NY'S GOP SHOULD DRAFT COLIN POWELL - FOR EITHER THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, OR THE SENATE RACE, HIS PICK!

NYTIMES: New York G.O.P. Lacks Big Name for 2010 Slate

It has come to this for the party of such electoral lions as Rudolph W. Giuliani, George E. Pataki and Alfonse M. D’Amato: a rookie Democrat, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand — largely unknown to the public and unloved by some in her own party — faces her first election to the seat in November. But Republicans have been unable to land a marquee name to run against her.

So far, the only hopefuls to surface in opposition to Senator Gillibrand are Michael Balboni, a former state senator from Long Island; Bruce A. Blakeman, a former Nassau County legislator who ran for comptroller in 1998 but was defeated 2 to 1 by H. Carl McCall; and Elizabeth N. Feld, the mayor of the village of Larchmont (population 6,567), who was trounced in a State Senate race in 2008.

The decision by Mr. Giuliani to stay in private work, and the apparent lack of interest on the part of Mr. Pataki, leave the Republican Party in recruiting and rebuilding mode precisely when it could use a proven, popular figure to step in and take on Ms. Gillibrand, who, political analysts say, may never be this vulnerable again.

I CAN THINK OF ONE REPUBLICAN NEW YORKER WHO COULD WIN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE OR THE SENATE RACE: COLIN POWELL.

POWELL WAS BORN IN HARLEM, AND AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN NYC. DA BRONX, ACTUALLY.

I'VE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN.

BUT HE'D BE BETTER THAN ANY DEMOCRAT IN EITHER OFFICE.

HE'D MAKE A BETTER GOVERNOR, BUT HE'D PROBABLY LIKE TO STAY IN DC AND BE A SENATOR.

GIVE HIM THE CHOICE.

HE WOULD BECOME NY'S FIRST BLACK SENATOR.

HE HAS A LITTLE MORE GRAVITAS THAN GILLIBRAND. HEH.

AND THIS WOULD APPEAL TO NY'ERS EGOS.

HE'D WIN IN A LANDSLIDE.

HE JUST HAS TO BUY A HOME IN... CHAPPAQUA!

HOW FITTING: HE'D BE ELECTED TO REPLACE ANOTHER CARPETBAGGER - HILLARY!