Caroline Kennedy brings 'listening tour' to Bufalo
Caroline Kennedy finished her daylong upstate "listening tour" this afternoon eager to answer a few questions after a more than 30-minute session with Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown.
On the questions regarding her qualifications and why she wants to be New York's next junior U.S. senator, she cited growing up in a family devoted to public service and the difficult times facing the country.
"First of all I've spent a lifetime growing up around public policy issues and public service is something I'm proud of in the family tradition," she said. "It's something that I've always wanted to do.
"I've worked in New York City public schools, I've written books on the Constitution, I've raised my family and now it's time, I think, with the problems we have, for me to be able to step forward and do more," she said in the outer office of Brown's City Hall quarters.
She said her campaigning in the last year for President-elect Barack Obama provided her with insights into the needs of the nation and New York State.
"I've spent a lot of time in communities that are struggling with the same kinds of issues and obviously New York State is hit harder than most," she said. "I saw really the need for people who are strong advocates who have relationships in Washington and I would do everything I can."
And without prompting, the daughter of slain president John F. Kennedy said she realizes how blessed she is to have a recognizable name.
"I know that I'm fortunate to be in a position where people know who I am and I want to put that to work," she said, explaining that she now feels her time has come to become a public official.
Dressed in a conservative blue pinstripe suit and white blouse and black shoes, Kennedy emerged from the session in Brown's office wearing a gold buffalo pin on her right lapel. Brown was wearing the same pin. She also wore gold-ringed earrings with a white pearl at the end of each earring.
Earlier when she arrived at City Hall in a late-model, champagne-colored Toyota Sequoia sport utility vehicle, she was asked how it felt to be in Buffalo as she was mobbed by journalists.
"It feels great," Kennedy said and paused for a second before saying with emphasis, "to be back in Buffalo."
Her last question at the brief news conference following her meeting with Brown was how many times she has been to the city in the past. She said, "Three or four times."
Brown, in introducing Kennedy, gave her high marks following their sit-down. The mayor said he acquainted her with the issues facing the financially struggling city.
But perhaps more important, he said he believed she would make a good candidate for senator.
"There are many good candidates and Miss Kennedy is a very strong candidate," said Brown, who is also under consideration by Gov. David A. Paterson for the appointment to the Senate.
Earlier in the day, Brown received a courtesy visit from yet another senatorial prospect, Rep. Steve Israel, D-Huntington, at which the mayor was able to push for Buffalo's share in the upcoming Obama administration's proposed economic stimulus package. Brown discussed $134 million in infrastructure work the city needs.
But it was Kennedy who stole the show.
In her two earlier stops in Syracuse and Rochester, she met with public officials, but did not hold impromptu news conferences.
By the end of the day in Buffalo, Kennedy said, "I want to answer questions." The famously private woman did not seem shy or taken aback by the intense media coverage she received during her albeit short stay in Buffalo.
She was accompanied by New York City political consultant Josh Isay and two other individuals. One of them said Kennedy was flying out later today from Buffalo.
Kennedy had driven from Syracuse to Rochester in a black Denali Cadillac SUV.
Earlier today, Brown said that Kennedy requested a private meeting with him to find out about local issues and did not want reporters or photographers present.
"I do think she is qualified but many are," Brown said this morning.
"One of the things that I stressed ... that Buffalonians are very interested in is pocket book issues," he said he told Kennedy on the phone
"Any candidate for the position is going to have to be sensitive on focusing on building upstate. It is all going to come down to the economy."
Asked if he would support Kennedy for senator, Brown responded: "We are going to talk about that."
It is believed that the only person she will meet with in Buffalo is Brown.
The list of people being reached out to by Kennedy continues growing by the day, as she runs a behind-the-scenes campaign that has become anything but quiet.
On Tuesday, Kennedy talked with Rochester billionaire B. Thomas Golisano, who owns the Buffalo Sabres. Steve Pigeon, a Golisano adviser, said the two agreed to meet, but not today as Kennedy swung briefly through Rochester before hitting Buffalo later for a meeting with Brown.
A who's who of area business, labor and political leaders said they had no idea who Kennedy might be meeting with in Buffalo, though most assumed Brown is on her list. Brown and Kennedy are both clients of Knickerbocker SKD, a Manhattan political consulting firm.
By late morning, the confusion was becoming almost comical as word spread of her visit — but with no one knowing what was on her schedule.
"She called last night to say she was coming into Buffalo today," Erie County Democratic Party chairman Leonard Lenihan said this morning. Kennedy told him she would be doing "a couple of things" while in town, but he had no idea what they entailed, he said.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Brian Higgins said the congressman was returning today from a trip to Afghanistan, and there is no meeting scheduled with Kennedy.
Teresa Kennedy, the Higgins spokeswoman, said the daughter of the late president did place a call to Higgins, but she was unsure if they connected.
Meanwhile, a new poll out this morning shows slightly more voters want Paterson to select Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for the Clinton job. The Siena College Research Institute poll said 26 percent of voters — and 30 percent of Democrats — believe that Paterson should tap Cuomo, compared with 23 percent of voters — and 28 percent of Democrats — who feel it should be Kennedy.
But 31 percent believe Paterson will select Kennedy and only 16 percent said it will be Cuomo.
Higgins was backed by only 6 percent of voters, and Brown came in with 3 percent support. Others, including several downstate politicians, came in with single digit support, as well.
Kennedy began her upstate tour in Syracuse this morning, where she met for a half hour with the city's mayor, Matt Driscoll, and Democratic Party insiders. After the meeting, she confirmed for the first time publicly her interest in the Clinton seat.
"I just wanted to say, as some of you may have heard, I would be honored to be considered for the position of U.S. senator," Kennedy said, according to the Associated Press. "I wanted to come upstate to meet Mayor Driscoll and others to tell them about my experience and also learn how Washington can help upstate New York."
She took no questions. "There are lot of good candidates the governor is considering and he's laid out a process and I'm proud to be in that process,'' Kennedy said of a field of a dozen or so Democrats interested in the Clinton seat.
She then left for Rochester before heading to Buffalo.
Brown said Kennedy called him Monday to express her interest in the Senate seat. In the 10-minute call, he said she wanted to schedule a meeting to talk about upstate and Western New York issues.
Asked if it made him pause being up against a Kennedy for the job, Brown said, "I'm not giving any pause whatsoever about any candidate. I'm not worrying about this. I'm not campaigning for this. My focus is on Buffalo.''
Asked if he was reconsidering his interest, he said, "No. It doesn't make me reconsider anything at all. As I've said, this is the governor's decision.''
lmichel@buffnews.com and tprecious@buffnews.com
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