Soon, Gov. David Paterson will finally choose somebody to fill the U.S. Senate seat about to be vacated by Hillary Clinton. The betting has been heavy on, um, you know, Caroline Kennedy. You know?

But Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is, at the very least, the number two contender. No doubt, he wants it baaaaad.

But he didn’t tip his hand today when he gave a speech at a private breakfast heald at the Regency Hotel in New York City.

On getting the Senate nod, he said: “I’m not going to  comment on the senate seat.  The Governor, as the Peoples representative, votes for the People.  I’m the Attorney General of the State of New York.  I’m the People’s lawyer.  I’m also the Governor’s lawyer.  I’m not going to engage in any unseemly ‘political theatrics.’  I have too much respect for the Governor … and for my own office.”
Cuomo has done more than a credible job as attorney general, a job he likes.

” I love public service,” he said.  “I love the people of this state who gave me a second chance to make people’s lives better.  I put my head on the pillow at night and feel good about that.

“My daughters are trying to plot out their lives … the trips, the cars they’d like to have, the houses … I try to tell them all that matters is:  are you using your talents to make people’s lives better?  That’s really what it’s all about.  That’s really what matters …”

Of course, if they had a special election, I could run. I still have a lot of bumper stickers leftover from my 2000 write-in campaign against Hillary. If you want one, send me a self-addressed stamped envelope  c/o The Journal News, 1 Gannett Drive, White Plains, N.Y. 10604, and I’ll ship one out to you.