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Tonight, Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate for the November 3 special election in the 23rd congressional district, spoke to about 100 Republicans at the Lewis County GOP dinner at the Elks Lodge 1605. After a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, Scozzafava fended off criticism that she wasn't as conservative as third-party candidate Doug Hoffman and urged her supporters to vote for her in order to keep her Democratic opponent Bill Owens from serving as a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama's agenda in Washington. It was a fairly typical evening--until the speech ended and someone with...

In an exclusive interview with ABC George Streptococcus, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi again demonstrated her clear and concise view of America and American politics. Asked why New York Governor Patterson tapped Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand for Hillary's abandoned senate seat, rather than Caroline Kennedy, the Speaker had a ready answer. "Sexism!" I won't bore you with a reminded that like most humans named Kirsten, the new senator checked "female" on her driver's license application. It goes much deeper than that. Pelosi thinks the choice wasn't because now-Senator Gillibrand has years of elective government service experience. It wasn't because she...

Caroline Kennedy has given up her bid for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. In a one-line statement citing personal reasons, the widely considered front-runner said Thursday she told New York Gov. David Paterson a day earlier that she was no longer interested in the job. "I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate." The statement, provided by Kennedy's press person Stefan Friedman, was issued after hours of divergent reports Wednesday evening.

ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports: There are conflicting reports regarding whether or not Caroline Kennedy has dropped out of consideration for Hillary Clinton's vacated U.S. Senate seat from New York. A source told of Kennedy's decision told ABC News she was dropping out, echoing reports quoting anonymous sources in three New York City newspapers and, initially, The Associated Press. The source added that a formal statement confirming Kennedy's decision was expected shortly. But the AP later rescinded its initial report, quoting another anonymous source who said Kennedy was staying in the running for the U.S. Senate seat after all.

Breaking News 6:59 PM ET: Caroline Kennedy Plans to Withdraw From New York Senate Consideration

Hey — she’s more qualified than Princess. He’s joking, of course, but acclimate yourself to the idea now: She’ll be only 52 in 2016, slightly younger than the last Democratic First Lady was when she joined the Senate. And wouldn’t you know it, 2016 also happens to be the year Roland Burris’s seat comes up for election. Assuming he runs and wins two years from now, he’ll be 79 and primed for retirement just as The One’s second term is expiring.

I don’t know what to say, except that I never really thought it would happen. Surely someone or something would intervene — a power play by Andrew Cuomo, maybe, or a crescendo of popular sentiment against an obviously unqualified pick — to blast through the nexus of money, influence, and backscratching that’s pushed this dial tone to the brink. As cynical as we all are about politics, we’re not so cynical that we seriously believe the governor of New York’s going to appoint Caroline Kennedy to the Senate. But I guess we should be. Despite claims that he’s still undecided,...

DESPITE claims that he's still undecided, Gov. Paterson is "certain" to pick Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate, several unhappy contenders for the job have told friends and associates in recent days. The contenders based their conclusion on the view that Paterson, after nearly two months of indecision, would "greatly embarrass" and "entirely humiliate" Kennedy, anger her prominent political family and even offend President-elect Barack Obama by picking someone other than President John F. Kennedy's daughter. As for the governor's claim to be weighing a last-minute finalist, the contenders agree with a close Paterson friend...

Clinton bids colleagues farewellBy AMIE PARNES | 1/14/09 9:31 PM EST At an emotional private party just off the Senate floor, soon-to-be Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told her Senate colleagues Wednesday night that serving in the Senate “has been the greatest experience of my life” and that leaving them was “like leaving family.” Clinton, whose eyes welled up as she worked the elegant LBJ room in the Capitol, hugged and kissed colleagues, posed for pictures and thanked them one by one as she reminded them she would be “just around the corner.” Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) nearly...

A 2010 showdown between Rep. Peter King and Hillary Clinton's Senate successor took another step toward reality yesterday as the Long Island Congressman had a favorable meeting with GOP leaders. Caroline Kennedy Through the Years View Gallery Have a look at Caroline Kennedy through the years as she launches her campaign for Hillary Clinton's New York Senate seat. The 63-year-old King (R-Seaford) had a sitdown with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn and received his blessing for a potential 2010 run, Politico reported today. "Senator Cornyn believes Peter King would be a very formidable candidate. He believes the seat...

SHOCK POLL: Kennedy Trailing Cuomo Huge Public Policy Polling Shows Princess Of Camelot Losing Grip On New Yorkers, Falls Behind 20 Points Among Dems NEW YORK (CBS) ― Caroline Kennedy appears to be losing momentum in her bid for Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat. A new survey conducted by Public Policy Polling shows 58 percent of voters would prefer to see Gov. David Paterson appoint state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to the seat. That's compared to Kennedy's 27 percent. Among Democratic voters, Cuomo leads by about 20 points. That's about the same lead Kennedy enjoyed just a month earlier. This...

The big headline story recently has been Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s “play for pay” scandal relating to the president-elect’s vacant Senate seat. We’ve also been watching money scandals surrounding other Democrats such as Charlie Rangel and William Jefferson, to name but a few. It now appears by way of the New York Times that they are not alone in violating ethics. Add Hillary Clinton to the list. The next secretary of state did a huge favor for a developer who contributed thousands to her campaign and her husband's library....

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former president John Kennedy claims that her family’s experience and sacrifice makes her the best qualified candidate to fill the New York senate seat that will be vacated when Senator Hillary Clinton (D) leaves to become Secretary of State in the Obama Administration. “My father fought in World War II and was assassinated while president,” Kennedy pointed out. “My uncle Bobby was shot to death while on the verge of becoming president. My uncle Ted narrowly escaped drowning while trying to rescue a young woman, sacrificing his presidential aspirations in the process. The Kennedy family has...

STEINEM TOUTS KENNEDY FOR NY SEAT - IN HOUSE By BRENDAN SCOTT in Albany and MAGGIE HABERMAN in New York January 3, 2009 -- Feminist icon Gloria Steinem yesterday said Gov. Paterson should appoint Rep. Carolyn Maloney to the Senate - and ask Caroline Kennedy to run for Maloney's House seat instead of the Senate. Maloney, 60, who represents Manhattan's East Side and part of Queens, has been quietly pushing her case for the seat being vacated by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton even as Kennedy, 51, has received more attention. Steinem put forth her idea, unsolicited, as Maloney was honored...

(Washington, D.C. - 1/3/09) Democrats across the board, including progressives on the far left, who are ardent supporters of Caroline Kennedy, are growing impatient with Republicans and others who are concerned about her apparent lack of qualifications for a likely U.S. Senatorial appointment. In a specious statement from the DNC, tolerance and understanding of this appointment are required: “We firmly believe Caroline “You Know” Kennedy is the absolutely best choice that could be made for the people of New York, the U.S. Senate and for the people of America. All of America should now be pleased there is a voice...

Pressure mounts over replacement for Clinton By Harvey Morris in New York Published: January 2 2009 19:45 | Last updated: January 2 2009 19:45 Facing one of the most nail-biting choices since the presidential election, David Paterson, the New York governor, has been told he would be guilty of “political malpractice” if he named anyone other than Caroline Kennedy as the state’s new junior representative in the Senate. Mr Paterson, under intense pressure from some of the country’s most powerful political dynasties as he ponders his decision, has sole discretion to appoint a replacement for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who...

Caroline Kennedy Will Be Senator, Officials Tell AP @ 2:12 pm by Walter Alarkon Caroline Kennedy will be named the successor in the Senate to Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), according to unnamed officials who spoke to the Associated Press. The AP also spoke to two people close to Gov. David Paterson (D-N.Y.) who said that he is still looking for his choice but that they believe Kennedy will be the pick. Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, has been lobbying for the seat since last month. Paterson's choice will serve until 2010, when voters will choose someone to...

It appears the "fix is in" in New York on who will be chosen to replace Sen. Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate. Sources close to New York Governor David Patterson are saying they believe Carolyn Kennedy will be selected to fill the seat. Here is a local news report from New York that the state assembly leader is now supporting Kennedy, which sources say is a result of "arm-twisting" by Gov. Patterson's staff. That would certainly seem to indicate that Patterson will select Kennedy . . . . (See Video)

Gov. Paterson won't appoint a "caretaker" senator to replace Hillary Clinton, he said Thursday as he warned powerbrokers to stop trying to influence his decision. Paterson said tapping a big name to hold Clinton's seat until a special election in 2010 would cost the state nearly two years of seniority in the Senate. "In the United States Senate, the most effective senators are the ones that have seniority," Paterson told reporters during a new year's open house at the Executive Mansion. His words end speculation that the governor would ask an old-guard political pro - such as former President Bill...