NY Rep. Gillibrand Replaces Sen. Clinton -- At What Cost?

Who would have thought? Even though Governor Paterson called his choice to replace Sen. Clinton, Rep. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, “an extraordinary New Yorker", he found himself apologizing for the process in which he picked her.

It was a shock to New York's politicians. The Senate seat just vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton has gone to a young, nearly-Republican Democrat from rural upstate New York, who was just re-elected to her second term in Congress. But the New York Times reports that 42-year old Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a lawyer, endorsed by the National Rifle Association, is a born and bred politician, an expert campaigner and fund-raiser, and a competitive woman whose friends predict she may someday soon run for President. New York Governor David E. Paterson, who appointed Gillibrand after a lengthy and tortured selection process called her....

“An extraordinary New Yorker I chose after thoughtful consideration. I believe I have found the best person.”

As a Congresswoman, she represented a mostly white, traditionally Republican district around the state capital, Albany. But now, most downstate New York politicians are hoping and some are even praying that Ms. Gillibrand will shift left now that she has vaulted to statewide office and needs to cultivate New York City’s black, Hispanic and labor leaders. Danny Cantor, executive director of the Working Families Party, an influential third-party group in New York says,

“She is on the right-wing of our Congressional delegation. People change, and we’re going to be optimistic and hope she does too.”

Most of Mr. Paterson's advisors are disappointed. They say their worst fears have been realized with the choice of Ms. Gillibrand. They had hoped it was a process that would elevate the governor and demonstrate his statesmanship. Now, they feel his choice has damaged his credibility and divided the democratic party. Just a few days before the appointment, there were reports of some alleged astoundingly personal attacks on Caroline Kennedy coming from the Governor's camp that may have been a factor in her withdrawal for the job. Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, a Bronx Democrat and chairman of the Assembly’s Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force was appalled at how things were handled.

“If we have royalty, it’s the Kennedys. “The way she was treated, the backbiting and the attacks, it was insulting and the extended selection process was reflective of individuals who are not ready for prime time and demeaning to a lot of people.”

Governor Paterson himself saw his own mistakes and muttered this at the Friday press conference....

“In retrospect, I wish I had not showed all of you the wrestling match."

It is worth noting that at Friday's press conference in which Gillibrand's appointment was announced, none of the other contenders was present, including Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, a potential primary challenger to the governor, One Democratic political consultant, who anonymously candidly assessed the governor’s performance, said....

“He’s managed to anger, in one fell swoop, the Kennedys, the Cuomos and the Clintons,”

Ms. Kennedy’s family would be furious at the governor over the leaks against her, Mr. Cuomo would be upset at being passed over for the job, and Mrs. Clinton at the governor’s willingness to consider Ms. Kennedy in the first place after she endorsed Barack Obama in the presidential race last year. It should be said that Mr. Cuomo and Mrs. Clinton issued press releases on Friday effusively praising Ms. Gillibrand.