Carolyn Maloney for U.S. Senate
Rep. Carolyn Maloney camp confirms Daily News report: She’s running against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
The absurdity of the situation in this contest is obvious. There is no way that President Obama can credibly range himself against Carolyn Maloney. Carolyn Maloney would be a winner as a Senator. a winner in a statewide election and a winner in Washington in the compromised environment of the Senate.
2010 will not be so tight that a spirited primary among two women with differing qualities and records would not be something that a partisan of democracy with a small d would welcome. Those who think differently will be faced down by the independent-minded voters of New York State.
If there is any sustained effort to cold-shoulder Maloney, then President Obama and the machine led by the questionable Senior Senator from New York will become the issue in the primary. And New Yorkers will have the chance to vote overwhelmingly for an outsider and, by so doing, to show the whole farce up.
Why is Schumer questionable? In my view, because of the way he deals with and attacks his opponents. including witnesses in Senate hearings. I have concluded that badgering is the least of his sins. I do not like a person who behaves that way. I wish it was he that Maloney was opposing in the primary.
Well, if I were consulting Carolyn, I would advise her to say exactly how she is a better Obama Supporter than her opponent. And never to mention her opponent by name.
I would also advise her to challenge the Obama-Schumer camp on the basis of their lack of confidence … in themselves … in the people … in the process.
In other words, if they believe that a primary would be bad because they think 2010 will be close, they are not reading things that well.
We want to win in 2010 and our opponents will be anyone who messed with the Obama agenda. We are going to advance, not retreat.
Carolyn Maloney will win the primary the same way Barack Obama won Iowa, not as the faux sure thing but as the outsider who stands for hope and change. These are not things the current Junior Senator has ever really embraced.
I think this is a challenge that the President should accept and approve of. He is about to discover the limits of bipartisanship and the discovery can only make him willing to support true allies and not those with Blue Dog leanings.
