Why Paterson Chose Gillibrand

By Ellen Ratner

Published May 07, 2015

Caroline Kennedy will land on her feet either as head of a commission or maybe even Ambassador to the Court of Saint James. But, she was not ready for prime time no matter whose story you believe. She has done amazing things with her books and her philanthropy, but that this not the same as mastering rough and tumble politics. Her "listening tour" was not the same as Hillary Clinton's in 2000.

Hillary had been through the grinder with health care and Monica Given that reality Governor Paterson had to choose someone who could keep the seat, raise the money and not make upstate New York furious with him.

Andrew Cuomo would be a great choice for the seat but there is NO love lost between Cuomo and Paterson. Gov. Paterson would rather put up with him running in the primary against him then give him the gift of the Senate seat.

So, Paterson keeps the seat in the female column with someone who managed raise about four million dollars for a House of Representatives seat. She is a blue dog Democrat in a GOP district and she is from upstate.

The progressive Democrats can carp all they want about her and threaten to run someone in the primaries in two years but they will have no where to go.

My bet is that she wins the primary and keeps the seat.

Too bad because Gov. Paterson will most likely be challenged by Mr. Cuomo. However, he made a gutsy choice and it will serve New York well.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-paterson-chose-gillibrand