--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"welcome to dnc2020" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/welcome-to-dnc2020?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
--- Begin Message ---
---------------------------------------------------------
First Read: The day in politics by NBC News for NBC News
---------------------------------------------------------
FIRST THOUGHTS.
*** Caroline's Out: Late last night, after conflicting news about her
intentions, Caroline Kennedy pulled out from consideration for filling Hillary
Clinton's New York Senate seat. "I informed Gov. Paterson today that for
personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United
States Senate," she said in a one-sentence statement. Her withdrawal comes
after an almost two-month rollercoaster ride for Kennedy -- first announcing
her desire for the seat and becoming the instant front-runner; then stumbling
with the press; and then, before last night, seeming to be the favorite once
again. Per NBC's Andrea Mitchell, a Kennedy spokesman would not say what the
so-called "personal reasons" were that she cited in her statement. But other
Kennedy family members and friends that Mitchell reached out to last night said
it has nothing to do with any deterioration in Ted Kennedy's health. To the
contrary, they said he has improved in recent weeks (Tuesday's incident
notwithstanding). Mitchell adds that people close to the governor say his next
choice would most likely be Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand from Upstate New
York. A couple of other sources close to Kennedy also indicate that she was
becoming increasingly uncomfortable by the fact that Paterson was getting
strong-armed into appointing her.
*** And What About Cuomo? The other possible replacement, of course, is New
York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. But he has a couple of things working
against him. For starters, Cuomo isn't a woman, and Paterson has at the very
least signaled that he'd like to appoint a woman to fill Clinton's seat. (He
noted to NBC's Mitchell on Tuesday that there were just 17 women U.S.
senators.) Also, given the charges of nepotism that followed Caroline Kennedy
after her name first surfaced for the job, it turns out that Cuomo comes from a
political dynasty himself (although he certainly has a lengthier resume in
public service than Caroline does). Perhaps the one thing in Cuomo's favor: If
Patterson appoints him to serve in the Senate, the governor would eliminate a
possible primary challenge from Cuomo for Patterson's own governorship. Then
again, if Cuomo gets the nod, most of the statewide officeholders in New York
would have gotten their jobs via appointment, not by the people.
*** What A Crazy Last Couple Of Months: If anything, last night's news about
Caroline Kennedy was just another reminder of how strange the appointments for
the vacant Senate seats have been since Obama won the presidency last November.
Ex-Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner surprised the political world when she chose
Ted Kaufman, a former Biden aide, to fill Biden's Senate seat, which opened the
door to Biden's son running for it in 2010. In Colorado, Gov. Bill Ritter
selected a virtual unknown -- at least to national political reporters -- in
Denver schools chief Michael Bennet. And, of course, we don't really need to
remind you about the craziness that occurred in filling Obama's Senate seat.
It's also worth pointing out that Paterson's two-month process of trying to
replace Hillary Clinton didn't really do anyone any favors, especially Kennedy
and Patterson. If this lesson has taught Paterson anything, it's probably that
it's best to make a quick but prudent decision and then stick to it.
Oftentimes, playing Hamlet -- "to be, or not to be" -- doesn't get you
anywhere.
First Read with NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd, every weekday on
MSNBC-TV at 9 a.m. ET.
For more: The latest edition of First Read is available now at
http://www.FirstRead.MSNBC.com !
=========================================
This e-mail is never sent unsolicited. You have received this MSNBC First Read
Newsletter
newsletter because you subscribed to it or, someone forwarded it to you.
To remove yourself from the list (or to add yourself to the list if this
message was forwarded to you) simply go to
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25810725, select unsubscribe, enter the
email address receiving this message, and click the Go button.
Microsoft Corporation - One Microsoft Way - Redmond, WA 98052
MSN PRIVACY STATEMENT
http://privacy.msn.com <http://privacy.msn.com/>
--- End Message ---
