Is Kirsten Gillibrand the New Hillary Clinton?

Now that Caroline Kennedy has officially withdrawn her name from consideration for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, it's time to look at the other names on the list. News reports say that New York Governor David Paterson isn't inclined to appoint New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and will instead give the seat to New York Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, who has only been in the House of Representatives for two years.

Many women activists have called on Paterson to appoint Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who has been in Congress for 16 years and has a long history as an advocate for women's and economic issues. So what does Paterson gain by appointing 42-year-old Gillibrand?

Mostly, I think it's the fact that she's from upstate and she's a Democrat who's liked by Republicans. And she doesn't come from a famous political "dynasty," as Kennedy or Cuomo.

Gillibrand supports SCHIP, proposed legislation to enact the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report and favors decreased federal spending. But she's also supported by the National Rifle Association. The announcement is supposed to come on Saturday.

Maybe to give her some time to find someone to suggest for her Congressional seat?

Cross-posted from Joanne's place, PunditMom

Comments

[progressivegal]

I just saw the appointment run across the bottom of the screen of MSNBC. Now I'm off to find out more about her. Thanks for the early heads up!

[Gunfighter]

She might make a very savvy choice, Joanne. Upstate New York isn't a liberal's paradise, and if she is fairly centrist, she may be able to make the best of her time as an appointed Senator to make enough traction to be leceted in her own right.

It would be nice to keep that seat in the Deomcratic column.

[http://www.pantsuitpolitics.net]

I'm glad she was picked. We've been following her closely at our website. Despite her stand on gun control I think she's great with the other liberal issues. So far she gets a big thumbs up from us.