Who Gets Hillary's Old Job? Bill Would Be Good For TV Ratings But Cuomo Makes It Easier For Paterson's Re-election...

Gee, I hope they don't give the lizard a say

New York is looking for a new junior senator. Or rather Governor David Paterson is. He gets to appoint someone and he says he has no short list yet. All the calculus I've heard sounds crappy because it all involves how this or that hack's constituency will be able to help Paterson's own political ambitions. That's how you pick a United States Senator? That's why New Yorkers could wind up with a bland and inexperienced Blue Dog like Kirsten Gillibrand instead of a brilliant statesman like Jerrold Nadler? The demographic game calls for someone from Upstate or for a Latino or a woman or... anything but a potentially great senator.

Picking a replacement for Mrs. Clinton is full of consequences for New York. She has been a high-profile advocate for the state’s interests and would be leaving at a time when the state has been lobbying for more federal aid as its financial engine, Wall Street, hemorrhages. She has been a formidable campaigner for Democrats, not just by winning her two Senate elections handily but campaigning for local lawmakers across the state.

Mr. Paterson’s appointee would have to run in the 2010 election and again in 2012. If he picked someone without an established political network, that person might be seen as an attractive target for Republicans, who have few openings in New York.

Most of the names floating around are unexciting-- and any of them could have a rough time holding the seat against Giuliani in 2010. Most mentioned are Andrew Cuomo, Nydia Velázquez, Steve Israel, Nita Lowey, Gregory Meeks, Kirsten Gillibrand, Brian Higgins, Adolfo Carrión Jr, Byron Brown, Tom Suozzi, Caroline Kennedy and... Bill Clinton.

Every identity group in the state is clamoring for one of them. I haven't read anyone suggest Paterson just pick the most qualified person. Probably wouldn't do any good anyway.