by Mark Silva
Nearly half the New Yorkers asked about the governor's appointment of Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to the U.S. Senate say they approve - with approval running slightly stronger among Republicans than among Democrats surveyed.
The new Democratic member of the Senate will start with stronger support in upstate New York as well, which is a considerable factor in her hopes for reelection, and the up-stater with an A rating from the National Rifle Association draws some support for her support of gun control as well.
N.Y. Gov. David Paterson, on the other hand, may have suffered from the protracted decision he made with the vacant seat of former Sen. Hillary Clinton, who left to serve as secretary of state for President Barack Obama. His approval rating has fallen in the measure taken by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, and a potential 2010 match-up against New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, now puts Bloomberg in the lead.
In passing up Caroline Kennedy, or perhaps New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for the appointment, it appears that Paterson, who stepped into the governor's office after the arrest of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in a prostitution sting, may have put his own future in doubt.
In the Marist survey, 46 percent of the New Yorkers surveyed call Gillibrand's appointment the "right choice,'' 24 percent call it the wrong choice and 30 percent aren't sure. Republicans were more supportive: 49 percent calling Gillibrand the right choice, than Democrats, 45 percent supportive.
The share of registered voters who say Paterson is doing a good job as governor has slipped from 54 percent in December to 46 percent in the January survey.
And the share of voters who say they would pick Bloomberg in a match-up with Paterson in the 2010 Senate race has grown to 47 percent - up from 40 percent in November. Paterson's share of that vote has slipped from 44 to 41. Another match-up: Paterson and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Republican, weighs in as a virtual tie in this poll: 46-47.
Comments
Could not disagree with you more--and I live in Upstate New York. This HELPED Paterson--and shame on Princess Caroline for putting him in this position.
Posted by: Trustfund brats need not apply | January 27, 2009 3:24 PM
Re: Trustfund [sic] brats need not apply | January 27, 2009 3:24 PM
I'm not sure I can make out your point about Kennedy. How did she put him in this position? By withdrawing from consideration and insisting that it was for personal reasons? By praising the Governor for a "fair process?" By offering to serve her state and country in the first place?
You may recall that she called Paterson first to see if he thought her a plausible candidate before throwing her hat in the ring - a sign of respect and a chance for him to tell her gently "don't bother."
Paterson set his dogs on her AFTER she pulled out.
It was like sacking an injured football player who left the field and is limping up the ramp to the locker room. (A player from his own team, mind you. She is a Democrat and a loyal one who had spoken nothing but praise of the Governor.)
Whatever you think of Kennedy or her offer to serve in the Senate, there is no rational way to suggest that she did this to him.
Behaving like a dumped suitor seeking vengeance on the girl who brushed him off. Paterson did this to himself.
And the shame is that his childishness has done a disservice to Gillibrand - detracting from what should be her moment.
What a jerk.
Posted by: NY Democrat | January 27, 2009 5:40 PM
Brat,
Paterson's coyness blew up in his face. If I heard his joke about wanting a woman and was hoping to get Michelle Obama one more time, I thought I'd jump through my TV. Caroline didn't help herself, but then Paterson's staff bashed her after she withdrew. Not cool, and coming as it does after a lukewarm state of the state address bereft of ideas to help the economy, Paterson's in deep guano. In the meantime, Gillibrand seems pretty clueless like she's in a high school speech/debate class.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport ✌ | January 27, 2009 6:06 PM
Gilibrand is a great public servant and very popular. Too bad you Kennedy clan PR flaks don't live upstate.
Posted by: Or you'd know better | January 28, 2009 8:06 AM
Well, hey there "NY DEMOCRAT"--on the payroll of the rum bootleggers who stole our party from us? good grief. Why a woman who hasn't bothered voting (too busy looking at the trust fund figures, no doubt) in every election, hasn't run for anything yet--hasn't DONE anything in the REAL workforce would think she could do this is beyond me. Particularly given that the clan's RUDE behavior when "Uncle Teddy" played SPOILER to Jimmy Carter's 2nd term still resonates with a bad taste in New England is beyond me.
I blame corrupt Uncle Teddy for giving us Ronald Reagan oh yes i do. And I never could have voted for anyone that corrupt anywa.
Shoving their wealth down our throats the first day of the convention with the video of the million dollar plus yacht ferrying the kennedy progeny around was such a stupid waste of time. that time should have been spent educating Americans about the history ofthe democratic party.
So, no, don't try saying the Kennedies are the only way out of ANYTHING anymore.
And stop trashing Gillibrand. Read how popular she is.
Posted by: I think the WORKING Kennedy kids are great though--RFK JR especially | January 28, 2009 8:39 AM