Reviewing Hillary’s Time in the North Country

After weeks of speculation and backroom dealing, it’s official. President-Elect Obama nominated Hillary Clinton as his Sec. of State. Hear the details, and political repercussions this afternoon on AB5 and tomorrow on The 8 O’Clock Hour.

Brian’s blogged about how much New York, and especially the North Country, will miss Clinton. It’s hard to understate it, don’t you think? No one can remember the last time a Senator visited the North Country so often. I searched through our archives and found Hillary launching micro-entrepreneurship in Potsdam, becoming well-versed in military affairs (and eventually landing a seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee) by frequent visits to Fort Drum, making the case in Lake Placid for Democratic leadership in rural areas, and winning bipartisan support here, not in the least simply by showing up. We appreciate attention way up here, right?

As I reflect, I remember more…the Clintons vacationing in the 1000 Islands, Hillary and John McHugh hitting farm country in a show of bipartisanship, Hillary fighting the “passport proposal” (which’ll become reality in June if Mr. Obama doesn’t reverse course)…

So two questions: As Senator Clinton seems a lock to become Secretary Clinton, what are your memories – and opinions – of her eight years as Senator? Did you ever meet her personally?

And with the names being floated to replace her, do you think the next Democratic Senator from the Empire State will put in as much face time in the North Country as Hillary did? Hard to believe it possible. But who’ve thought in 2000 we’d be writing this about “the carpetbagger from Arkansas”?

UPDATE: Here’s a blogger with a different take on Hillary’s time in New York.

–David