Bill Clinton: The next junior Senator from New York?

[Unsane]

What say you? Part of me really likes the idea. It'll certainly make CSPAN-2 more interesting. It also keeps Bill out of Obama and Hillary's hair.

[GarbagemanLB]

1. I frankly think the slot should be given to someone not named Clinton. Allow fresh faces to rise

in the Democratic party.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. I agree. Unless it goes to someone named Kennedy, lol

[valerief]

7. Why? They'll just be republicans in dem clothing. nt

[saltpoint]

2. I vote no, should Gov. Paterson ring me up to ask.

[TomInTib]

11. I was going to recommend you, Old Crusoe.

Do you think you could establish residency in time?

[saltpoint]

12. Tom! Howdy.

I don't think I'm cut out for the job. Too many creaky bones.

I hope all's well with you out west in that very beautiful part of the country.

It's been some many days now since the election, but I am still very uplifted by Obama's win. 8 or 9 years ago John McCain would likely have been a real challenge to beat, but his "maverick" brand deteriorated to junk awfully quickly, and we whupped him good.

[TomInTib]

14. I just got back from Mexico.

Carried that damned CD with me, too.

Even the Mexican cab drivers were excited about Obama.

All is well, here, O C.

[saltpoint]

16. Good for you to get down to Mexico.

My Spanish is absolutely abominable but just enough to hack my way through restaurants and markets, and have been there a handful of times now.

A strikingly gracious culture.

[mtnsnake]

18. My wife and I traveled to Mexico a couple of years ago

Yes, what a strikingly gracious culture. Everywhere we went people were just so sweet. I can only imagine how happy they are for us that someone like Obama is going to take over for Bush, considering how the Mexican people have had their own problems with corruption in government, and they know what it's like. I wish nothing but the best for the people of Mexico, they all seem so kind. I also wish some of the American real estate developers down there would stop taking advantage of their poverty like they do, especially along the coastlines where they seem to be focusing their attention...for obvious rea$on$.

[TomInTib]

19. No kidding.

We were in Cabo San Lucas,and it is just crazy what's going on down there.

[saltpoint]

28. Yes. There was a genuine sweetness to them. And I bet you are

exactly right on their being happy about a change from Dubya. I wouldn't blame them if they were ecstatic.

[TomInTib]

23. The tip of Baja.

Cabo San Lucas.

I saw a whale breach, totally clear of the water, right in front of me. I was on a wave rider.

[saltpoint]

30. Sorry to say I have never been that far down on the peninsula, but

envy you your whale sighting.

That had to be glorious.

[TomInTib]

33. I couldn't believe it.

The sound of that thing crashing into the flat waters of the Sea of Cortez was humbling.

[muntrv]

4. Nope. There are plenty of other elected officials in NY who are qualified

for the senate seat.

[napi21]

5. I seriously doubt Bill would ever consider such a move. He's

got a good life now, does what he wants, and makes a lot of $$ doing it. Why the hell would he want to be a lowly Senator?

[Unsane]

8. Because he likes politics?

[ruggerson]

6. I like this idea much better

http://council.nyc.gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml

[hulklogan]

36. Yes please.

:applause:

[saltpoint]

9. I'd hope the appointment goes to someone with enough of an

established base in New York State to win not only the next election but subsequent elections as well.

I think it would be good to have someone who is either experienced at the tedious process of legislation or inclined toward the give-and-take necessary to enjoy the job and be effective in it.

[DevonRex]

10. Bill is doing a lot of good things on a global scale so I don't know

if being a Senator would appeal to him. Kind of confining.

[polichick]

13. Wouldn't he see that as a step down from president?

[Posteritatis]

21. It's happened before, just not often

That said, I wouldn't want to see it happen for Clinton, considering the work he's doing globally and comparatively independently from the US government.

[verges]

44. Only once.

John Quincy Adams served in the House after his Presidency. Twice if you count Taft going to the Supremes. No former President has ever gone to the Senate.

Edit to correst: Okay I was wrong. Andrew Johnson served in the Senate in 1875.

[whistler162]

27. Maybe... but John Q. Adams, Andrew Johnson, and Taft....

didn't think taking positions in Legistlative or Judical branches after the Presidency was a downgrade.

Admittedly, according to history, Taft preferred the Supreme Court over being President.

I could see Bill Clinton as a holding place Senator until the special election in 2010.

A candidate from upstate NY would be nice! But, we need Slaughter in the House and Maffei and Massey are way to new.

Then there is Tom Golisano which would be different.

Gillibrand might be a good candidate for the Senate seat.

Heck, maybe Gov. Paterson will appoint Tim Robbins as the Senator and he can working on election reform!

[Hippo_Tron]

38. That was a different era when the presidency was weaker

And thus the unofficial position of ex-president was weaker as well. Bill Clinton in certain areas wields more power than many members of the US Senate. If he were to become a Senator and return to active duty politics, he would lose a lot of that informal power that he has.

[MarianJack]

15. Why would he want to be ain the Senate after being President?

When he was asked about this possibility late in his secxond term he practically laughed.

[blue_onyx]

17. No, I don't think that would be a good idea

I'm sure there are plenty of qualified people in New York that deserve a chance at the position.

[Dinger]

20. What About RFK Jr?

Does he live in NY?

[Radical Activist]

22. Too many complications.

Former Presidents traditionally aren't critical of the sitting President. And if Hillary is SOS it further mutes Bill's voice. NY needs someone free to say whatever they want.
Of course, Bill has broken many other protocols of decent behavior expected from former and sitting Presidents but I don't think he'll cross that line.

[mountainvue]

24. Bobby Kennedy Jr. Although Bubba

would be fine by me, I don't think he wants it.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

25. No Way! Bill needs to keep doing charity for the world.

[THUNDER HANDS]

26. the next senator from new york will be someone you've hardly heard of

but someone I'm familiar with.

[Danger Mouse]

29. No thanks. I want a NYer in the Senate.

[Raineyb]

32. That would be an interesting change of pace wouldn't it?

I am so tired of people constantly tapping Bill Clinton as though we don't have any adequate Democrats who live here (And for longer than the Clintons have I might add.)

Sheesh!

Regards

[Danger Mouse]

37. Notice that the people who say 'Clinton for governor! Clinton for Senate!'...

don't actually live in NY. :P

[Raineyb]

42. I noticed that.

Does it make me petty to want someone for Senator who isn't using our Senate seat as a jumping board for bigger and better things?

I understand that politicians are ambitious but I'd like someone who is actually interested in serving the people of New York. At the risk of being labeled a Clinton hater, I never got that feeling from Clinton. (I voted for of course because who was I going to vote for Rick Lazio? I think not!) Still TPTB went out of their way to push Nadia Velasquez out of the way to clear it for Hillary Clinton who had not even lived in the state before leaving the White House. I'd like an actual New Yorker in the seat and I'd like it if people wouldn't act as though we have no Democrats in the state besides the Clintos.

Am I asking too much?

Regards

[Raineyb]

31. I say no.

We have plenty of people who are perfectly able to fill the seat should it need filling whose name is not Clinton.

New Yorkers had good Democrats before the Clintons decided to move here and we'll have plenty when they decide they don't need our state anymore thank you very much.

Regards

[karynnj]

34. I doubt Bill Clinton would want to be a Freshman Senator

and I doubt the senior Senators will cede their positions to him.

[Myrina]

35. Hmmmmm .... notsomuch, thanks.

:hi:

[Hippo_Tron]

39. It would be a step down from his current occupation in many respects

While ex-Presidents don't have any formal power, they do wield a substantial amount of informal power. A US Senator, for example, could not raise the same staggering amounts of money for charitable foundations that Bill Clinton has done as an ex-President. He also has a lot of power due to his ability to campaign and fund-raise for fellow Democrats.

If Clinton were to return to active duty politics his stature as a statesman would diminish and so would much of his informal power.

[ecstatic]

40. No. Nice guy who had his time in the lime light

let someone else shine for a change.

[Metric System]

41. Computer says no.

[vanderBeth]

43. Pass.

[Jennicut]

45. He would never do it, too much of a step down

I would rather being an ex-prez then a Senator.