Caroline to Get Hil's Seat, Two Guys Claim

Caroline Kennedy is basically a lock for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, according to someone close to the governor according to CBS 2. Sheesh. Is it true?

Here is the problem: Governor David Paterson is a delightful renegade maverick, and no one knows who among the people claiming to speak for him actually represents his views, whatever they are. So the guys speaking to the Associated Press may well be people "close to him," but it's impossible to say! The AP's sourcing is "two people close to Gov. David Paterson," which means nothing.

This might just be another version of the inevitability tactic Bloomberg aide Kevin Sheekey dreamed up in his odd campaign for the Kennedy appointment, running it entirely via leaks to the media and limited Kennedy interviews, without any direct attempt to personally convince Paterson of anything.

But! The news that Sheldon Silver, the Democratic Assembly Speaker, has now tentatively announced his resigned "support" for Kennedy is bad news for people who hoped to see the seat go to someone whose name doesn't adorn an airport.

But Paterson—he's an oddball. A lovable oddball! Though he'd be decidedly less lovable if he gave in and handed our seat to the world's least charismatic Kennedy. We're still holding out hope! Vote Drescher!