Obama Backs Gillibrand in New York, Discourages Primary Challenge

President Obama has cleared the Democratic primary field for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York, two Democrats said, asking Rep. Steve Israel not to challenge her in the primary.

"The President doesn't want a messy primary in New York when those resources can better be spent elsewhere," one New York Democrat said.

The move is Obama's clearest steps into the role of leader not just of the country but also of the Democratic Party, and also a sign of the growth of a muscular White House political operation.

Israel is expected to announce today that he'll take a pass on the Senate race, which has tempted a range of Democrats because of Gillibrand's relative weakness in polls and a record that includes support for gun rights and restrictions on immigration, and of working for the tobacco industry as a lawyer.

He still may face a challenge from a local official, from Reps. Carolyn Maloney or Carolyn McCarthy, and from labor activist Jonathan Tasini, but Israel was likely to have been the strongest -- and best-funded -- challenger.

UPDATE: Israel says in an emailed statement:

I spoke with President Obama today. He asked me that I not run for the U.S. Senate this year. The President asked me to continue my leadership in Congress, working closely with him to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create new jobs through an intensified focus on renewable energy and green technology.

This is a tough, heartfelt decision for me. I have received encouragement to pursue this fight from all corners of our great state. But in the interest of providing New York and our country with a united front for progressive change, I have decided to continue my efforts in Congress and not pursue a campaign for the U.S. Senate.
I want to thank Senator Schumer for his friendship and guidance during this process, and I am especially grateful for the support of my friends and family. I’ll never stop fighting for Long Island and all of New York.



UPDATE: McCarthy, my colleague Josh Kraushaar reports, still plans to run if nobody else will, and Tasini emails over a statement: "Steve Israel’s decision not to enter the 2010 Senate race is unfortunate. It deprives Democratic voters of at least one choice in the 2010 primary—a chance to vote for someone whose positions have been in-step with the majority of the voters in the Democratic Party in our state.

"Primaries are good things. They define the direction of our party. Had the party leadership sought to “clear the field” in 2008 and control a vigorous debate about the direction of our party and our country, Barack Obama would not be president today."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0509/Obama_clears_field_for_Gillibrand_in_New_York.html?showall

She's been a solid vote on the Obama agenda, and has come out strongly in favor of EFCA, bankruptcy and credit-card reform, and a public option in health-care reform.

voted the right way everytime. She should keep that seat.

They hold McCarthy in contempt.

Really, other then guns, can anyone name a single issue that she's strongly out of sync with the party & Obama on?

I mean she's come out in favor of stuff like gay marriage, something that less then 1/4th of our elected senators have publicly come out in support of.

Frankly she's not that out of the Democratic main on guns. There's good reasons that that issue is no longer a fixation of the party.

Carolyn McCarthy will challenge in New York, and Joe Sestak will challenge in Pennsylvania.

Former Republican war supporter running in the Democratic primary? That'll fly.

McCarthy's husband was killed. and her son was severely wounded by a gunman with an automatic weapon in a commuter train.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy National Service Bill Signed by President Obama

WASHINGTON DC—On Tuesday, April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a bill sponsored by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04).

http://carolynmccarthy.house.gov/

In 2006, when Gillibrand was running on an anti-war platform, McCarthy was supporting a Republican resolution calling for the open-ended continuation of the war. McCarthy supports a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning. She's also open to privatizing Social Security.

By the way, you're getting basic facts wrong. The Long Island Rail Road shooting was committed with a 9mm pistol, not an "automatic weapon." And if you're going to be hypnotized into voting for a pro-war conservative "Democrat" over an anti-war candidate who supports Medicare for all and marriage equality because one favors harassing gun owners and the other doesn't, then you've got a problem.

and she only made one statement that I am aware of. Pandering?

Not having been asked about something very much isn't the same as being a "late comer." However, she's on the record long before the Senate seat became available outlining her strategy, which involved passing a strong federal civil union law, then going state by state lobbying for the use of the word "marriage," since she thought it would help a lot of people of her mother's generation to get used to the idea of first the rights, then the language.

And even if what you said is right, which would you prefer, a late-comer or somebody who doesn't believe gay people should be allowed to marry?

damn fine Senator.

MY Senator, btw, and I see no reason for some asshole to waste a bundle of money on yet another useless primary. Last time Tasini went after Clinton he hardly got noticed, and anyone going after Gillibrand will get the same treatment. Schumer and the entire national party is against the idea.

For you out of state furriners-- downstate NY is heavily Democratic (and largely anti-gun) thanks to NYC and vast amounts of Democratic cash generated. Upstate is heavily Republican with hunting and fishing a way of life in most parts. If McCarthy thinks she'll get near enough votes in the general with her gun stand, she's nuts.

Gillibrand and others called for withdrawal. McCarthy has expressed willingness to consider privatizing Social Security. She became a Democrat not long before she filed for office and continues to espouse more Republican principles on finance and international relations.

New York has a closed primary system. To vote in a Democratic primary, you must be a registered Democrat.

Every year I have to register back. ~sigh~ It's an annoying process.

You shouldn't have to do more than fill out the card once to fix things.

What it is, I work for the board of elections during the elections as a poll worker. In order to fill some sort of quota they file me down as a Repub (or so we were told at the office---I've been registered with almost all parties---but Repub always is top). My sister is also listed as such. She ends up switching to Dem and I switch to Independent----regularly we have to check and get things verified.

If we had open primaries I'd change in a heartbeat.

:applause:

then again, all I knew of her was what I had read on DU, that she was a DINO.

Of course if anyone really wants to challenge her they can go right on ahead.

And her 100% support of Obama's policy initiatives so far.

:shrug:

Here's some information about Jon Cooper
-------------------

The Polit Bureau has spent plenty of time discussing the merit of Suffolk County Legis. Majority Leader Jon Cooper’s proposed run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Now, it’s Latino Long Island’s turn.

The site called Cooper the “perfect antagonist” to Gillibrand and argued that he had a shot because:


1) He’s a genuine Progressive in a Democratic state. Our note: True, though Gillibrand is hardly conservative. You can be sure Cooper will hit the Second Amendment issue hard.

2) If multiple people run, Cooper can sneak out a victory based on a fractured vote. Our note: That seems less likely, since many of the other candidates have dropped out in recent days.

3) Only Cooper’s entry neutralizes the Clinton-Schumer factor because of his grassroots support. Our note: That’s possible, sure. Cooper’s going to need to tap into Democratic voters’ dissatisfaction with government to have any shot. But do they blame Gillibrand? No proof, at this point, that a lot of voters know much about her at all.

4) While McCarthy, Maloney and Nadler are formidable fund raisers, and Gillibrand’s big ace was raising big bucks, Cooper has his own money. More importantly, he has the appeal and capacity to tap into a national progressives network to fuel his campaign. Our note: By all accounts, Gillibrand will have plenty of money. Cooper will desperately need support beyond the New York network to compete. Is that possible? Sure. And, yes, Cooper has plenty of his own money.

http://libn.com/politbureau/2009/05/21/latino-li-pumps-... /

http://www.cooperfornewyork.com/Homepage.html