( - promoted by phillip anderson)
The more serious the reality starts to seem that President Obama did offer HRC the SoS last Thursday and she is now accepting it, as reported by Phillip late Monday Night, the more interesting and pressing the big question becomes.
WHO WILL BE THE Junior Senator from the State of New York???
We've heard of the push for RFK, Jr. and the thought towards Congresswoman Velazquez, and there's always the possibility that Gov. Paterson could become Sen. Paterson???
The NY Times has quoted numerous Dem. strategists as the common thinking being that there are three factors the Gov. is considering in making his selection, Independent political strategists and leading Democrats theorized that Mr. Paterson's choice would come down to three factors: geography, diversity and whether the replacement senator could help Mr. Paterson politically.
Geographically, the popular Upstater is the 2nd Term Congressman out of the 27th District, Brian Higgins.
Diversity could mean my very own Congresswoman Velazquez
(please select me from your list for inauguration tix?).
The popular CoverYA choice is A.G. Andrew Cuomo,
What about the timely team of enemies move of Rudolph Giuliani??
The downstate suburban popular choice pushed by the media is the NY-2nd Rep., Congressman Steve Israel.
A source told the Daily News that Congresswoman Velazquez is seen as satisfying at least two of the three factors, being both Latina and Female and could be a way to reign in the Gang of Three who are demanding more Hispanic representation. They think she's a twofer," said the source close to Paterson, who would get to pick Clinton's replacement. "She's a woman and a Latina and therefore a home run. He's feeling tremendous pressure in western New York, which he has to win to win the general election. But the closer pressure he's feeling right now is from the Hispanic community." Although, 2nd Term Congresswoman Gillibrand would also satisfy two of the three factors set out by those familiar with our Gov.'s thinking. The Politics on the Hudson blog quoted Gov. Paterson recently in response to the Gang of Three,
"What I said was it would be a great thing for New York if we had a New York City or New York statewide leader who was of Hispanic decent. I thought that would be tremendous. And they took that to mean that I'm supporting one of them for majority leader."
BUT really, the question may have already become two-fold, WHO WILL IT be and WHEN WILL IT be announced.
So the early eyes open question out now is has Gov. Paterson already decided who he would name, and would he stop a potentially damaging NYS Democratic divisive political hot potato by quickly naming the individual and putting to rest any discussion and arguments that may be bantered about the liberally speaking bars and progressive think tanks?
Gov. Paterson has shown a fondness for the blogs complimenting The Albany Project on Daily Kos I also held my first "Virtual Town Hall" at the Albany Project and you can see that conversation HERE. I was pleased with the questions. They showed how policy aware the community at The Albany Project is.
SO if you are out there Gov. Paterson, let me paraphrase a comment left by our downtown friend Paul Newell in his stupor to understand HRC's reason to take the SoS,
I have high hopes for this selection. I would like the candidate to be our generation's Ted Kennedy. The progressive senator with the invincible seat unafraid to take the heat for positions. The huge name that can bring the cameras to every press conference. But all this with the pragmatic sense and political savvy to actually pass legislation.
Pick someone strong.
Pick someone who can easily retain the Seat.
Pick someone who would honor the Senate Seat held by Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Robert Kennedy, the progressive with the backbone and secure Senate seat to take the tough positions and keep the progressive plank of the Democratic Party strong.
(wonder if this will hurt my chances at an inauguration tix?)
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