BOHICA...!!!
Posted on 12/31/2008 4:29:13 PM PST by COUNTrecount
Democrats Pushing Paterson To Name Temp Replacement For Hillary; Scenario Sets Up Wild Election In 2010 Sen. Bill Clinton? Don't completely rule it out.
The former president is among several boldface names being touted as possible "caretakers" for New York's Senate seat -- people who would serve until the 2010 elections but wouldn't be interested in running to keep the job.
As the process of picking Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's replacement gets messier, the option may become increasingly attractive to Gov. David Paterson, who has sole authority to name a successor.
A big name like Bill Clinton or Democratic former Gov. Mario Cuomo could have an immediate impact for New York in the Senate while letting the large field of hopefuls duke it out in 2010, according to three Democratic Party advisers in New York and Washington who are close to the discussion with Paterson's inner circle on this issue.
Two others in the party confirmed that Paterson is still considering the caretaker option. The advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment.
"You could find a very senior person who could serve New York well" on an interim basis, said Gerald Benjamin, a political scientist and dean at the State University of New York at New Paltz. "Then you can say to Caroline Kennedy, `You know, you'd make a good senator. Run for it.' And you can tell everyone else that it's a level playing field."
Paterson has made it clear in recent days that he's getting annoyed by the constant jockeying by supporters of high-powered hopefuls including Kennedy, half a dozen members of Congress and state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, son of the former governor.
The candidates -- especially Kennedy -- have made daily headlines as Paterson tries to focus on a fiscal crisis of historic proportions, his first budget proposal and preparations for his first full legislative session as governor. He took office last spring after disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned.
The caretaker option was exercised last month by Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, who picked a former aide to Vice President-elect Joe Biden to succeed him in the Senate until a new senator is elected in 2010. By then, Biden's son, state Attorney General Beau Biden, will have returned from a tour in Iraq with the National Guard -- just in time to run for his father's seat.
A week ago, Paterson said he favored appointing a senator soon after Clinton is confirmed to start building seniority, and he ruled out an interim placeholder. Under state law, there will be an election to fill the last two years of Hillary Clinton's term in 2010 and another for a full six-year term in 2012.
The process, however, wasn't supposed to be a big distraction.
Some of the other names circulating as possible caretakers among party operatives include the state's retired top jurist, Judith Kaye, and former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, now president of the New School in New York City.
Mario Cuomo and Kaye declined through spokesmen Tuesday to discuss the Senate seat; Bill Clinton, Kerrey and Paterson did not respond to questions Tuesday and Wednesday.
Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College poll, said the caretaker option wouldn't surprise him. "To pick a caretaker is to say ... win it in the court of public opinion."
An interim appointment also could sidestep an internal struggle in New York's Democratic Party.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver -- the longest-serving and most powerful legislative leader in the state -- has reservations about Kennedy, and Paterson needs Silver if he wants to battle powerful labor interests to turn around the state's fiscal problems.
But Kennedy's supporters include New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent who is another important ally for Paterson.
Meanwhile, the handicapping continues about the prospects of some of the lesser-known contenders.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York City, who is known as a tenacious legislator, has been endorsed by three women's advocacy groups: the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and the National Women's Political Caucus. Political observers say Paterson is under pressure to pick a woman because all the state's top leaders -- except Clinton -- are men.
In the political blog Connecting.the.dots, media critic and editor Robert Stein wrote Sunday that a caretaker would show that Paterson has the best interests of the state in mind during the fiscal crisis, while letting powerful political families fight it out in an election two years down the road.
Doug Muzzio, professor of politics at Baruch College, isn't convinced.
"If in fact you are looking to appoint a senator who can be an effective advocate for the people of the state, those two years you can learn a lot and to give that up is problematic."
But Muzzio also sees some benefit to Paterson in picking a caretaker.
"If he is feeling trapped about this Caroline Kennedy thing, this gives him, in a sense, a way out ... without naming someone else that would really anger the pro-Kennedy people," he said.
Just like Rush, he couldn’t stand the pay cut.
It’s so Clinton to throw it out there, though.
Blinky the gov-clown should appoint Client#9 Spitzer. Make NY a complete circus.
Why not Chelsea?! /sarc?
Gonna be mario cooomo
God forbid...
The Democrats in the Senate wouldn’t seat Bill Clinton because he’s been an impeached president. Yeah, right.
When thinking of Chelsa, remember Caligula and Nero..... both Caesers.
We are forbidden from forcasting what should happen to her.
Perhaps the "Monica Candy" is still worth millions to him at his age?
Trying to Figure out a liberal politicians mindset could cause "twitching" in a normal person...
On the other hand, he'd have to give up his Liebrary money-machine and stop doing the million dollar bribes, er, speeches thingy.
But then he could also "work" like Obama and never show up except for an occasional photo-op. That way he could hang out with all the cool chicks and his billionaire buddies with their yachts and jets. Nobody would know the difference and would probably think he was some sort of statesman or something.
So maybe he'll take the seat anyway. After all, it is the Royal Seat reserved for political dynasties and there is still a lot of graft around to mine, especially with these trillion dollar pork barrels rolling down the track.
Who knows? Maybe he can get his driveway at Chappaqua paved in gold at gubmint expense!
There is a precedent. The only other President to be impeached, Andrew Johnson, was also elected to the US Senate, by the Tennessee legislature, some years after he left the Presidency.
Riiiiiiiiight.
geezis....
Why did I think when hillary lost the nomination that we were through with the clintons? Boy was I wrong! Whether he gets to be the NY senator or not I was still wrong, the clintons and their mob are all over the place.
BOHICA...!!!
“The candidates — especially Kennedy — have made daily headlines as Paterson tries to focus on a fiscal crisis...”
Oops.
You nuke Caroline and you end up with Bill in the Senate.
Be careful what you wish for.
So this is what it took to get Bill to shut up during the campaign...
lota chum about bill - thought he was up for a special ambassador slot under hilly honey
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