News - Clinton accepts post/Gillibrand visits

Among the names being thrown around to take over the position is local congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Hudson). On Wednesday, during one of her “Congress at Your Corner” events held in front of a packed house at Borders Books on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, Gillibrand said she was honored to be considered but did not feel she was high on the governor’s list of choices.

“I will cross that bridge when I get to it,” Gillibrand said. “It is just such an honor to even be considered on a list with so many people I admire.”

Gillibrand also commended President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of Clinton as secretary of state. She added that whomever Gov. Paterson chooses for the position she hopes they will be a strong advocate for upstate New York, much like Clinton was while in office.

“I am confident the governor will choose someone with a strong voice and upstate in mind,” she said.

Clinton will remain in her Senate seat until she is sworn into the position in January. Paterson has said he will not choose her successor until she receives her official confirmation.

While Paterson has yet to reveal a front-runner for the position, names like Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Caroline Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, New York City Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and former President Bill Clinton’s names have been thrown around as possible successors. However, the rumors are that Paterson would prefer someone from the upstate region to fill the position.

As interested as many of the people in attendance were to find out about Gillibrand’s possible appointment to Clinton’s Senate seat, there were also a variety of other hot button issues the congresswoman was in town to discuss at the event.

During her opening remarks she thanked fellow supporters for re-electing her and discussed the one issue on everyone’s mind – the economy. During her speech she talked of the $700 billion economic bailout package, including the $34 billion bailout the auto industry is currently asking for.

“Writing a blank check isn’t going to work,” she said. “We need to discuss how to save these institutions.”

She said a report is due out next week to inform people on how the money had been spent so far and told people that upon its release, she would urge her constituents to implement more regulation and to investigate those groups who gave out mortgage to people who could not afford them.

“These are the next steps,” she said.

Her opening address was followed by a question and answer session where she fielded a variety of questions on energy and health care. During the session she talked of the importance of energy independence and the need to rebuild our infrastructure in order to create jobs for the millions of Americans currently out of work.

“Energy is the one thing that can fix the economy and that is what I will fight for,” she said.

She also praised Obama for his goal of making America energy independent within the next 10 years.

“John F. Kennedy said America would put a man on the moon in 10 years and we did it in eight. Obama is going to do the same with energy,” she said

Health care was also an important issue on the minds of people in attendance. Gillibrand said that universal health care is definitely possible in the future, but she feels the best way to accomplish this goal is by focusing on getting Medicare for everyone currently living without health insurance first. She also discussed the need for training more doctors and nurses due to the current shortage in these fields.

“Rural America is under-served,” she said. “We need to make sure medical protection reaches everyone in these communities.”

Gillibrand, along with members of her staff, also took time to meet individually with people in attendance to discuss their concerns and case files following the question-and-answer session.

In November, the incumbent congresswoman easily defeated her Republican opponent Sandy Treadwell for the 20th Congressional District seat. If she is not appointed by Paterson to the U.S. Senate seat in January, she will enter her second two-year term in the U.S. Congress.