Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is finally heeding New York Democrats' advice that she get tough with Harold Ford Jr. -- slamming the former Memphis congressman as an anti-gay rights, anti-abortion, anti-immigrant tool of Wall Street money lords.The problem for Gillibrand: Ford is embracing New York's slappy-face politics faster than she can generate the comebacks.
On Monday, Ford dismissed Gillibrand as a party-controlled "parakeet."
For good measure, his spokesman told POLITICO that Gillibrand is a "desperate liar."
Gillibrand, Gov. David Paterson's appointment to fill Hillary Clinton's vacant Senate seat, has been thrown on the defensive by an aggressive challenger who has embraced New York's brawling Democratic culture, if not its liberal politics.
The onetime Albany-area congresswoman has begun to mix it up in recent days, but her penchant for measured responses and attacking Ford through proxies hasn't impressed many in a tabloid media market that rewards the brash and punishes the bashful.
Several Democratic sources told POLITICO that Gillibrand and her team get it -- and are now seeking to augment her communications team with a consultant who will more aggressively target Ford, who spent Monday blasting away at the senator and her patron Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on New York Post columnist Fred Dicker's radio show.
"One could argue that, to date, she had not been sufficiently aggressive in the New York media market, and that has backfired," said Hank Scheinkopf, a veteran Democratic operative who has worked for many of the state's elected officials.
"She cannot hide behind cutout characters. ... She's going to have to get past him by getting past him," he said.
"I've noticed a change in tenor," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), adding, "I think she should be tougher with him, and I think that she has been."
"She needs more leg breakers," said another longtime operative.
Gillibrand's allies in New York and Washington said it's now time for her to show her political independence from Schumer and President Barack Obama -- who have tried to clear the field for her.