Downballot: Minn. recount, day 64
Posted: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:11 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Congress, States
MINNESOTA: The recount saga rolls on, as Norm Coleman said he was filing a contest with the state. The Franken camp called the Republican's arguments the "same thin gruel."
NEW YORK: The New York Times reports, "Even as Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo insisted he was staying out of the competition for New York’s soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat, a top Cuomo aide urged labor leaders and upstate officials to refrain from embracing Caroline Kennedy for the job, according to several people with direct knowledge of the conversations."
More: "A spokesman for Mr. Cuomo, John T. Milgrim, strongly denied any effort to undermine Ms. Kennedy. He acknowledged on Tuesday that Mr. Percoco had spoken with a variety of labor leaders and officials upstate in recent weeks, including the mayors of Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo or their aides and Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle, the Democratic leader of Monroe County. But Mr. Milgrim disputed that Mr. Percoco had criticized Ms. Kennedy or urged others to do so. ‘This is simply untrue,’ said Mr. Milgrim. ‘We haven’t lobbied for or against anybody. This is just more anonymous sources spreading false gossip and perpetuating the circus-like atmosphere.’”
Question: Does this mean the cold reception Caroline received from some upstate was all part of a Cuomo setup?
Maureen Dowd defends the idea of appointing Caroline. “Congress, which abdicated its oversight role as the Bush crew wrecked the globe and the economy, desperately needs fresh faces and new perspectives, an infusion of class, intelligence and guts.”
