| I had a couple of long phone conversations with Jon Cooper when he was prepping to visit upstate and meet with activists who were interested in his exploratory efforts for U.S. Senate. In those conversations, Cooper would push a few of the talking points about Senator Kirsten Gillibrand that were mentioned in what seemed to be every article or story about Gillibrand in the media. I thought then his view of Gillibrand was distorted because of that, but didn't correct him. That's not my job. He is an intelligent man who has gotten to this point in his life because of hard work and his smarts.
Cooper's decision not to run for U.S. Senate and endorse Gillibrand was one that didn't come with the fall-in-line fanfare that usually accompanies such endorsements. In his endorsement, he explained how and why he got to this point.
"After I met with Kirsten for several hours, and had an opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions on a wide array of policy issues, I realized that my perceptions of her were primarily based on media reports and second-hand stories," said Cooper. "I now believe that she's the 'real deal' and I'm convinced she will vote the way I would, work as hard as I would, and strive for the same progressive goals as I would."
...
"Kirsten is smart, warm, energetic and committed to doing a great job," stated Cooper. "I've always said that my decision would ultimately be based on what's best for the Democratic Party, New York State and our nation. And that's why I am today offering Senator Gillibrand my wholehearted endorsement."
In an e-mail sent out to supporters, Cooper further detailed how he got to this point and why he has decided to endorse Gillibrand:
But one recent Saturday, I flew down to Washington and had a private dinner meeting with Senator Gillibrand. I did this because a mutual friend challenged me to do so. He told me that what I knew about the Senator from press reports was simply wrong. And he suggested that if indeed it was wrong, my ignoring that and running anyway would be like declaring war on Iraq because they had weapons of mass destruction.
Didn't I have a responsibility, he asked, to take a few hours to determine whether the enemy was real?
I was somewhat reluctant, having come this far, but at the end of the day, I always try to do what I think is right. So down I went to Washington, fully prepared for a "snow job" that I would easily detect and resist...and pretty certain I would come back to stand here today and declare my candidacy.
But what I found instead - based on facts I subsequently verified - is a woman quite unlike the one that has been portrayed in the press.
Believe me, it's a conclusion I did not jump to.
But in reviewing the "source materials," as you might put it, instead of relying on second-hand accounts, I determined that Senator Gillibrand is no more a tobacco stooge than I am...that she was 100% pro-LGBT equality long before she was ever appointed to the Senate...that her positions and votes on guns are not at all what that "100% NRA rating" had led me to assume.
Plus, as it turns out, Senator Gillibrand is smart, warm, energetic and committed to doing a great job.
The decision for Cooper, politically, is a smart one. While there are those who argue Gillibrand is vulnerable, her profile is still rising. For Cooper, it would have been an uphill battle even against someone with perceived weaknesses. He is a strong legislator and a brilliant activist, especially when it comes to leading on LGBT issues. But making the jump from county legislator to U.S. Senate would have been a big one. Perhaps too big.
Yet, Cooper showed a willingness to sit down with Gillibrand and get to know her. He learned who she really is through their one-on-one meetings and by the end of it, came to the realization that it wasn't in his best interest to run for Senate. Instead, he not only decided not to run, but endorsed the woman who he was almost going to primary. |
