It's probably a smart political move by Gov. Paterson, and some of the pushback against her from downstate seems off-key. This article by veteran Village Voice liberal investigative journalist Wayne Barrett calls into question her votes against the federal bailout of the financial system, which apparently shocked this New York City based writer. But those votes sure aren't evidence of right-wing tendencies, unless you equate Wall Street with the workers. The gun-control people have a legitimate beef with Gillibrand, and her selection shows how much less influence they have than the abortion rights absolutists (NARAL issued a supportive statement), which is a pity from my perspective.
Barrett does have information that will be new to many people about Gillibrand's lobbyist father, who used to live with Zenia Mucha, one-time communications guru for George Pataki. He doesn't get into another ancestral family matter relating to her grandmother, Albany's Polly Noonan. One question I'd like to ask the next senator, but may not have the balls to, is whether she thinks she is the granddaughter of Erastus Corning, the (very) longtime mayor of Albany who was very close to Noonan.
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