Officials: Caroline Kennedy Will Be Paterson's Choice

Posted by Rachel Weiner, Huffington Post at 1:00 PM on January 2, 2009.

The AP reports that officials are saying Caroline Kennedy will be New York's next senator:

Officials say the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy will be the governor's choice to fill the New York Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Two people close to Gov. David Paterson tell The Associated Press they believe Caroline Kennedy will be his choice, but the governor cautions he's still looking.

On Thursday, the governor disputed reports that he would hire a "caretaker" to keep the seat warm until the 2010 election.

Speaking to reporters at the Executive Mansion Thursday, Paterson said he intends to select someone with long-term interest in the job, not someone who would simply hold the seat until a special election next year.

Picking a caretaker, he said "would cause New York to lose seniority. And in the United States Senate, the most effective senators are the ones who have seniority. So I'm hoping the person I select wins the primary."

Tagged as: senate, hillary clinton, caroline kennedy