Maloney Appears to be Backing Down

[Lunar]

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) is leaning heavily against challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in next year's primary, according to several prominent New York pols who have spoken with her in recent days.

"She told me she probably wasn't going to do it," said one New Yorker who has been in contact with the Manhattan Democrat.

Sources cautioned that the mercurial Maloney -- reportedly incensed by the efforts of the White House and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) to force her out of the race -- hasn't made a final decision.

Maloney, who faced a week of terrible tabloid headlines earlier this month after repeating an anecdote that included the "N" word, announced earlier this week that she was delaying her announcement pending the frenetic pre-recess rush.

UPDATE: Maloney campaign spox Paul Blank was noncommital: "She's focused on the once in a lifetime opportunity to pass universal health care and her 9/11 bills. honestly, she just hasn't had time to think about anything else."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0709/Maloney_leaning_against_Gillibrand_challenge_.html

[Lunar]

I googled "campaign spox" and it seems to be a term, not sure what it means...I think it's a press secretary

[Rowan]

Not sure if this is good or bad.

[War on Want]

What's a campaign "spox"?

holy lol this is like vox on vocals except it is spox for spokesman.

[Rowan]

I think it's pronounced "spokes" as in "spokesperson."

[Verily]

New York politics loves its weird intentional misspellings and abbreviations. The best one is "hizzoner" for the mayor ("his honor").

[Lunar]

Thrush used to be a Newsday reporter I think so that makes sense

[Purple State]

I've been hearing a lot about this where I work. Reporters have been talking about this for a week or so. It makes sense. She has no reason to give up her House seat and all the seniority she has built to fight a hard primary she could easily lose. I would guess Maloney just using this as a catharsis because Paterson skipped over her and the Administration didn't approach her the way they approached Steve Israel. We just need to let her get this out of her system.