Queens Chronicle: On The Record With U.S. Rep. Maloney: Maloney said she first decided to run for Congress when her work in the New York City Council made her aware of the connection between federal money and city improvements..... “You can’t really do that much as a city. You are very dependent on the federal role for big-ticket items such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, housing ..... Bill Green was a powerful member of Congress, and I remember I had no money and I only had one piece of campaign literature, and my theme was: who needs a congressman who votes against the economic interests of our city? And I did one of my famous graphs that goes: Bill Green goes to Congress, aid to the city goes shhhhhhhh,” Maloney gestured with a plummeting hand. ...... Originally from North Carolina, Maloney speaks with just the hint of an accent..... Maloney even authored a book entitled: “Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women’s Lives Aren’t Getting Any Easier — ..... Of her co-sponsored 9-11 healthcare bill, which would provide healthcare to all first responders, she said, “It’s the least we can do as a grateful nation.” ...... When asked who has inspired her most, Maloney said, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat who grew up in Manhattan and represented New York in the Senate was her favorite politician. “He was just a brilliant legislator, a brilliant scholar ... I could tell you Pat Moynihan stories all day.” ...... Though this is the first time in many years that Maloney has faced Democratic opposition, she said she was “rather pleased that I have an opponent, because if I didn’t have an opponent I wouldn’t be here meeting you.” She believes in the Democratic system, and if challenger Reshma Saujani hadn’t entered the race, Maloney said the Democratic Party would likely have sent her to campaign for other candidates. Besides, campaigning has “forced me to look at my record and I have sort of enjoyed it.” ...... the nation’s largest housing projects and one of the richest communities in the country ...... of all the things Maloney said, by far the most memorable was an old adage she repeated when asked about her opponent, 34-year-old Saujani.Without a hint of anger or bitterness, Maloney said, “As my father used to say, before she tells you what she’ll do, ask her what she’s done.” ..... in a year with strong anti-incumbent sentiment, Maloney is giving her campaign all she’s got, hoping voters don’t decide to give someone else a chance to try as hard as she has. ........................................................................ (Reader Comment: Carolyn Maloney ran against Green in the first election after the borders of the district were redrawn to include RI and Queens. These areas were (and are) heavily Democratic. Green failed to adjust his campaign strategy; for example, he never personally set foot on RI during the race until Election Day. .... Green actually got more votes than Maloney on the Upper East Side, but lost the race to Maloney because she carried both RI and Western Queens--the areas Green had NEVER represented. It wasn't that much of an upset, given the change in demographics that the redistricting brought about. ..... On Election Day, Green was advised that the turnout on RI was strong and that it looked as if he was going to lose to Maloney because of that. He came to the Island for the first time and BEGGED people going to vote to cast their ballots for him. He repeatedly violated the law about staying X feet from the polling place while campaigning. ..... Maloney won. She did so because the inclusion of RI and parts of Queens gave the district FAR more Democratic voters than it had had previouslly.What has Reshma Saujani done? She scared Barack Obama six months before Hillary Clinton scared Barack Obam with her victory in New Hampshire. That is what Reshma Saujani has done.
