Rep. Gillibrand picked to fill N.Y. Senate seat

— -- The drama over Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's successor is over. New York Gov. David Paterson today named Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to succeed Clinton in the Senate.

The appointment came about 36 hours after Caroline Kennedy withdrew from consideration for "personal reasons," setting off a round of recriminations between the Paterson and Kennedy camps.

The messy selection process ended with an Albany press conference that started 15 minutes late and went so long that Gillibrand took a congratulatory phone call from President Obama offstage as Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., continued talking at the microphone.

Amid conflicting reports over whether Kennedy had been a sure thing or a non-starter, Paterson said his choice was not based on gender, geography, race, religion or sexual orientation. "This decision was made on who the best candidate would actually be," he said.

He said Gillibrand, who was elected to Congress in 2006, has big shoes to fill because her seat has been held by Clinton, Robert F. Kennedy and Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Gillibrand said she was inspired to enter politics by Clinton's 1995 speech to a Beijing women's conference. Then the first lady, Clinton told the conference that "human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights."

At 42, Gillibrand will become the youngest senator after she is sworn in.

A centrist and National Rifle Association member from an upstate district, Gillibrand said she would represent "the many diverse views and voices of the entire state" as a senator. She must run in a special election in 2010 and then again in 2012, the end of the six-year term Clinton began in 2006.

Well into the press conference, President Obama called to speak with Gillibrand but couldn't because she was speaking. "They said he is going to call back," Paterson said. Then he paused and added, "Please call back."

A little while later, Obama did call back. Schumer kept talking even when he was told that Obama was on the phone for Gillibrand. "I'm going to keep reading," Schumer said. "Barack, forgive me."

Offstage, TV viewers could see Paterson hand Gillibrand the phone and watch her talk to Obama. When she returned to the stage, Schumer said, "Welcome back."

Obama, who became close to Caroline Kennedy after she endorsed him last year but said he was staying out of the New York succession process, issued a statement calling Gillibrand "a wonderful choice."

He said Gillibrand "has been a strong voice for transparency and reform in government and shares the belief that government should be open, accessible and work for all of our citizens. In Congress and as special counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, she worked to strengthen public and private partnerships to invest in infrastructure and New York's economy."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Gillibrand a rising star and "a proven problem solver who is committed to fiscal discipline, making America more secure and ensuring government is transparent and accountable."

The League of Conservation Voters and EMILY's List, an organization that recruits and supports women candidates, also were quick off the mark with praise. But some liberals are skeptical. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., whose husband was killed in a train shooting 15 years ago, says she may challenge Gillibrand in a primary.

McCarthy told MSNBC, even as the Albany press conference was going on, that city and suburban voters won't want an NRA member representing them. "This is a personal issue to me," she said. "I'm not out here to make trouble," but "I have to speak up."

During her press conference, Gillibrand promised to work with McCarthy on gun-control legislation, in particular a bill that would update federal laws requiring criminal background checks on people who purchase guns.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee called Gillibrand "a relatively unknown and inexperienced individual" whose appointment "has angered the left-wing and created a real schism in the Democrat Party." The group asks whether Gillibrand will release the policy questionnaire she filled out as part of Gov. David Paterson's selection process, "and if not, why not?"

The liberal website Talking Points Memo said Gillibrand's record on gay rights and gun control isn't stellar, criticizing her for supporting an Iraq funding bill in 2007 without a timeline for withdrawal.

At the liberal Daily Kos website, constituent Casey Morris wrote that Gillibrand's war support outraged her and she confronted her about it at a neighborhood meeting. Morris said Gillibrand's response was impressive and liberals need to realize that "scorecards don't tell the whole story." She urged Democrats to remember that Gillibrand has won twice in a district that leans GOP — a point that Schumer also made.

Gillibrand has shown growing strength in a district that ranges up the Hudson River from suburban New York City to Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. In 2006, she raised $2.6 million and beat four-term GOP incumbent John Sweeney, 53%-47%.

Last year, former state Republican chairman Sandy Treadwell spent $7 million against Gillibrand. She raised $4.6 million and defeated him 62%-38%.

Kennedy withdrew her name from consideration just past midnight Thursday. "I informed Gov. Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she said in a statement.

In a statement Thursday, Paterson said he talked privately with Kennedy on Wednesday and did not respond to inquiries about reports that Kennedy no longer wanted the seat "to allow her time to deliberate." He said of her withdrawal, "This decision was hers alone."

Paterson also said he learned of nothing that "created a necessity for any candidate to withdraw. Any speculation to the contrary is both inaccurate and inappropriate." His statement came after an online New York Times report that Kennedy withdrew over an issue involving taxes and a household employee.

Kennedy spokesman Stefan Friedman issued a statement decrying "mudslinging." He said Kennedy's reasons were personal and any report to the contrary was inaccurate.

Kennedy was a top contender along with Gillibrand and New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo. "They were always the three that people thought the governor was focused on," said Democrat Joel Benenson, a New York-based pollster.

Gillibrand, who worked under Cuomo at HUD, called the attorney general "a mentor" during today's press conference.