How has the junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, acquitted herself in the job?
It’s hard to say. I think it’s tough being the junior senator to Chuck unless you’re Hillary, in which case you have the chance to carve out your own space. I think it is not a good thing for Gillibrand, though, that so many voters still don’t know who she is and don’t identify with her. This is a special election for her, she comes up for election again in two years and, assuming that she wins this year, she is going to have to do a better job defining herself with the electorate. I thought she’d be faring better by now in terms of public opinion polls. I thought she would have more definition and more flesh on the bone. The other race catching national attention is the contest for the fifteenth congressional district, Charlie Rangel’s seat. How has he managed to weather the storm of his ethics scandal in his own district? There are two reasons. One, he’s been an effective congressman for the district. And two, there is a sense within the district that forces such as the press are try
