Battle for Hillary's Senate Seat Begins

Frankly I'm not putting much stock in the notion of Hillary Clinton becoming Secretary of State, but if indeed she winds up in that position, who her successor in New York might be is already under speculation.

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate seat is still warm — and occupied — but the first notes are already sounding in the game of musical chairs to succeed her.

If President-elect Barack Obama does select her to be Secretary of State, it would further scramble the power structure in New York, which was upended earlier this year by Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s premature departure amid a prostitution scandal.

Just the names of potential successors — a Kennedy and Cuomo among them — conjure images of Democratic royalty.

Yes, just what we need: A choice of Andrew "Evil Eyes" Cuomo or the former junkie and environmental nutcase RFK Jr.

There has to be some fresh blood, no?

Some are already pushing for Buffalo-area congressman Brian Higgins. Tom Suozzi’s name has come up, too. He’s the Long Island politician who made a name for himself railing against New York’s notoriously high property taxes, battled Spitzer for the 2006 gubernatorial nomination then was appointed by Spitzer to chair a tax-cap commission.

In a year where Barack Obama broke down racial barriers, either Higgins or Suozzi would be a nod to one of the traditional pillars of New York Democrats: white Catholics.

Both Suozzi and Higgins are virtual no-names, although Suozzi is relatively popular on Long Island.

Then they get to the flotsam and jetsam of the NY congressional contingent, and it's a regular hack-o-rama.

Plenty of other New York members of Congress are in the early mix as well: Nita Lowey, who was in line to become a senator until Clinton moved in; Steve Israel, a moderate from Long Island; New York City’s Carolyn Maloney or Jerrold Nadler, both veteran lawmakers; or Kirsten Gillibrand, a relatively new upstate politician but one who has won Republican votes and raised scads of money.

I could see it possibly being Lowey, who probably would have won the seat in 2000 until Hillary barged in and took over. She played the good soldier and maybe should be rewarded?

Nadler? Good grief. Would he be able to cope with the weighty issues in the Senate, such as their substandard dining accommodations?

Since Obama may be intent on getting the Clinton band back together, why not just have her husband, The Clenis, finish out her term?