we are in the season of justice and reparation for previous intolerances.
Dec 4, 2008 - 4:54 am 3. Maggie:Appoint whoever. I hope Rudy runs for the seat and wins.
Dec 4, 2008 - 5:47 am 4. Karin:I’m just glad that Bloomberg declined. He is one of my top despised people in politics (the others being Schumer, Biden, Rangel, etc.)
Dec 4, 2008 - 5:48 am 5. Brian Richard Allen:I live upstate (way upstate), and we are a red island in a sea of blue. If I can’t have at least a RINO, I’d like to see someone North of Albany. We do exist up here, dutifully paying our state and property taxes for the benefit of the city and LonGisland.
Cedarford, didn’t Buffalo’s mayor do something wacky lately?
Or, cedaford, perhaps he could make a truly radical move — and nominate an adequately talented AMERICAN.
Assuming, that is — and on the off chance any popped up thereabouts — there is, in Noo Yark’s “Democratic” political circle, a single, um, jerk, capable of recognizing talent?
Brian Richard Allen
Dec 4, 2008 - 5:53 am 6. MarkD:Los Angeles – CalifUBAMAcated 90028
Brian #5,
Don’t you know we have no adequately talented New Yorkers? We had to import Clinton. Maybe California has some OTH Hollywood star, or maybe Pelosi has a sister.
There is no Initiative, no Referendum, no Recall, and no hope in New York.
Dec 4, 2008 - 6:35 am 7. urbanleftbehind:Draw from a hat with given number of candidates reflective of the WHOLE state’s racial breakdown (and yes, the white bracket would have to include the requisite #s of Italians and Jews). Its what I’ve recommended for Illinois.
Dec 4, 2008 - 6:56 am 8. Andy:Appoint Rudy. He will do what is right for NY.
Dec 4, 2008 - 7:04 am 9. Thinking Person:note to MarkD….Don’t let anyone from Minnesota have a say either. They elect wrestlers and are now pushing for a psuedo-comedian (Frankenfurter) for public office.
Dec 4, 2008 - 7:15 am 10. Carl D. Kaminer:Thinking Person…
You call Al Franken a “psuedo-comedian”? Doesn’t that imply that he’s at least “sort of” funny? I bet you laugh at train wrecks.
Poor Governor Paterson… where WILL he find a suitable replacement for Hillary Clinton in a such a red-state bastion of conservatism like New York?
Dec 4, 2008 - 8:03 am 11. kk:Paterson could leave the seat open and no one would notice the difference, but he should go for a wise old placeholder to give the Dem machine enough time to decide for the voters in advance of 2010. Paterson’s fantasy must be to appoint State Senator Kruger in order to get THAT Independent Democrat out of the way of realizing Paterson’s dream of one party rule.
Giuliani couldn’t win anything in NY anymore – except maybe county sheriff.
Which is really too bad because I am so disgusted with the NY Dem machines that I want a really strong challenge to Schumer in 2010, and now we will have both Senate seats on the ballot.
Suozzi deserves much better than the Dem machine has handed him.
Dec 4, 2008 - 4:47 pm 12. MIK:It’s gotta be an upstate woman. First, Paterson is getting a lot of heat because he has to appoint a successor to Chief Judge Judy Kaye from a list given him by the Commission on Judicial Nomination, created by the state constitution in an effort to insure merit selection of COurt of APpeals judges. All those on the list are men. What this means, I believe, is that that appointment and the senatorial appointment will be announced the same day.
I think it’s gotta be an upstater since Paterson has to be looking for what will do him the most good in 2010 (when he will be up for election himself). He’s got NYC; he has to make sure that he does well upstate.
Dec 4, 2008 - 7:44 pm 13. OneWithTheWorld:Hasn’t Bloomberg already paid Paterson for this Senate seat? Sure, there’ll be some shucking and jiving but if Bloomberg wants to replace Hussein, he needs national status. Paterson, who is as dirty as Rangel, probably has already cashed Bloomberg’s checks.
Dec 5, 2008 - 1:41 pm 14. james:Do New Yorkers ever ask themselves why electoral votes are moving south and west?
Dec 5, 2008 - 9:39 pm 15. Harry:I was born and raised in NYC and wouldn’t live there again for any reason.
Do you even hear yourselves? No qualified person who still lives in your state would deign to run for office. And if he did it would be prima facie evidence that he is unfit to serve.
It started with the savaging of Keating by the Kennedy Gang (a little history for all you children out there.) And it continues to this day.
It’s going to be Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. End of discussion.
Dec 6, 2008 - 12:41 pm 16. Gilligan:With Charlie Rangel facing impeachment and expulsion over his long history of corruption and tax evasion there is going to be a pressing need for a camera happy black demagogue from New York in the Capitol.
Al Sharpton is the obvious choice.
Dec 6, 2008 - 6:53 pm 17. Gary Ogletree:The writing is just too cute by half. Lost interest in the content and gave up early.
Dec 7, 2008 - 6:43 am