Ok, I don't normally go into politics here, but I think this is important. Thankfully, Governor Paterson has declined a seat in the Senate for Caroline Kennedy. She was always a lesser choice and I'm glad he held firm in this conviction. She would not have been the best person for this state, nor for this country. We have many gifted politicians from which to choose - she is not one of them.
I think there are two excellent options. First up is Carolyn Maloney from Manhattan. She is the first woman elected to her district and generally holds good middle class opinions. However, she has been holding on to a safe seat for twenty years now and I wonder if a downstater is the correct choice.
Kristen Gillibrand was also the first woman elected from her district. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth and is an upstater. She fits all the criteria for a solid choice by Paterson.
I just hope he doesn't choose Cuomo. Attorney General Cuomo hasn't really accomplished anything as far as I'm aware - he's simply the son of a famous governor who has played all his cards right. He essentially followed in the footsteps of Spitzer with his anti-capitalist/Wall Street vitriol and kowtowing to the power brokers of New York state. We can do better than that. We did better than that by booting the disgraced Spitzer.
So far, Paterson has been my favorite governor ever - I have a feeling he'll continue to impress.