Senate-designate Gillibrand: My goal is to try to fill Hillary Clinton's shoes

[Beacool]

BY MICHAEL SAUL
January 25th, 2009



Hillary Clinton held court Sunday with Gov. Paterson's controversial pick to join her sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits.

It was an important photo op that spoke volumes for upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, tapped by Gov. Paterson to fill Clinton's Senate seat - even though the Secretary of State said nothing publicly about her successor.

"My goal is to try to fill her shoes," Gillibrand told reporters after the private meeting with Clinton, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Paterson at Oscar's restaurant at the Waldorf-Astoria.

"To have the opportunity to serve in her seat is an extraordinary honor and an extraordinary blessing and an opportunity that I'm extremely grateful for," said Gillibrand, who is to be sworn as the state's new senator tomorrow.

Clinton did not, as expected, join Gillibrand at the postlunch news conference, where Gillibrand stuck to her guns over her support for hunters' rights - something she described as a "core value."

Clinton breezed past reporters, refusing to answer questions - but don't read too much into that, cautioned a source who helped orchestrate the sitdown.

"It's simple, she is no longer a Senator, she's now the Secretary of State," the source said. "It's inappropriate to engage in politics. Same reason she hasn't done so since nominated, and will not do so going forward."

Clinton congratulated Gillibrand in a statement Friday, calling her "an intelligent and dedicated public servant and a dear friend."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/25/2009-01-25_senatedesignate_gillibrand_my_goal_is_to.html

[mtnsnake]

1. hahaha, Chuck can't take his eyes off her

You can tell by the look on his face he's been sitting there inahling the pleasant aroma from her perfume.

[Beacool]

2. Whose perfume?

He's sitting next to Gillibrand, but he's looking at Hillary in that pic.

;)