From People magazine, which (oddly enough) had the most detailed story on the issue, and seems to be one of the few taking it seriously:
Everyone’s favorite nanny is looking to take her famous Queens accent to a new home – the U.S. Senate, that is.
Fran Drescher tells PEOPLE she’s offering up her name as a replacement for Senator Hillary Clinton, who has been nominated as Secretary of State. New York Gov. David Paterson must find an interim to fill the remaining two years of Clinton’s term.
“I’m a New Yorker. It’s a part of the fabric of my being,” says Drescher, 51. “It just seems natural to me to throw my hat in the ring.”
The ex-star of The Nanny isn’t a political neophyte. In September, she was appointed a U.S. diplomat for health issues, and in that role recently toured four Eastern European countries.
A uterine cancer survivor, Drescher also has advocated cancer prevention and education through her Cancer Schmancer Movement, (named after her bestselling book).
While on the lecture circuit, Drescher says her fans constantly inquired about a future in politics. “It was one of the single most-asked questions: When are you going to run? Only second to: Is that your real voice?” Drescher says with a laugh.
So why should Drescher be Paterson’s top pick?
“I would hope that he’d take into consideration that I’m a beloved New Yorker who gets the New York constituents probably as good, if not better, than any of the other people being considered,” says Drescher, whose focus would be education and healthcare if tapped to fill the seat. Besides, Drescher says, “I never tried to lose my accent.”
And then this, from Associated Content:
Fran Drescher is best known as the star of the 1990s sitcom, The Nanny, and having a distinctive voice that could strip paint. After a bout of cancer Fran Drescher decided to become an advocate for women’s health. Fran Drescher was named a special ambassador on that very issue and recently toured Eastern Europe to raise awareness.
Other candidates for the Hillary Clinton Senate seat include Caroline Kennedy, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, and former President Bill Clinton. New York Governor David Patterson will have to select Hillary Clinton’s successor, who would then face the voters in 2010.
On casual examination, the idea of a Senator Fran Drescher seems just a bit odd. However, as Instapundit’s Glenn Reynolds suggested, the Senate could do with a nanny…
Fran Drescher is not the first actor who developed political ambitions. The most famous actor who went into politics was Ronald Reagan, who became the greatest President of the 20th Century. Other successful actor/politicians include George Murphy, Clint Eastwood, Fred Grandy, Sonny Bono, and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The problem Fran Drescher has is not convincing fifty percent plus one of the voters of New York she should be a Senator. The problem she faces is convincing just one man she should be a Senator; New York Governor David Patterson. Does David Patterson align himself with the Kennedys by choosing Caroline Kennedy? Does David Patterson align himself with the Clintons by choosing Bill Clinton? Does he remove a possible rival by choosing Andrew Cuomo?
Or does he just split the difference and avoid choosing . . . by choosing Drescher? Seriously, the appointment of Fran Drescher has distinct advantages. For instance:
1.) She’s actually from New York. paterson may be blind, but that nasal whine voice of hers will come right through.
2.) She actually has experience. She’s been a goodwill ambassador for the last year on Women’s Issue for the Bush Administration, touring Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Plus, as the Jewish Sitcom Star from America, she knows a lot of the important movers and shakers from Israel. (They all want their pictures taken with American celebrities; especially American Jewish celebrities.)
3.) It would allow Paterson a graceful exit. Presntly the Clintons, the Kennedys, and the Cuomos are each vying their own candidates for the seat. (The Clintons are advancing Bill or Chelsea as candidates; the Kennedys want Caroline; and the Cuomos want Andrew.) All are powerful and have connections, and Paterson certainly doesn’t want to alienate two of the three power familes when he appoints the next Senator from New York. So why not appoint Drescher as a “joke candidate”, which will only mildly annoy the power families temporarily?
4.) Drescher might actually do a good job with this. She’s serious about this; and has considered running for Congress in 2010.
I’d like to see this happen. It’d be fun just to watch the Democraps turn themselves inside out over this.
~~JD~~
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