Our Own Sarah Palin

Nobody loves a baby more than I do. Don't get me started on my own three grandchildren; I got the pictures and the videos to keep you a prisoner of love, my love, for an hour. But whenever I see a politician flaunting his or her progeny in the political arena I get a little queasy. In fairness to the babies of Ms. Kirsten Gillibrand, about whom I am going to say some unkind words, the mother, not the charming babies, I don't even admire the kid parade of our new President's progeny. Yes, they are gorgeous; they belong in the movies, but they don't belong on the front page of the New York Times. And when I saw the newly appointed Junior Senator from New York waving her babies at the crowd - I had what I can only describe as my Sarah Palin epiphany. I thought dirty diapers. And then I saw beside her the former Republican Senator Al D'Amato - her longtime mentor - now a lobbyist; and I thought dirty politics which produces the same results as diapers. A bad smell and a need for a quick change.

Governor Patterson, himself the inheritor of his office via the implosion of Eliot Spitzer, is a man of wit and intelligence. But in appointing the new Senator he allowed himself to become the Mr. Dithers of New York State. He so fumbled the Caroline Kennedy trial balloon for the Senate replacement of Hillary Clinton, first by insulting the citizens of the state by seriously entertaining the appointment of a woman whose outstanding quality for the Senate seat was her illustrious lineage, and then compounding that fumble by toying with that woman's hopes for weeks and insulting her in ways she did not deserve. If replacing a woman with another woman was the goal, we had a trio of Carolines to choose from, the aforesaid Ms. Kennedy, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney; a true friend to the first responders after 9/11, a courageous fighter for the people of my city and a notable progressive; Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, the wise, watchful and caring, anti-gun advocate whose husband was shot dead in a maniac's rampage, another worthy candidate; but Paterson turned to upstate Congresswoman Kirsten E. Gillibrand, an attractive, forty something NY congresswoman from a rural area as his choice for replacing Clinton. It was a dumb, John McCain moment, impulsive, yet corrupt, hoping to gain traction with the conservative wing of his party. This is a woman who represents the far right of the Democratic Party. Her political roots are deep in the Republican Party and its platform; her first instincts are Republican contrarianism. She votes the NRA party line, which means the hell with endangered city folks, she is/was against Gay Marriage, which means the hell with human rights, and she is a woman who voted against the bailout, which means the hell with the tanking economy. And her cozy relationships with former Republican boss Bruno, now under investigation, and D'Amato, a hack from way back, show that she was schooled by the old masters of sleight of hand politics.

Governor Dithers has made a spectacularly stupid choice in Ms. Gillibrand that marks him as one of nature's incompetents, and I cannot wait to cast my vote against him in any future primary. I note that Ms. Gillibrand is tap-dancing her way towards the center away from the far right but it's a clumsy dance, needs more practice, and her presence in the Senate - supported by Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton - shows that self-interest remains the primary goal of New York's politicians. For Schumer it means at last he has a younger colleague without a famous name who will not grab the mike and the camera from him as he lunges towards it for his drug of choice - face time with the public. For Clinton it means supporting a woman who supported her Presidential candidacy which appears to be the yardstick by which most politicians measure others. A sad day for New York when we have our own Sarah Palin in the Senate, a rootin', tootin', shootin' kinda gal, a mom with a rifle. Not so fast my inner contrarian says, she went to Dartmouth, didn't she? She'll stand up to Katie Couric in ways that poor Sarah couldn't manage. And she can learn, can't she? But the old New Yorker in me believes she'd best serve the people by shooting Canadian geese over airports than repairing our Bush broken nation. What a dumb mess. Just when we need the best and the brightest we get the new Junior Senator from New York by way of Governor Dithers. Thank God I have my grandkids to make me smile.

Comments

[snesich]

To compare Kirsten Gillibrand in any way, shape or form to Sarah Palin is absolutely ridiculous.

Gillibrand's district was 94% white and didn't have one single town with more than 30,000 people! (How do you even carve out such a district in NY?) Even Oklahoma might not have a CD like that! Despite that, she's always had a good record on gay rights, Social Security and almost all other progressive issues.

I don't see how you compare a Dartmouth grad who worked for two very prestigious law firms, married a well educated, wealthy venture capitalist, and comes from an influential NY political family with the Palin hillbillie­s/grifters­? I just don't think the comparison makes any sense.

Except that they're both women with small children who’ve also used guns. Outside of that, I don't see where Gillibrand and Palin have anything in common.

Gillibrand worked as an intern for then Senator D’Amato. She is not a political protégée of this creep. She was there as a kid, gaining Capital Hill experience, through her father’s connections. D’Amato is essentially a family friend, not a political mentor. If he was the latter, Gillibrand wouldn’t be a Democrat.

And remember, in an overwhelmingly Republican district, Gillibrand took out one of the most vile and reactionary members of congress: John Sweeny, who bragged about the right-wing mob he organized in Dade County, that shut down the Florida 2000 vote recount and effectively delivered the White House to George W. Bush.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Gillibrand is to the right of Evan Bayh on many issues, that makes the both of them Moderate Republicans.

Bayh is from Indiana, what's Gillibrand's excuse?

[luziannagirl]

Oh and one more bit of wisdom from out in the sticks:

Our economy--as are the rest of the worlds'--- are based on the twin false paradigms of infinite resources and unlimited growth. Since this planet's resources are finite, and all economies are ultimately based on the control of finite natural resources, economies based on an ever-expanding human population and and ever-expanding consumer based are not only not sustainable, they are immoral.

Many in my generation willingly chose to limit our birth rates because it was the responsible thing to do for both the environment and mankind. Now all the "spaces" we purposefully left ---are literally being filled up with immigrants.

There are ways to invigorate the economy and raise the quality of our lives without filling up all the open space with yet more people; more people who need more cars, more roads, more shopping malls, more toilet paper, more fresh water, more sewer systems....

I am overjoyed there's one more voter---and a Democrat no less--- in Congress who evidently agrees with me.

[luziannagirl]

Please don't assume those of us who believe in the Constitutional Second Amendment rights of individual Americans are unintelligent undereducated semi-literate bozos. Same for those who hunt. And those of us with rural roots, and country accents.

Just as we won't get rid of rape by removing all the penises, we won't get rid of murder by removing the firearms. Both are crimes of violence---and those who are violent will find ways to be violent with whatever tools they find handy. My suggestion is that you put your considerable resources behind ways to address this society's penchant for violence.

Oh, yeah, and one more thing. While the use of incorrect colloquial common names for native species might add a colorful touch of authenticity, it does little to promote your points. There is no such bird as "Canadian Geese".

It's Canada Geese.

[weareas1]

I'm not at all surprised that guns and peni are so casually conflated in your post. You gun guys (and girls) just can't seem to get enough of the long, hard, shooty things.

Personally, I don't give a flying F that you and Senator Tracy Flick loooove long, hard, shooty things. But as soon as she votes NO on Obama's stimulus plan (and on any health care bills that come up), we will see why choosing her as a senator was one of the dick moves of the year on Paterson's part -- a purely cynical reelection ploy that he thinks will somehow help him, but really just hurts New York and the entire nation in our time of dire crisis.

Funny thing is, this is not really gonna help Paterson get "re"-elected when his term ends. It will likely have the opposite effect.

Paterson, you did something that no one thought might be possible. Your actions on this make Blagojevich's appointment of Burris look like a model of integrity and good governance. Thanks. Jerk.

[luziannagirl]

And gee, w, you made the connection, and threw in a little Latin plural to boot. I'm impressed!

All jerkitude aside, I sincerely hope Obama's stimulus plan is well-prioritized and not simply more plump partisan pork, his healthcare measure is what we all desperately need and comes down the pike ASAP, and that NY' s newest Congresswoman votes intelligently, with all of our best interests at heart.

[onceler]

I can't abide her hateful, ignorant views on immigration. Anyone who can support what she supports, and make the arguments she's made on this subject has no business representing the state of New York in the Senate. This was a terrible move by Paterson, and one which pushes me firmly over into the camp of those who want to see him go down in the next election.

I thought he was doing a decent job for a while there. But between just his plain bungling of the appointment, giving it to a conservative because of her daddy's friends, and his awful budget proposals designed to balance the state budget at a time when it doesn't need to be balanced at all on the backs of the poor are reprehensible. I thought he was OK, but now I'm looking forward to Andrew Cuomo, who's father was a great governor.

[twogunmojo]

she is not against immigrants...she is against illegal aliens....lets see how you are at math...we need 3 million jobs for honest american citizens....there are at the very least 10 million illegal aliens in the country....can you see the solution or does the kool-aid cloud your mind.....

[Antisighon]

"she is not against immigrants...she is against illegal aliens....lets see how you are at math...we need 3 million jobs for honest american citizens....there are at the very least 10 million illegal aliens in the country....can you see the solution or does the kool-aid cloud your mind....."

twogunmojo, you don't understand brainwashed ideologues. It doesn't matter if there was 100% unemployment. There are some people who are so simple minded that if they consider themselves a liberal, or progressive, of on the left, or a democrat, then the usual party position is the correct one, no mater how much evidence there is to the contrary. Their thought process is "well, the pundits say anybody that suggest there might be a limit to the amount of illegal immigration we can allow without having a negative effect on our economy is a hate mongering racist", so this must be the case.

You find the same species on the right. They believe any tax raise is evil, everything can be solved by war, protectionism is evil, free trade is always good, etc.

[sedum]

Please note that there is no such thing as a "Canadian" goose. It's an "American" goose that happened to fly over the "border" and was wearing a tiny maple leaf pin that most "American" geese wear for there own protection. "Don't shoot, don't shoot, I'm from Ackron".

[MomfromTexas]

According to Vote Smart, she has a rating of 100 from the National Organization of Women, The Children's Health Fund, The Children's Defense Fund, The American Civil Liberties Union, The National Farmers' Union, The United Auto Workers, The League of Women Voters, and The National Social Workers. She has A's from The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, AFL-CIO, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, League of Conservation Voters, and The National Education Association. But, because she also has an A from the NRA and didn't vote for the bailout, she MUST be some kind of right wing nut? Yes, her beliefs on gun control are very conservative, but do those beliefs cancel out everything else she believes in? I'm not from New York, so I'm not familiar with the divisions within your state, but I did spend summers in upstate New York many, many years ago, when I was a teenager, and the kids told me they had a hunting day, when they got out of school to go hunting. I have no idea whether or not this is still true there, but maybe, this is why she is the way she is about guns?

[onceler]

its not true now and wasn't true in the past

[twogunmojo]

whats not true....that families don't go hunting together...that fathers and mothers don't hand down time honored traditions...i guess you think these poor kids are being abused and should be taken away from their loving parents to prevent them from being further indoctrinated in the heritage of america

[helpontheway]

I'm from her district & gun ownership/hunting is a very big deal to a lot of people there & from what I've seen and experienced there's still a lot of kids who go hunting with their families during hunting season. I used to be one of those kids myself, used to go on hunting trips with my grandfather, father, and uncles.
Are you from her district too onceler?

[randyjet]

I am a long time progressive and radical, and I do NOT support gay marriage, nor does John Kerry nor Obama. I also am a long time hunter, gun owner like Kerry, and I am against gun controls that make NO sense, though I hate the NRA, I would still vote the same way with them on many things. Since I have lived on the Mexican border for many years, I do NOT support the massive influx of illegals, nor do I think that we need to legalize them.

I also have tell you that most Democrats have the same positions on ALL of these items. It is only the urbanized, limosine liberals who do NOT. It is NOT progressive to want more illegals to drive the wages down of AMERICAN workers and help the corporations. The Chamber of Commerce is HOT for legalization and that should cause ALL to think again. I am also outraged at so called progressives who value cheap housekeepers over the welfare of the most disadvantaged Americans, the black, brown, ,and uneducated white workers. Just where is your concern for THEM?

Gun ownership is one of the means that was used to force liberal legislation. It was concern over the ARMED farmers that spurred much of the New Deal. It was armed workers in Minneapolis who confronted the killer cops in the 30s. NYC and DC so called liberals do NOT own the progressive movement and are in fact an impediment to it.

[IndyGirl19]

Many good points.

[onceler]

like what exactly? the utterly untrue statement that "most Democrats" don't support a path to citizenship and liberalized immigration laws? the bogus claim that illegal immigrants drive wages down for uneducated Americans? the laughable statement that it was "armed farmers" who spurred the New Deal. I mean, come on people. let's have some standards here. this guy is just making stuff up as he goes along!

[MomfromTexas]

Randy,

I also am a life-long, some fifty years long, Democrat, who considers herself a progressive, and I also support the right to own guns and would like to see strict immigration laws. I've never owned a gun in my life, and I've been employed for many years BECAUSE of immigrants (teaching English as a second language), but I'm not an idealist. I'm a realist. I know that an armed public has helped to keep our democracy a democracy. It's had to have a coup or a dictator, when there is an armed public. I also am not familiar with any country that freely allows people to come into the country and use the health care facilities and the schools without being a citizen, no questions asked. When my son was in a skiing accident in Canada, we had to pay UP FRONT before they would do the X-rays to see if he had a broken leg or a concussion. Uh, huh.

[exhale09]

62 year old Progressive here....I support Civil Unions for gays, I support common sense regulations on Gun ownership for say, restricting felons and mentally ill people from owning them, and I believe a reasonable waiting period for purchasing a gun in order to check for those things is wise.
There is nothing wrong with requiring responsible gun ownership. I also believe Americans have the Right to own guns.
I am for immediate strict border security to stop any further illegal entry, and strict immigration reform, and for opening a common sense pathway to citizenship for a "percentage" of illegals depending on the circumstances...for example a family who has been here a certain number of years and has remained employed, has paid taxes, learned English and bettered their lives. Anyone unemployed and living off of welfare benifits, or involved in gangs....and any illegal that has been arrested should be on the spot immediately sent back to their own country.

[Allocator2008]

It is simply false that Senator Gillibrand does not support marriage equality. Please see this article: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid71562.asp

I think it is a good to have a variety of people in the Senate Democratic Caucas - variety is the key to long-term governance. If only one wing of the party is represented, than that can alienate the mainstream. I think Senator Gillibrand will do a fine job.

[RobinSeattle]

That Kristen was against the financial industry bailout is a point in her favor, as it turned out. Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats got hustled by the bum's rush from Bernanke and Paulson and gave them control fof about a trillion dollars with no oversite mechanism and now we have the biggest embezzlement of a national treasury in world history on our hands with the perps appearing set to skip off from this crime scot free.

Even though I am a liberal Democrat, I also support strong immigration controls (in fact, I want a five year moratorium on new immigration while we put a new framework in place to secure our borders and make the INS more efficient).

The anti-gay marriage stuff is, of course, stupid, but we have a whole passel of southern Dems who feel the same way.

Finally, comparing Kristen to Palin, who is little more than a shrill grifter, is unnecessarily insulting. You went too far there.

[gifu]

Why do humans, who are still putting the screws to an over-populated, resource starved planet still think they are so clever and cute for doing so?? Forget her education, experience, etc.........she can bear the planet more children. Oooohhhh--­-ahhhhhhh. What a gift!!

[clevelandchick]

Paterson should have named a progressive without the strong ties to Clinton or D'Amato. Sherman is right, not having a progressive in the Senate is going to be a major problem for Obama. That's what this is about, the Dems having enough votes to put through necessary legislation to get this country back on it's feet and out of Iraq.

Gilibrand has voted against resolutions drawing down troops or tying funding to a withdrawal plan. Maybe she'll change her tune out of ambition, but all indicators show that she'll join the Republicans to fight Obama's policy.

[abbywts]

This is really not fair at all. Sarah Palin was an incompetent and a shameless self-promoter. She left her town of Wasilla in debt to the tune of millions. She believed it was wrong of reporters to ask her basic questions. Just because Senator-elect Gillibrand is a woman, has reproduced, and believes in the ENTIRE constitution, doesn't make her Pailin-esque. She is doing what all smart politicians do when they move to representing a greater mass of people, she's re-evaluating her stances. And guess what, if you want to have a Democratic party that can thrive in non-urban areas, you're going to have to get over the anti-gun stance. And how did handing over $700 billion work out for the economy? With absolutely no safegaurds in place, the banks are having a holiday at taxpayer expense. Good job. Lastly, her anti-gay marriage stance is one that I can't get behind, but it should be known that most Democrats are against gay marriage as well. I think the pick was actually quite a good choice, overall.

[melponeme k]

When reading all these bleatings by Royalists, I'm glad more than ever that Paterson was able to ignore them.

Gillibrand is it. She will represent New York, all of it, as she is charged to do so in her Senate seat.

[FearlessFreep]

You mean Canada geese, don't you?