The Strange Tale Of Mrs. Schlossberg
I won't claim to have sorted through the whole Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg-David Paterson mess---how could two smart people have let things get so out of hand?--but I'll pass along what I heard tonite from a New York Democrat who is close to the situation. This person did not know why Caroline pulled out of the running but insisted that John Kennedy's daughter was under the impression that she was still very much a contender from Wednesday afternoon when she decided to withdraw, according to the source, through Wednesday night right until 12:00 AM in the wee hours of Thursday morning when she officially wrote the governor and pulled the plug on her short-lived bid to be appointed senator to replace Hillary Clinton. "I don't know why she did," said this source, referring to her withdrawal and adding that she'd made the decision in the afternoon on Wednesday and spent most of the rest of the day mulling it over.
As for why Paterson took so long to decide, the source said that the governor had always been mindful of John Tower, the late Senator from Texas who was nominated by George H.W. Bush in 1989 to be Secretary of Defense and was considered a sure bet because he was a member of the Senate and a leading member of the Armed Services Committee, to boot. Tower's nomination, though, was defeated after allegations of drinking and sexual harrassment. He later died in a plane crash. (The job went to a congressman named Dick Cheney.) Paterson, the governor, was also mindful of the case of William Paterson, who was nominated to the Supreme Court and then had his nomination withdrawn and resubmittedby George Washington. The first president did this because Paterson had been a member of the Senate when the Supreme Court was created by statute in 1787. Washington thought his nomination of Paterson unconstitutional and waited until Paterson finished out his Senate term before reappointing him a few days later in 1793. In other words, it ain't over 'til it's over.
Thus, Gov. Paterson wanted to see Hillary Clinton confirmed before he made a final call on the remote chance that she would keep her Senate seat and, indeed, the former First Lady, unlike Obama, did not vacate her elected post until her Secretary of State post was in hand. As for why Caroline withdrew, the source said it wasn't tax issues--"that was of no consequence," the source added--and not an affair, as papers like the New York Post have implied. "She's not telling people why," the source added. The source was mystified as to why Paterson's office was going after Kennedy so hard, implying she had not been in the running for weeks. Will keep reporting.
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
Just posted at the Albany Times-Union -- looks like Gillibrand will be named for the seat tomorrow.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=762658
January 22, 2009 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I readily admit that this is is a strange thing to be nitpicking about--but it really bothers me when journalists who should know better don't bother to get someone's name right. I could be wrong (then again, I don't get paid to get my facts straight), but I read somewhere that Ms. Kennedy never took her husband's name. She is therefore just Caroline Kennedy, not "Mrs. Schlossberg" or "Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg."
January 22, 2009 11:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
This item was way more confusing in my RSS reader, where you had "Paterson" spelled "Patterson," and "Patterson" spelled "Paterson." That doesn't excuse your confusing use of Schlossberg, but, hey, at least you got a few of the names right.
January 22, 2009 11:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gillibrand is a horrible choice because she will divide the party, and it shows that Paterson is either an interest group sycophant or a buffoon.
btw, O'Reilly furthered the gossip on Caroline in typical, hypocritical slimy fashion.
January 22, 2009 11:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
From HuffPo -
The irony is that Paterson may be swinging from the nation's most prominent Democratic family to one with strong Republican ties. Gillibrand's father, Doug Rutnik, is an Albany insider and lobbyist whose ties to former GOP powerhouses Joe Bruno, George Pataki and Al D'Amato are legendary. In fact, Gillibrand won her seat when a state police domestic violence report about the GOP incumbent, John Sweeney, was mysteriously leaked, ostensibly with the acquiescence of the Pataki administration, which had its own reasons to oppose Sweeney. Bruno is under federal investigation now, and some of the subpoenas in the case involved a real estate deal that partnered Rutnik with Bruno and another lobbyist. Rutnik dated, and eventually lived with, a top Pataki and D'Amato aide for many years, until he broke up with her in 2006 to marry a cousin of his, Gwen Lee, who'd worked in high-paying state jobs secured by the same aide. Rutnik and D'Amato have been registered lobbyists for some of the same clients.
Ironically, Chuck Schumer, who defeated D'Amato in 1998, is said to be Gillibrand's top Democratic champion. What's even more ironic is that Gillibrand has a one hundred percent rating from the National Rifle Association, and Schumer made his own national reputation as a sponsor of the assault weapons ban and a fierce proponent of Brady bill and other gun control legislation. Gillibrand even opposes any limitations on the sale of semiautomatic weapons or "cop-killer" bullets that can pierce armored vests. Schumer's other signature issue is the care and feeding of Wall Street, and Gillibrand voted against both of the Schumer-supported financial service bailout bills last fall, which have delivered billions to New York, salvaging institutions like Citigroup. An editorial in Crain's, the city's premier business news magazine, said recently that Gillibrand "should be disqualified" from seeking the senate seat "by her politically expedient vote" against the bailout.
Wow. Paterson the State GOP Power Players a big favor here. This reeks to me, something is really fishy here. This is why Paterson was waiting so long - he was getting pulled in two directions by very influential power brokers. He chose the State power it seems.
So what did he get out of it? Will the GOP not run a strong candidate against him? Did they hold fire when Paterson's own skeletons were being dug up soon after he took over from Spitzer?
January 22, 2009 11:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dammit. Use the preview function already.
Everything save the last paragraph was supposed to be block quoted.
January 22, 2009 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
You probably did it correctly, Jonze. I've noticed that when the text between the blockquote tags contains line breaks, only the first paragraph shows up in the quotation box here at TPM. There must be some kind of bug at play.
January 23, 2009 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hint: for line breaks within blockquoted text, try using <br><br> instead of </p><p>.
January 23, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Brilliant.
Your insider source claims to know what Caroline Kennedy was thinking "in the wee hours of Thursday morning" (namely that she still considered herself a contender), but has no idea WHY Kennedy dropped out. Nevertheless, you are assured it's not due to any...unpleasantries that might be cropping up and that Paterson "was going after Kennedy so hard". Got it.
Wow, glad to have a big-time journalist like you onboard, Matt.
January 22, 2009 11:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Paterson's reason for waiting on this announcement is completely lame. The governors in Delaware and Colorado did not wait until their senators had resigned to announce a successor.
If Hillary isn't confirmed, the designate doesn't get to become Senator. But Paterson has been really unprofessional by waiting so long. Whoever will be the next Senator needs time to get up to speed, prepare for staff hirings, etc. All that b.s. about John Tower and Washington is just excuse making.
January 23, 2009 1:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who knows how all of this will turn out.
I have no doubt though that Caroline Kennedy would have been a strong progressive voice in the Senate (can the same be said for Gillibrand?). I don't understand the hostility toward Kennedy.
And the "Mrs. Schlossberg" thing is offensive. Yes, she spent the last few decades raising her kids instead of building a career. That is to be admired. I guesss Andrew Cuomo is lucky his wife raised the kids for him.
January 23, 2009 2:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gillibrand is a horrible choice. And a highly ironic one if the complaint about Caroline was nepotism. Gillibrand has dual dynastic connections, one Republican and the other Democratic (leading back to the Albany "Boss" Erastus Corning). Her first election was made possible by the Sweeney fiasco Jonze describes and her second one by the Obama effect and an able opponent (former NY Secretary of State) who was, unfortunately, a horrible campaigner. Constiuents are not impressed, however. Some life-long Dems voted Republican because they've been so disillusioned with her.
I think Paterson was determined to appoint a woman (because it is Clinton's seat and because he recently made a big issue about there being no women in the pool he could consider for Chief Judge of the State's high court). So if he's seriously thinking about Gillibrand now, then I absolutely believe he was planning to appoint Caroline Kennedy -- was taken by surprise by her withdrawal -- and simply hasn't had time to look into the alternatives thoroughly.
If it's Gillibrand, it's simply going to be a mess -- now and especially in 2010, since primary opponents will come out of the woodwork. Oh, and there is every reason to believe that a special election in her upstate district will result in another Republican in the House. It was really a fluke that she was ever elected and registration in the district is overwhelmingly Republican.
What a mess.
January 23, 2009 2:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
The process of choosing Gillibrand clearly shows Paterson's political priorities and moral fiber. Look at his consistent patterns - he favors the: 1] wealthy, 2] those with dynastic pedigrees and 3] anyone except a Hispanic or an African American.
Frankly, Paterson, in selecting this xenophobe - a Jim DeMint in pearls, is sending a clear and unequivocal message to the New York Latino community: "Drop Dead!" IMO any Latino serving with Paterson needs to recall the dicho "Candil en la Calle, Oscurida en su Casa."
Now is the time to begin organizing a truly progressive movement in New York -- and it will not come to fruition under Paterson's watch.
January 23, 2009 8:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
The cruel irony of the Gillibrand pick, which may or may not have been lost on Caroline Kennedy, is the NRA angle. I hope Carolyn McCarthy picks up on this if she decides to run against Gillibrand.
I was no fan of Obama as a primary candidate, but after the way Kennedy poured her heart into the Obama campaign, and considering the pivotal role that her and Teddy's endorsements played in his ultimate success, this whole thing is leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. Obama chose a personal friend from Chicago as his Education secretary, and has kept his silence during the past two months since the Hillary nomination became known, purportedly letting his sentiments be leaked through anonymous aides. Not much courage there. Meanwhile, Paterson has been preening and prancing and yucking it up in an orgy of self-promotion. And this girl, who's got more class in her little pinky than either of these guys, and who absolutely no one ever expected to see throw her hat into the political ring, which ought to have been greeted as a thrilling event, instead gets the shaft. It's the third Kennedy assassination, except that she gets to live out the rest of her life with "what ifs." That's now her own etermal flame. I can't blame her for preempting Paterson from snubbing her. This country doesn't deserve a class act like her.
January 23, 2009 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink