Speaker Silver: I'm OK with Kennedy as senator

ALBANY -- State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has expressed reservations about Caroline Kennedy as a U.S. Senate choice, now says he'll support her if Gov. David Paterson picks her for the seat being vacated by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Democrat Silver, the longest-serving and most powerful legislative leader in the state, told the New York Post that he's rethinking his views on Kennedy because he thinks Paterson will soon pick her to replace Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama's choice as secretary of state.

The Post in Thursday's editions quotes Silver as saying he's now more favorably inclined toward Kennedy and that he'll "work strenuously for her election" if she's Paterson's choice.