Gov. Paterson Picks Conservative Dem For Hill Seat

Giving the finger to the liberals in New York City, Gov. David Paterson opted for another candidate who will surely piss them off:

ALBANY - Gov. Paterson, defying the liberal wing of his Democratic Party, has chosen little-known, NRA-backed, upstate Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as New York's junior senator, it was learned last night.

The surprising - and, for many Democrats shocking - decision to pick the conservative Gillibrand, 42, from Hudson in Columbia County, was disclosed by the governor in calls to party officials and some members of the state's congressional delegation, many of whom said they were unhappy with the selection, sources said.

Excellent; a Kennedy was shut out because of tax issues, a Cuomo was rebuffed and now we have a Blue Dog from New York. Who'd a thunk it?

Upstate New Yorkers are essentially liberal Republicans in many other places as shown by Gillibrand's stance on big liberal social issues:

Liberal Democrats have been wary of her because she ran for re-election with the backing of the National Rifle Association, opposed the federal TARP program to rescue banks, and has been less than enthusiastic about gay marriage.

Awesome, a political meltdown in NY. Nothing makes me happier than two Dem strongholds--Chicago and NY--fighting amongst themselves.