All signs now point to Senator Hillary Clinton and that she will accept the secretary of state position from President Elect Barack Obama.
While the official announcement is expected to come after Thanksgiving, here at the Capitol all is not quiet.
Eight names have now been thrown into the ring to fill Clintons seat.
Andrew Cuomo, New York Attorney General
US Rep Kirsten Gillibrand
US Rep Brian Higgins
US Rep Nydia Velazquez
US Rep Nita Lowey
US Rep Gregory Meeks
Mayor Of Buffalo, Byron Brown
Governor David Paterson
Dr. Leonard Cutler is a Political Science Professor at Siena college and believes the pick will be an upstate one.
"as far as Kirsten Gillibrand, I don't think it will happen. The decision is ultimately the Governors. But what's gonna happen is if Paterson appoints her to that then her seat becomes open. That area is highly Republican. The Republicans will vie for that seat and anytime an oppositional party can pick up a seat, you can bet they will"
I'm betting that Patterson will appoint himself ... it's a lucrative seat and it gets him out of the logjam in Albany and an economy that's going downhill FAST. It'd be a perfect opportunity to salvage his political career.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Good point. But she has made a pretty good name for herself. I don't think you'll see Cuomo move now. His next move willbe for Govenor, which I believe he will be one day.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Cuomo Favored to Take Hillary Clinton's Senate Seat New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo leads the pack of likely contenders to replace Hillary Clinton as a New York senator
FOXNews.com Saturday, November 22, 2008
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is said to be a front-runner for the appointment to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate if she is confirmed as secretary of state. (Reuters File)
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is emerging as the leading contender to take over the Senate seat of Hillary Clinton, who is poised to head the State Department after Barack Obama takes offices as President.
Blogs and polls are showing a preference for Cuomo. In a new Marist poll, 43 percent of New York voters said they would like to see Cuomo replace Clinton, 1 percentage point more than those who said they were not sure about their preference.
A Washington DC blog, examiner.com, predicts Cuomo will get the nod.
"And while nothing is official, or close to it, on who will be Clinton's interim replacement, it is all but certain that New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will be the temporary replacement for the junior senator's seat from New York (with the possibility of future full-time employment)," the blog read.
Cuomo, son of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, has strong ties to the Clintons. He was secretary of housing and urban development for four years under President Bill Clinton before being elected the state attorney general in 2006.
Cuomo also has ties to another legendary Democratic family: the Kennedy clan. Cuomo was married to Marry Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, for 13 years until their divorce in 2003. They have three children.
"He knows Washington, he would come in with some real clout and be an aggressive legislator," Dan Gerstein, a New York-based political analyst told FOXNews.com.
Clinton's role in the Obama administration still isn't official, though sources have said she is expected to be announced as his secretary of state nominee after Thanksgiving. She then would have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Democratic Gov. David Paterson would get to appoint Clinton's replacement upon her resignation, and her replacement would face a special election in two years. But Paterson, who replaced disgraced Eliot Spitzer as governor earlier this year, and has stated his intention to run for election in 2010, must consider the political consequences of his choice.
"My heart goes out to David Paterson," Gerstein said, noting that New York's first black and first legally blind governor suffered through the sex scandal of Spitzer only to encounter a $1.2 billion budget shortfall after the meltdown on Wall Street.
"He's sadly become the grand champion of the no-win situation. No matter who he picks, he will alienate a lot of different communities," he said, explaining that New York is dominated by identity politics.
"I tend to think Paterson is going to fall into this trap of picking someone who's politically helpful to him, rather than who could do the most good for New York state," Gerstein added.
Gerstein, a former spokesman for Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, said his top pick to replace Clinton would be former Time Warner CEO Dick Parsons.
"He has instant credibility, instant gravitas when it comes to business issues, and dealing with the economic crisis," he said. Gerstein also said Parsons' race -- he is black -- makes him an ideal choice because the Senate lost its only black member when Obama resigned this month.
Other names that have been mentioned as possible contenders are Caroline Kennedy and her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert Kennedy Jr. supported Clinton in the primaries, going against Caroline and his uncle, Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, who both supported Obama. Robert Kennedy reportedly said in January 2007 that he would consider running for Clinton's Senate seat if she were to win the presidency.
It will be Mr.Cuomo----for sure.....he kind of made it look like he 'looked into' things that were 'not so right'.......my a@#.......he made his name public for just such an occaision........who keeps filling this trough?????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
There's a humorous response to the topic of this thread, but at the risk of seeming impolite ...
I believe that Patterson will appoint Andrew Cuomo to fill Hillary's Senate seat. Cuomo has expressed interest in running for NYS Governor. Patterson doesn't want the primary challenge.
There's a humorous response to the topic of this thread, but at the risk of seeming impolite ...
I believe that Patterson will appoint Andrew Cuomo to fill Hillary's Senate seat. Cuomo has expressed interest in running for NYS Governor. Patterson doesn't want the primary challenge.
I agree Brad. Patterson stated on talk radio yesterday that he didn't want it ... he was going to sink or swim as Governor in the job he was appointed to.
Coumo wants the Gov seat, and frankly, with his name behind him, he'll be a formidable opponent to Patterson in a re-election bid.
Let me take a giggle break here.....ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,,,,,,,,,,,,,,b.r.e.a.t.h.e..................................ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
First published in print: Saturday, November 29, 2008
As I heard the news that Sen. Hillary Clinton has decided to accept President-Elect Barack Obama's offer to serve as secretary of state, I became filled with joy. If only she could take Chuck Schumer with her. Senator Clinton, best of luck. No need to write. If you need any help moving out of Chappaqua, I'd be happy to take a personal day so I can come down and help you pack.
Governor Patterson, this gives you a tremendous opportunity to appoint an actual New Yorker who is fiscally responsible and widely acceptable to a variety of your constituents. You could do no better than to appoint Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to take Senator Clinton's place. She is, of course, a Democrat and takes up many traditionally Democrat causes. But she also voted twice against the pork-laden bailout package, and has been a reliable friend of sportsmen. She actually seems to care about New Yorkers (and even us upstate New Yorkers). New Yorkers would do well to start asking Governor Patterson to ask Kirsten Gillibrand to serve as senator. She has represented us very well thus far, and deserves a promotion.
Gillibrand takes oath as Senate speculation continues Updated: 12/03/2008 05:25 AM By: Curtis Schick
HUDSON, N.Y. -- With her hand on the Bible and her son Theo holding it up, freshly re-elected Congresswomen Kirsten Gillibrand took her oath of office. More than a hundred friends and family filled the Columbia County Court House, watching the woman that might follow in Hillary Clinton's footsteps now that Clinton is becoming President-elect Obama's Secretary of State.
"As a result, there will be a vacancy in the United States Senate," said Judge Roger Miner, US Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Gillibrand's former boss, Judge Roger Miner, dropped a not so subtle Senate succession hint to cheers after the ceremony. Governor Paterson has said a qualified upstate candidate could make sense.
"I think that it is important that he choose the right person for the job, that he thinks have all the things so we have a good balance in our state," said Gillibrand.
Gillibrand wouldn't say if she is interested, but did say she hasn't spoken with the Governor's office about the job. She says she, like everyone who's name is out there, is waiting for a decision.
"When that bridge comes, we will cross it," said Gillibrand.
And while Gillibrand’s name is on a long list of possible picks to replace Senator Clinton, the only name that really matter is this one -- David Paterson.
"You can ask me this question a million times. I am not getting into who the candidates are," said the Governor.
(CNN) -- After eight years as senator from New York, Hillary Clinton is trading places, moving from Congress to the incoming administration.
On Monday, President-elect Barack Obama announced that he asked his former rival to be his secretary of state.
That means the scramble begins to replace Clinton on Capitol Hill. Among those mentioned to take her seat as New York's junior senator is her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
At a news conference in Chicago, Illinois, on Monday, after Obama announced her selection, Clinton said she wanted to "thank my fellow New Yorkers who have, for eight years, given me the joy of a job I love with the opportunity to work on issues I care deeply, in a state that I cherish."
Clinton added that "leaving the Senate is very difficult for me."
The task of choosing a successor falls to David Paterson, New York's Democratic governor. Whomever he picks would serve for two years, before a special election in November 2010 to decide who fills the last two years of Clinton's term.
Paterson has a strong bench to choose from. There are a number of contenders, including at least eight members of New York's delegation in the House of Representatives, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, Caroline Kennedy, and her cousin, Robert Kennedy Jr.
"This is not an election. This is not a campaign. It's a constituency of one. David Paterson. It's all about what the governor wants to do," said political analyst Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report.
"Paterson has said he would prefer someone from upstate New York, or a woman or an Hispanic candidate," Rothenberg said.
As for some of the more unconventional picks, Rothenberg said Paterson could "try to make a splash with a big name like Robert Kennedy Jr." or a "quirky interesting pick" of someone like Caroline Kennedy, who is not a politician.
But some are suggesting the former president should take his wife's seat.
In an op-ed column last week in The Washington Post, journalists Karl Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac urged Paterson to "send Bill Clinton to the Senate."
35 mins ago ALBANY, N.Y. – The star of "The Nanny" wants to go from playing nasally New Yawkers to succeeding Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate. Publicist Jordan Brown delivered the straight line that Fran Drescher is serious about becoming the next junior senator from New York. Brown cited Drescher's experience as an actress, advocate for women's health and public diplomacy envoy for the U.S. State Department. The 51-year-old "Saturday Night Fever" and "This is Spinal Tap" actress joins a field headed by Caroline Kennedy and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's successor if she is confirmed secretary of state in the Obama administration.