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New York Political Fantasy
In response to my comments about the prospects for changing the political complexion of New York state, New York reader Charlie Banks opines:
As a New Yorker who has been fighting a losing battle against the cult of Clinton in my lifelong home state, I must say I see a glimmer of hope in the political wakeup call New York may have heard post-9/11. Schumer, I must admit, comported himself quite elegantly in the immediate aftermath (tho' unfortunately he's clearly reverted to form, judging from his Fed-Orgy op-ed in the NYT), but on the other hand I've noticed the general consensus that just about the only major New York State political figure whose approval numbers have not risen since 9/11 is Hillary Clinton. If the political hay to be made from these attacks doesn't help her, nothing will.
I've always had something of a political fantasy going in the last year or so, which goes something like this:
(1) George Pataki runs for a third term as Governor in 2002, and wins;
(2a) Rudy Giuliani is appointed to a high-profile federal post related to homeland security, OR
(2b) he runs for New York Attorney General in 2002 alongside Pataki, and wins;
(3) Gov. Pataki declines to run for a fourth term in 2006, and instead declares his candidacy to unseat Senator Clinton;
(4) Possible-A.G. Giuliani runs to succeed Pataki as Governor in 2006.
In my estimation, (1) is looking more likely every day. Element (2a) looks like something Bush would just love, and is probably more likely than (2b), at least at this late date. The fate of (3) hinges on how Pataki does in his presumptive third term, but if his popularity continues to outshine Clinton's as it does now (and has consistently for years), I'd put money on him. Giuliani doesn't even need the A.G.'s office to pull off (4), but then, that is a long way off.
To crib another New York catch-phrase (Yankee fan tho' I am), Ya Gotta Believe.
Yes. Well, much can happen in five years. Heck, as we've seen, a lot can happen in three months. This looks like as reasonable a scenario as any right now.
Of course, it's hard for me to feel a lot of sympathy for your senatorial plight--where I spend much of my time, I have to contend with Boxer and Feinstein. The only hope that I see for California is some kind of partition--I'd move to northern California (the part way above San Francisco) in a minute if it were removed from the bootheel of Sacramento.
Posted by Rand Simberg at December 13, 2001 11:02 AM
