So Begala is comparing Gillibrand to Obama?

[ProSense]

When he was recruiting her for the congressional race, Emanuel told me Gillibrand was someone special. I paid attention because I recalled the time, a decade or so ago, when Emanuel told me a skinny state senator named Barack Obama was the future of the Democratic Party.

Since then I've seen Gillibrand in action. My father has a small farm in her district, near the village of Andes, New York. Every summer I bring my boys to Andes to fish in a pristine mountain trout pond, and at night we feast on fresh-caught fish with my dad's neighbors.

Those farmers and schoolteachers see Gillibrand as one of their own; someone who shares their values, who respects and protects the rugged beauty of their mountains even as she fights to bring jobs to the region.

In short, Gillibrand is the kind of Democrat who can win in blood-red upstate New York. Her membership on both the Agriculture Committee and the Armed Services Committee has allowed her to become an expert in policy areas some Democrats shy away from.

I've also seen Gillibrand in the big city. Gov. David Paterson spoke at a Gillibrand fundraiser I attended in a posh penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. Gillibrand had given birth to her son Henry a few weeks before. Where she got the energy and the enthusiasm I'll never know. Even veteran Manhattanites came away impressed.

Listening to Gillibrand speak of how Hillary Clinton inspired her, I couldn't help but see parallels to Barack Obama. Our new president has described himself as part of the Joshua Generation -- the African American leaders who have come after pioneers like John Lewis, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

link

Good grief.

[SuperTrouper]

1. Begala is off him medicines again...

:puke:

[Hieronymus]

11. Begala is forever linked to the Clintons, unfortunately. I loved most them at

one time.

[FrenchieCat]

I don't know about that. I heard her speak, and it wasn't very impressive, IMO.

Perhaps I missed something...but inspiration was not on her menu during her press conference Friday.

[KittyWampus]

6. What a shallow take on the matter. I doubt Begala was referring to Obama's oratorical skill

[MarjorieG]

2. She will be formidable, and this was the NY delegation against Caroline. Explaining a lot.

[ProSense]

3. This episode pretty much ensures a challenge for the Senate seat and Governership.

Messy, and the hype is overkill.

[KittyWampus]

7. I'd say this episode does nothing of the kind. It wasn't messy except a rich kid didn't get what

she thought her family name and her contact list could buy.

And the other politicians (like Cuomo) were asked to sit tight and deal with the mess NY is facing.

[ProSense]

10. IMO, it was messy. "except a rich kid didn't get what she thought her family name and her contact "

Yeah, like Gillibrand is from some poor family with no connections.

Those upstate roots are deep. It turns out that Gillibrand has an interesting political pedigree of her own. Her father is Doug Rutnik, a well-known Republican* lobbyist in Albany. (That probably explains the presence of former GOP Senator Alfonse D'Amato over her shoulder at the announcement news conference.) And her grandmother Polly Noonan--whom Gillibrand cites as her inspiration--was a powerful political player at a time that few other women were. Noonan founded the Albany Democratic Women's Club and was an important figure in the Mayor Erastus Corning's legendary machine there.

link

A rich kid did get what she wanted.

[ProSense]

4. Actually meant to ask

your thoughts on these challenges. How is it looking?

A lot can happen in two years.

[Cha]

9. Yeah, a lot can happen in two years especially

in New York politics and, of course, Illinois.

I wanted Caroline and don't think of her as "rich kid" who wanted to "buy something". She's a mature woman who has helped in the funding with New York City Education..more behind the scenes..but, that doesn't stop the knee jerkers from jerking off.

Here's Al Giordano's take on some of this New York political shit.
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/

[Danger Mouse]

5. That's a little much. I think she has a lot of potential...

but Barack Obama is one of a kind.

[Sultana]

8. Begala is a sharmoot

:eyes: