Rumors were awhirl yesterday that Caroline Kennedy was withdrawing her name from the running for the open New York Senate seat that Hillary Clinton had filled. Last night - just after midnight - she released a statement confirming her intentions to withdraw.

"I informed Gov. Paterson today that, for personal reasons, I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate," she said.

Kennedy was always slightly below Attorney General Andrew Cuomo in polls but had the backing of Mayor Bloomberg, President Barack Obama, and her uncle Sen. Ted Kennedy. With the field re-shuffled who knows who Gov. Paterson will choose to replace Clinton.

My guess is AG Andrew Cuomo, though.