Text Size - 
 
 + 
 
 reset 
 
 For the Senate appointment, the jockeying between Gillibrand and supporters of Caroline Kennedy for the slot was intense, and several sources at the time said the Clintons preferred Gillibrand — Kennedy endorsed Obama in the 2008 election. “We love Kirsten Gillibrand,” EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock said, adding that Gillibrand’s PAC has augmented her group’s own efforts. There’s a female politician from New York who is beloved by gay rights activists, has amassed a national fundraising network and is viewed by many Democrats as a viable presidential candidate. “I myself don’t believe she’s positioning herself for anything because she knows that there are two prominent New Yorkers ahead of her — first, Hillary Clinton and then Andrew Cuomo,” said Richard Socarides, a gay activist who worked in the Clinton White House.
– Everyone's talking about Hillary Clinton in 2016—but the next time the Dems are choosing a candidate, Clinton's Senate successor might be their best bet. Kirsten Gillibrand has a reputation as a moderate, but as a senator since 2009, she's managed to win over skeptical lefties, too, writes Maggie Haberman at Politico. Just ask Howard Dean, who calls her "a first-class political mind." She's a Blue Dog Democrat who has carved a political career that gives her firm footing for a national run. During the 2012 election, Gillibrand fought for women candidates via her Off the Sidelines PAC, which pulled in $1 million to back women candidates. Meanwhile, she easily won election to a full term. Her work on both women's rights and against Don't Ask, Don't Tell "appeal to a huge swath of the Democratic primary electorate," notes Haberman. Meanwhile, despite some position changes, "she has remained center-left" on issues like business. "If Hillary doesn’t run, I think there’s going to be a legitimate woman candidate, and it’s likely to be Kirsten Gillibrand," Dean says. Click for the full piece.