Yesterday New York Attorney General (and our next governor) Eliot Spitzer, Saratoga Springs Mayor Valerie Keehn, Accounts Commissioner John Franck, County Supervisor Joanne Yepsen, Prolific Blogger Gabe, and a slew of other local Democrats gathered for the standing-room-only announcement at Canfield Casino that Kirsten Gillibrand is challenging Congressman John Sweeney for his seat in the House of Representatives Congressional District 20.
Eliot Spitzer, Valerie Keehn, and others support Kirsten Gillibrand
View more photos from the event
As if to emphasize that she’s a true upstate New Yorker — perhaps distinguishing herself from a certain other Congresswoman from New York — Gillibrand began her announcement by talking about her family, who’s been in the area for generations. A Hudson resident, Albany native, and Dartmouth alum, Gillibrand pointed to her mother (in the crowd not far behind me), and talked about her being a rifle and bow hunter who brings home the turkey for Thanksgiving and the venison for Christmas. Though it was a roomful of Democrats, Gillibrand was smart to launch her campaign by establishing a deep connection with upstate and with hunters since it’s going to be a tough battle in our district, where registered Republicans outnumber us 2 to 1.
After the familia background, Gillibrand touched on all the issues important not just in New York, but in the entire country: Responsible government, accountability, healthcare, jobs, energy, the war in Iraq. Her positions are in line with mine, so I’m happy to support Gillibrand for this incredibly important mid-term election season.
There were a couple dozen Sweeney supporters outside the Casino. Funny. I thought they outnumbered us 2 to 1. There were at least a couple hundred supporters who showed up inside the Casino.
The A_nderson media sweep also continues this week, last night featuring the back of my head on local NBC affiliate WNYT 13:
Gillibrand enters race for House:
Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand officially kicked off her campaign Tuesday to oust U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, from his seat in the 20th Congressional district.
She announced her bid in her hometown of Hudson and again later at Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs.
‘I am here to launch my campaign to bring accountable government and honest leadership back to Washington,’ Gillibrand said. ‘Our system of government — our democracy — is built on a foundation of trust. Today, that foundation is cracked. I am running this campaign to earn your trust and help repair that foundation.’
9 responses so far ↓
1 duckman // Feb 1, 2006 at 10:04 am
I understand you are from California and somewhat of a local political neophyte, which is fine. But you should know that Mrs. Gillibrand’s family has been entrenched in Albany area politics for generations. Most notably, her family’s involvement with Dan O’Connell. This regime ran Albany for nearly 4 decades through good old fashioned cronyism,intimidation,and fear. One of the longest running, corrupt political machines in the country. Not to say that Sweeney is any kind of a saint, but you should look a bit deeper to discover the actual agenda, and special interests, that control Mrs. Gillibrand. It is blind endorsements like yours that enable politicians to get elected on transparent talking points. By the way, what is her stance on the war?
2 Gabe A_nderson // Feb 1, 2006 at 12:45 pm
I’m not sure how my being there and hearing Gillibrand’s positions on the issues makes mine a “blind endorsement.”
Although it may be true that I haven’t lived in the area my whole life and that I don’t know the whole background, if my blog gets a Democrat in Congress to help bring some much-needed balance of power to the federal government, then I’m all for it.
3 duckman // Feb 1, 2006 at 4:04 pm
When you endorse someone unilateraly because they are a Democrat to “bring some much-needed balance of power to the federal government”, that is a blind endorsement which has nothing to do with the issues. Much like the blind endorsement you gave the local Saratoga Dems this past November. “affordable housing” and “controlling growth”, remember that? Nice talking points right? well the reality, as established by the Kennedy school of Government, is that “it is logically incoherent to be both an advocate of affordable housing and an opponent of new construction.” But who cares about details right.
4 Adrian McNamara // Feb 1, 2006 at 9:36 pm
duckman or “hater” man, speaking of blind endorsements, you are all over the capitol region blogs spewing partisan crap – taking the conversation as far away from the issues as they could be. Gillibrand’s campaign formally began YESTERDAY, what we need now in this country is a measured conversation about issues, ideas, and policy. Attacking someone’s family, a tactic unfortunately utilized by the left and right, isn’t constructive in the least. What is however, is a candidate such as Gillibrand who simply by running makes the incumbent accountable to the issues that effect the people of the district. It’s democracy in action.
The more Gillibrand evokes greater policy debate the better. So chill out with the personal attacks, address the issues she brings up that you disagree with and explain why you feel Congressman Sweeney is a better advocate. If anything else her candidacy is an opportunity to elucidate why in fact Congressman Sweeney is such an asset to this district, and he should relish the chance to do so during a relatively high-profile, spirited campaign.
5 duckman // Feb 2, 2006 at 10:59 am
Yo Adrian, you’re all over the capital region blogs accusing people of being partisan: http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2005/11/17/paloma-capanna-for-congress/. So what does that make you? What are the policy debates? At this point it seems the only important issue is that Sweeney went skiing with a lobbyist. So lets boot him and every single member of Congress that has taken perks from a lobbyist. Guess what? the Capitol will be empty. I’m an independant, and I think both parties are corrupt. Hows that for partisan. I’ll be sure to stick to the issues Kirsten brings up, whenever that happens. Nobody seems to know what her stance on the war is, I guess thats just me taking the conversation away from the “real issues”.
6 Joe V. // Feb 2, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Dear Duckman,
Did you ever think that Gabe may have formed his endorsement by listening to his preferred candidate address the issues? I know him personally, and that’s usually how he operates.
7 Adrian McNamara // Feb 4, 2006 at 1:55 pm
Duckman,
go to gillibrand2006.com read her announcement speech and look at all the issues that she addresses. The media will report what is good for television, hence the lobbyist story blowing up, and Bill Lamdin’s top-notch reporting that inserted himself directly into the story. Serious discussions don’t happen on the 6 o’clock news.
8 duckman // Feb 9, 2006 at 3:21 pm
Yo Adrian,
I’ve been to the site, I’ve read the “talking points”, and I dont watch channel 6, or 10, or 13 for that matter. Nor do I listen to partisan operatives. Gillibrand is nothing but another pretty face pushing the agenda of the Democrat establishment. Is it just a coincidence that Gillibrand is the most qualified candidate and the offspring of entrenched, entitled political royalty? In my previous posts I simply asked about her stance on the war. No one provided any insight. So I went searching. And I happened to find what appears to be a true, free-thinking Democrat http://oldgreyent.blogspot.com/. This was his/her assessment of Gillibrand after numerous personal encounters.
“As it stands, Kirsten Gillibrand is politics as usual. If you like Hillary, fine, support her. Once you get past the smiles and warm fuzzies, however, you have to open your eyes and see that she’s been groomed to be a hack. And if you read her website and listen to what she says, and stop kidding yourself, what you have at this point is not a candidate on top of the issues and fit for national office, but a hokey campaign full of ingratiating turkey shoots, backyard get togethers, and folksy talks around the kitchen table, with—to stay in the idiom—all the political relevance of Elmer Fudd.”
Who is the partisan after all Adrian?
9 duckman // Feb 9, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Yo Adrian,
One more quote from “Old Grey ent” concerning Gillibrand’s campaign:
” I will continue trying to influence this campaign, and I hope it will reform and win. But I will also call it what it is and has been: seductive, empty of real substance, and ultimately fraudulent.”
Thats good stuff. I have a lot of respect for people that can level criticism against their own party. Shows a lot of integrity.
Peace.