BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAROLINE THE 'CERTAIN' PICK FOR DAVE: RIVALS By FREDRIC U. DICKER DESPITE claims that he's still undecided, Gov. Paterson is "certain" to pick Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate, several unhappy contenders for the job have told friends and associates in recent days. The contenders based their conclusion on the view that Paterson, after nearly two months of indecision, would "greatly embarrass" and "entirely humiliate" Kennedy, anger her prominent political family and even offend President-elect Barack Obama by picking someone other than President John F. Kennedy's daughter. As for the governor's claim to be weighing a last-minute finalist, the contenders agree with a close Paterson friend who said, "It's clear David is just trying to play mind games with the press." Some of the contenders warned, however, that the unelected Paterson, who must face the voters next year, cou...

from the always GREAT Uppity Woman : I thought we might recap exactly what Caroline Kennedy [Schlossberg] was doing before she decided “not to campaign” for the NY State Senate seat left empty by the work horse and policy wonk known as Hillary Clinton. Rather, let’s recap what she wasn’t doing — as opposed to what others are saying she was doing. Village Voice basically calls bullshit on her resume, particularly with respect to her tenure as “Chief Executive of the Office of Strategic Partnerships” in the New York City Department of Education . The truth is, Caroline didn’t do what her political pushers are saying she did. That’s not to say that none of it got done. It did. It’s just that Caroline didn’t do much of it. But she has no problem taking the credit for big-time fundraising for the NY City Department of Education. In fact, Caroline is not only assuming credit for the work of a woman named Michele Cahill, but she barely had the time to be around much after her appointmen...

By DAVID ROSEN It’s time for New York Governor David Paterson to sign the Safe Harbor Act for Exploited Children. The enabling bills have already passed both the state Assembly (A.5258-c) and Senate (S.3175-c), and now it is on the governor’s proverbial desk for passage. The act will end the widespread practice of arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating those 15-years and younger charged with prostitution. In addition, the Act requires the state to establish a variety of community-based services to help young people. These services include: “housing, diagnostic assessment, individual case management, medical services including substance abuse services, counseling and therapeutic services, educational services including life skills services and planning services to successfully transition residents back to the community.” This support is critical so that these children can reclaim their young lives. Traditionally, zealous police and prosecutors have used the fear of jail to not onl...