Paterson says Kennedy is not a shoo-in for Senate
Notes her lack of experience and stresses there are other candidates
ALBANY — Caroline Kennedy’s lack of elected office experience “does not help her” in her quest to represent New York in the U. S. Senate, Gov. David A. Paterson told The Buffalo News on Thursday.
“The notion that I have to take Caroline is not coming from me,” Paterson said in an interview in his Capitol office. He said “gossip” has become a “greater force right now than my decision” and suggested the media have become too consumed with just one big-named candidate.
“What I would say is that, to the media it’s Caroline and the others. To me, there are 10 to 15 good candidates,” said the governor, who will appoint the successor to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after she is confirmed later this month as U. S. secretary of state.
One of the “10 to 15 good candidates” appears to be Rep. Brian Higgins. He was asked by the governor in the past week to fill out a background questionnaire for the job.
Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, however, was not sent the packet that supposedly had a Thursday deadline. But Paterson said he would still be “talking” with Brown, considered a long-shot candidate at best, though he did not elaborate.
Paterson said Kennedy has been assisted in her efforts by the media, which have written many stories on the prospect that the daughter of slain President John F. Kennedy could become New York’s senator.
“One thing that helps her is the tremendous attention that you all give her works to her advantage. Maybe if you didn’t give her so much attention she wouldn’t have it,” Paterson said.
He said certain people, such as Clinton, have an advantage “just because of who they are.”
“So I would ask the question back: Why do you all pay so much attention to her? She’s just another person. So what? Her name is Kennedy. Why do you pay so much attention to her? I’m not reacting to what I think, I’m reacting to what I see,” he said.
“But, on the other hand, her lack of elected experience does not help her, but the point is it’s the combination of experiences I’ll look at in terms of all the candidates, and also how balanced the ticket would look,” Paterson added.
Democrats say the governor’s comments about Kennedy are significant because they show that he has not enjoyed a perception that Kennedy supporters are attempting to box him into picking her.
“He’s not responding well to outside pressure,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic Party consultant who is not working for any of the candidates. “He’s telling people, it would seem, that it’s his decision and he doesn’t like being pushed around.”
Sheinkopf said Paterson also must be concerned about his reelection in 2010. By then, it remains how popular Democrats will be with voters following what will have been two straight years of budget cuts and tax hikes to deal with the state’s fiscal problems.
Another Democratic operative said the poll numbers showing Kennedy has fallen off with voters must be resonating with Paterson.
“I think he sees somebody who does not have the requisite political skills. She’s shy, she’s not used to being out there. And you might have a candidate who can take care of herself in 2010 [when the seat goes before voters] but is of absolutely no use to anyone else on the ticket,” the operative said speaking on condition of anonymity.
The source said Paterson’s latest comments on Kennedy were not surprising.
“He’s done nothing but weaken her during the process. Maybe that’s because he really doesn’t want her,” the Democrat said.
Sources close to Higgins, meanwhile, confirmed the congressman received his 28-page questionnaire last week from Paterson.
Theresa Kennedy, a Higgins spokeswoman, declined to say if the congressman returned the questionnaire.
“It would be great for Western New York if he got the appointment, but he views it as pretty stiff competition. He will do what the governor wants him to do,” said Leonard Lenihan, the Erie County Democratic Party chairman.
If Thursday was the deadline for returning the questionnaires, the governor’s office was not saying. Staff declined to reveal which candidates returned the documents or to even provide a blank questionnaire to see what information the governor is seeking.
“The vetting process is confidential,” said Risa Heller, a Paterson spokeswoman.
The package, sent to several downstate members of Congress, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi and Kennedy, seeks information about finances, criminal history, credit reports, job history and other background details.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who has led Kennedy in recent polls for the job, also declined to say if he got the questionnaire and, if so, whether he filled it out.
“It is the governor’s process and will be the governor’s decision, and we respect that. Accordingly, we have no further comment,” said John Milgrim, a Cuomo spokesman.
Brown said Wednesday he had received no such packet from Paterson, with whom he once served in the State Senate.
Higgins said he believed his name was floated because of his years in the State Legislature and Congress and because of some pressure Paterson is getting to appoint an upstater to the job. All the major government power players in New York — including the governor and heads of the State Legislature — are from New York City.
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