Paterson: Senate Speculation Sounds Like “Prelude To A High-School Prom”
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- December
- 24
Governor Paterson returned to New York this afternoon from his trip to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops and again was asked about speculation regarding who he will pick to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
He rejected a reporter’s suggestion that Caroline Kennedy is the front-runner and said he is weighing the qualifications of all the candidates interested.
“I assure you, no person will influence me, coerce me or in any way cause me to do anything other than what is my best judgment,” Paterson said.
He reiterated that he and Rep. Steve Israel, who is interested in the Senate seat, agreed not to talk about the seat during their trip together to Iraq and Afghanistan, but did talk about it after media reports circulated about whether the trip would give Israel a leg up against other candidates.
Paterson said all the speculation was “sounding more like the prelude to a high-school prom than the choosing of the United States senator. And we found it rather amusing. But we were much more engrossed with the plight our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
But at one point he said that Israel is among ‘’highly qualified” candidates for the job. The two left the press conference arm in arm.
Paterson added that all the attention to the appointment “is a a bit superfluous,” but that it’s everyone’s right to comment about it.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 3:37 pm by Joseph Spector.
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Let the GOVERNOR make the choice, not the media and the polls.
Way back in 1968, when Rockefeller filled the vacant RFK with Charles Goodell, was there a public campaign by any aspirant? H—- NO! Mess with Rocky, and he’d have cut your throat, fella.
So Sweet Caroline’s campaign is outta place. She’s asked for consideration, like any number of others. Paterson decides. You don’t like his choice, you can primary in 2010. Everybody’ll be up fopr Grabs: Paterson, Schumer, DiNapoli, Cuomo, the new Senator…
So, APPOINT somebody, already! We have no representation. Clinton’s doing nothing, just prepping for her new job. Let one of these “candidates,” especially the novices and near novices in global affairs start sweating and start being seriously tutored in, for instance, where Persia is located, and what it’s new name is!
Ok Gov, but why do you keep making jokes about it? The message to the troops mentioning the Senate seat or the countless jokes to the press to mention a couple of examples really shows that you are just as guilty. Prelude to a HS prom?! You’ve treated it in the same manner you now find so offensive.
we may have no representation…but mrs clinton is
still the senator and will be until such time that
she is confirmed by the senate …so there really
is no point to naming her successor immediately
It might give Miss Caroline and some others a little more incentive to bone-up on State and international issues/ policy other than when is the maid’s day off. If you know you’re headed to Camp Lejeune in a couple of months, you might be inclined to start a serious workout regimen that you otherwise might eschew.