Jan 20, 2009 6:44 am US/Eastern
A Matter Of Days Before Kennedy Gets Senate Gig?
Sources: Though Cuomo Leads In Public Polls, Governor May Be Worried Who Would Fill His Attorney General Seat
Paterson Aware Of Percentage Of Women In U.S. Senate
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Caroline Kennedy appears in this Oct. 15, 2008 file photo.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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New York Gov. David Paterson appears at the annual Columbus Day parade on Fifth Avenue October 13, 2008 in New York City.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
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Caroline Kennedy has expressed serious interest in Hillary Clinton's Senate seat. Would you like to see her fill the vacancy?
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The whispers have become louder that Gov. David Paterson has come to a U.S. Senate seat decision -- and that it's Caroline Kennedy.
The governor claims he hasn't made up his mind, just whittled down the list a little.
In public, Paterson is still being coy about who he'll pick to replace Hillary Clinton.
"I'm actually, I think, narrowing the field to about half the people who are involved," Paterson said.
If you read the tea leaves there are reasons why some of the main contenders could be eliminated.
"It would be a great honor to be selected but it's a great honor to serve in the House of Representatives," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-Manhattan-Queens.
Congresswoman Maloney has just been given the prestigious chairmanship of the joint House-Senate Economic Committee, so it's possible she's no longer on the list.
And although the polls make Attorney General Andrew Cuomo the favorite, sources tell CBS 2 HD the governor is concerned about who would replace him, a decision that's out of the governor's hands.
Another leading contender is Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi. He might not fit the demographic profile the governor is looking for.
"There were 17 women in the U.S. Senate, when the woman population is 52 percent and without Hillary there would be 16 so I think it's a valid point," Paterson said.
Many on the short list think the governor is all but certain to pick Kennedy, especially since after all the speculation it would be a spectacular "dis" to her and her powerful family to pass her over. But others in the know said it's not a done deal.
"I think it's a hard decision and he's giving it a whole lot of thought," Sen. Charles Schumer said. "But I don't think he's in any single place right yet."
Added Rep. Charles Rangel, D-Harlem: "I've always said that the best candidate in this race was the person who Gov. Paterson would pick."
And while New Yorkers await his decision, the governor is enjoying the suspense. He says all the speculation keeps reporters from asking about the economy and how he'll put New Yorkers back to work.
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