Sen. Gillibrand rises to the occasion(s)

 

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand talks with Fiore Di Mare owners Redzi Hadzim and Enver Pelinku over lunch Sunday, June 9, 2013 in Great Kills about their efforts to reopen their restaurant after it was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy s.(Staten Island Advance/ Bill Lyons) Bill Lyons 

 

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Kirsten Gillibrand was Hillary Clinton’s pick for her replacement as the junior senator from New York. The liberal left initially opposed her appointment as they preferred Caroline Kennedy, a member of the staunch Obama supporting Kennedy clan in the 2008 primary and general election. It must be admitted, however, that since her appointment by Gov. Patterson and her subsequent re-election, Senator Gillibrand has more than lived up to her responsibilities.

There’s not much the left – or anyone else for that matter - can criticize of Gillibrand’s outstanding performance from her proposed legislation to end the sexual abuse in the military to her recent appearance onStaten Island to encourage local business owners to reopen in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy.

Hillary Clinton won’t serve a second term in Obama cabinet

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now reigns as the most popular politician in the United States; at the same time, the powerful stateswoman is also revered around the globe. At the recent DailyBeast/Newsweek Women in the World Summit, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand accurately described Clinton as "the greatest female role model of this generation."

And yet – and yet, CNN is reporting that Clinton just told Wolf Blitzer in “The Situation Room” that she would not serve a second term in the Obama cabinet, and she expressed no interest in serving as president or vice-president.

What’s going on here? It’s possible Clinton believes she can do more to fulfill her mission of empowering women around the globe unencumbered by official duties and a misogynist media in the U.S., always ready to undercut her efforts whenever possible. 

It's her call, and we'll continue to support whatever direction she chooses to take at this juncture in her life.

Giffords opened her eyes

Nancy Pelosi was in the room when Giffords opened her eyes.( Pelosi's photo is in the public domain.)

President Obama’s speech in AZ this evening was very powerful and moving. In my opinion, he hit just the right note to de-escalate the finger pointing and partisan blaming. And in our hearts, we all had to cheer when, with permission of Mark Kelly, Gabrielle Giffords’ husband, Obama announced that Gabrielle had opened her eyes for the first time since she was shot.

Politico reports that friends of Giffords, including Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz were in the room when she opened her eyes.

A succinct, passionate, and effective Sen. Gillibrand

Back in August 2009, when Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to replace Hillary Clinton as senator from New York,  it was again necessary to remind left wing Democrats that just because a female party member held different views, it was not open season for their sexist and misogynist attacks. I explained:

Every so often African-Americans and members of other minority groups remind one another that they are not all required to be on the same page all the time; there’s room for diversity. Just so, women are beginning to realize that although they may not agree on every political issue, they can stand united in their opposition to sexism and misogyny as well as all other forms of bigotry. Representing 51 percent of the nation’s population, women could thus assure a major upsurge in political power.

Vindication of my support for Gillibrand may be found in the NY Times article this morning headlined: Gillibrand Gains Foothold With 9/11 Aid Victory.

Describing Gillibrand's effective leadership in the Senate on the passage of the 9/11 bill and the repeal of Don't  Ask Don't Tell, the Times article by David Halbfinger gives credit where its due:

Once derided as an accidental senator, lampooned for her verbosity and threatened with many challengers who openly doubted her abilities, a succinct, passionate and effective Senator Gillibrand has made her presence felt in the final days of this Congress.

Her efforts have won grudging admiration from critics, adulation from national liberals and gay rights groups, and accolades from New York politicians across the political spectrum, including Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who once shopped for potential candidates to oust her.

Even her relentlessness, which once drew mockery, is now earning the highest compliment of all: professional jealousy from her more senior colleagues.

“To have gone from a virtual unknown to being a major player on some landmark legislation in such a short period of time just shows what Kirsten is capable of,” said Ilyse Hogue, director of political advocacy for MoveOn.org.

Yep, it's time for left wing Democrats and right wing Republicans to grow up and let the adults in Congress get on with the nation's work.

Without the Pedigree of a Kennedy, Clinton, or Cuomo, New York’s Senator Gillibrand Becomes Prohibitive Favorite

New York Gov. David Paterson, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Every so often African-Americans and members of other minority groups remind one another that they are not all required to be on the same page all the time; there’s room for diversity. Just so, women are beginning to realize that although they may not agree on every political issue, they can stand united in their opposition to sexism and misogyny as well as all other forms of bigotry. Representing 51 percent of the nation’s population, women could thus assure a major upsurge in political power.

The saga of politically conservative Kirsten Gillibrand, who recently replaced liberal Hillary Clinton as the junior senator of New York, is a good illustration of the above. The AP’s Valerie Baumann reports:

ALBANY, N.Y. — Kirsten Gillibrand didn't have the pedigree of a Kennedy, Clinton or a Cuomo. She was not, her critics said, up to the challenge of winning a tough, New York brawl for the U.S. Senate seat Gov. David Paterson handed her.

But on Friday, the last of the established threats to her candidacy backed away from a promised Democratic primary showdown, leaving Gillibrand a smoother ride to a full, six-year term when she faces election next year. U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who just last month raised $300,000 at a dinner that featured former President Bill Clinton, said there was too much to do in Congress to spend the next year campaigning.

In less than seven months, Gillibrand went from vulnerable and criticized to a prohibitive favorite. A primary election fight is the biggest threat to Gillibrand in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1. No Republican has emerged as a general election opponent.

"The deal is done," said Doug Muzzio, a politics professor at Baruch College. "She's the Democratic primary candidate and she's not going to face any substantial opposition."

When the little-known, conservative-leaning U.S. representative was named to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as New York's junior senator in January, Democrats in the state fractured. Loyalists backed her, but others balked, despite vocal support from President Barack Obama and New York Sen. Charles Schumer, a political force in the chamber.

The early favorite for the Senate seat, political scion Caroline Kennedy, backed out at the last minute for reasons that have never become clear. Another possible senator, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, also was passed over (though he never publicly said he wanted the job).

Gillibrand's conservative views on guns and immigration drew sharp criticism from more liberal Democrats in the state. Besides Maloney, U.S. Reps. Steve Israel and Carolyn McCarthy considered primary challenges.

Read more:

Gillibrand Known for Bold Political Moves and Centrist Positions

New York’s Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand and former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton

Writing for the NY Times today Danny Hakim and Nicholas Confessore fill in the details of Gov. Paterson’s selection of upstate Representative Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate.

According to the article, Gillibrand has an impressive background as both a candidate for office and as a congresswoman.

“ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson was preparing Friday to announce at a noon news conference his selection of Representative Kirsten Gillibrand, a 42-year-old congresswoman from upstate who is known for bold political moves and centrist policy positions, to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to a person who spoke to the governor early Friday.

“An aide to Ms. Gillibrand confirmed early Friday morning that she had accepted the appointment.

“Ms. Gillibrand is largely unknown to New Yorkers statewide, but is considered an up-and-coming and forceful lawmaker in her district and has gained considerable attention from Democratic leaders in Washington.”

The article offers more biographical information about Gillibrand:

“Ms. Gillibrand, who lives near Hudson, N.Y., just outside of Albany, with her husband, Jonathan Gillibrand, a financial consultant, and their sons, Theodore, who is 5, and Henry, who is 6 months old. (Ms. Gillibrand received a standing ovation on the floor of the House from her colleagues for working right up to the day she gave birth to Henry.)

“Ms. Gillibrand, who had never held public office, won her seat in 2006 against great odds, defeating a four-term Republican incumbent in a race that turned intense and nasty in its final days.

“She proved to be a formidable candidate, raising millions of dollars and assembling a campaign organization that aggressively exploited the personal and political baggage of her opponent, Representative John E. Sweeney, who frequently found himself on the defensive.”