Will MSM Label Incoming NY Senator as 'Maverick Democrat?'

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The decision by New York Governor David Paterson to name a somewhat conservative replacement (by that state's democrat standards), Kirsten Gillibrand, to Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat has already sent some liberals into a tizzy. They are upset over Gillibrand's support for the National Rifle Association as well as for extending the Bush tax cuts among the issues that disturb them. So when will the mainstream media begin labeling Gillibrand as a "Maverick Democrat?" Or is the "maverick" label applied by the MSM only to Republicans who are liberals or "moderates" (really meaning liberal)?

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If Gillibrand sticks to her current principles the "maverick" tag would surely apply. Here is how the New York Post describes the opposition to her:

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.

The Moderate Voice notes that there is already a threatened 2010 primary challenge to Gillibrand because of her politically incorrect posture:

No sooner had the news hit the wires than talk began about a revolt in the New York Democratic Party over Gillibrand’s blue dog credentials and support for 2nd Amendment rights.

Representative Carolyn McCarthy of Long Island, a staunch supporter of gun-control laws, said in an interview Thursday that she would challenge a fellow Democrat, Representative Kirsten E. Gillibrand, if Gov. David A. Paterson names Ms. Gillibrand to the Senate.

The big question now is if Gillibrand will be "educated" by Senate Democrats to change her views to become more liberal or will she continue to irk them by being a maverick? According to NewsDay, Gillibrand didn't "moderate" her views after she won her Congressional seat:

...But during her victorious House campaign and two years in office, Gillibrand (D-Hudson) has positioned herself as a centrist, with an "A" grade from the National Rifle Association as evidence of her willingness to break from Democratic orthodoxy. She also voted against the Wall Street bailout and was the only New York Democrat to vote to extend funding for the Iraq war in 2007.

"She had to shake the perception that she was a city liberal," said David Wasserman of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. "Her voting record has indicated that she is different from a Charlie Rangel or a Carolyn Maloney or even a Nita Lowey."

Adding to this "apostasy" is the fact that Gillibrand one of only two members of the New York congressional delegation to be a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. If she holds to her views then she would definitely be qualified to be labeled as a "Maverick Democrat" although the MSM, as we have seen, are loathe to use that term. "Maverick Republican?" Yes. "Maverick Democrat?" Never!

Therefore, boys and girls, my extra credit homework assignment to you is to locate the first MSM outlet that actually labels Kirsten Gillibrand as a "Maverick Democrat." This could be an impossible task.

—P.J. Gladnick is a freelance writer and creator of the DUmmie FUnnies blog.


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And speaking of mavericks......

Senate Gets Reacquainted With McCain the Maverick

A joke made its way around the Capitol yesterday: How do you know the 2008 election is really over? Because John McCain is causing trouble for Republicans again.

"Mac is back!" one of his devoted friends in the Senate declared as McCain walked into the chamber Wednesday to deliver his first speech of the 111th Congress: a blunt admonishment of Republicans delaying Hillary Rodham Clinton's confirmation as secretary of state.

"I remind all my colleagues: We had an election," McCain noted. "I think the message the American people are sending us now is they want us to work together, and get to work."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203928.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

Why doesn't McCain just become the 60th Dem Senator and be done with it?

Sigh.

McCain actually sickens me

McCain actually sickens me when I see him now. I reralize now that he used his Vietnam experience to gain the GOP nomination because based on issues there is no way he should have been in the contest. During the general election campaign he seemed to almost sabatoge his own chances. The most unforgivable decision was to refuse to make Jeremiah Wright an issue. He had no right to make that decision.

Now he is Obama's GOP stooge on the Hill and he is looking like a feckless old fool.

Ugh, please

I can't stand the thought. Between your last comment and Powell saying "I think I'm still a Republican...", (did he ever indicate party in the past?) I can't stand it.

More Conservative than Maverick McCain

Wow a Democrat who may be more conservative than Maverick McCain. 

I looked at here bio photo

I looked at here bio photo and thought (wow, she looks like a republican). I never have heard of her before today either. You know she was pretty like Palin and didn't have that mad dog look in her eyes with her lips curled back in a snarl like Pelosi or Boxer. Also anything that a Democrat doesn't like these days I am for.

Former aide to Al D'Amato

She is a former aide to Al D'Amato. To go anywhere in New York politics today, you need a (D) after your name.  I wonder if she will be Palininzed?

Let the RINO's become

Let the RINO's become Democrats, and let any small-government, pro-life, low tax, strong defense, etc. Democrats become Republicans.

The difference between the GOP and the Dems is that when the Dem's don't approve of one of their members, they keep that person in the background without power - Republicans who stray from the platform get to be on top of the ticket.  This causes too many good people leave the Party...

I heard McCain on tv last

I heard McCain on tv last night.  I was surprised when I looked up from my work and saw that it was him, because I thought for sure they had a democratic pundit speaking.  It's sad that the presidential candidate for the GOP has returned to sounding just like a democrat.

What I would do, or would

What I would do, or would have done years ago, if I ran the party, would have been to call Mr. McCain into the RNC office and tell him to either get with the program, or he will be kicked out of the party and lose all the financial and organizational benefits of party membership.  I would do this with everyone who behaves like this guy. 

I'm not sorry he lost...just sorry about who won...and people like McCain are to blame for the current disastrous situation.

Another point: If McCain was true to his apparent "let's get along" beliefs, he should join the Democrats and try to get them to "get along" with the republicans....

Chucky likes an NRA supporter?

"Gillibrand... was strongly backed for the post by Charles Schumer...," said the Post article.

Hmmm. This is not making sense. A supposedly NRA mother, who is against bank bailouts, and against gay marraige (Sarah Palin 2) backed by Chucky? Odd, wouldn't you say?

Chuckie

Maybe Chuckie hates Andrew Cuomo so much that he will support anybody else for that vacant seat. Orrrrr...it could be that he is so attracted to Gillibrand (she is pretty) that he just wants to stare at her in the Senate.

Can we play spot the "D"

WCBSTV story doesn't even show she is a Democrat.

I had to hunt around other sites to determine if she was one. Must be they are very PO'd another drunk Kennedy didn't make it in.

Shrewd Move By Patterson...

Patterson needs more upstate support and by appointing Gillibrand (esp. during an Obama administration) it helps him with more conservative upstate voters, so both NY senators are not from the more liberal downstate area(like Schumer).  However, Gillibrand's congressional seat was formerly John Sweeney's...a GOPer who lost in '06 after allegations of domestic violence were leaked to the public....allegations Sweeney has vehemently denied. However, the seat could very well go to a republican now that Gillibrand is vacating it.

Kerry Picket

NewsBusters 

Great Choice

I think Paterson made the right choice.

1. For the next two years NYS has a blue dog Democrat to counter Chuckie Schumer.

2. For the 2010 election this will split the Democratic Party which already has tremendous friction over this selection process and make the chances for a GOP replacement like Congressman Peter King almost a sure bet.

She's still a Democrat and, therefore, . . .

. . . IMO, untrustworthy when it comes to doing what is right for America.

"Strange New Respect"

Realistically, Gillibrand will be forced to dump whatever non-liberal views she has once in the Senate in order to even be nominated in 2010. The signal that she has tossed her previous non-liberal positions overboard is when you hear that the MSM says that there is a "strange new respect" for Gillibrand.

However, in the meantime, it is FUn to watch the discomfort of liberals over this choice.

Oh the irony

 

A politically obscure, fiscally conservative, attractive, middle aged, NRA supporing woman to be in high office. Where did I hear something like this before?  

 

Palinized

Will she be Palinized by the Press?  Or is that treatment only given to women with an (R) after their names?

I read in the article in the NY Post

that Chuckie "Porn = Conservative Talk Radio" Schuster backed Gillibrand. Do any New Yorker's who are NB regulars know if this is true? I thought Schuster was anti-gun and anti-NRA.

Hallelujah!

As an upstate New Yorker, this couldn't come as better news. I thought for sure we were going to be stuck with Caroline "You Know" Kennedy.

This almost makes up for Governor Patterson's "never-met-a-tax-I-didn't-like" attitude...almost!

She sounds more qualified for Republican President than the

the loser we had to  vote for!

"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."

 

"I need more cowbell!" SNL

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise labled her Maverick....

But... It was from October.

http://adirondackgui...

Do I win anyway???

 

"I need more cowbell!" SNL

Ding Ding Ding Ding

From the article.....

"Gillibrand has put her name next to votes that show her to be an
extremely pro-gun Democrat in New York, as well as voting twice against
the bailout. Now there is a Maverick!"

Althought she was not called a "maverick democrat", she was called a "pro-gun democrat", the two words are in such close proximity that I would give you a win on that one. PJ may think differently, but don't be surprised if you get a free issue of the DUmmie FUnnies in the mail.

Maverick Democrat

Nope. The exact term "Maverick Democrat" has to be used in reference to Gillibrand.

Aww, what the heck JTP, I'll.......

give you a copy just for your research effort.......

http://www.dummiefun...

Thank You, Gov. Patterson!

I think Patterson just cost himself the
next election, Democrats can't stand people who buck the party and
will take revenge on Patterson and Gillibrand, look at how they have
treated Lieberman.