As incoming New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand began her statewide listening tour Saturday morning at the Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in Harlem, she discussed her policies and plans for her Senate career with NY1.

“I’m here to listen, I’m here to act, I’m here to turn around and go back to Washington and say, ‘How can I make this work?’” said Gillibrand to NY1 political reporter Josh Robin in her first interview since being named by Governor David Paterson to fill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s vacant Senate seat.

While some accuse Paterson of keeping his Senate vetting process too secret and at times incoherent, and others regret that frontrunner Caroline Kennedy was not chosen as senator, Gillibrand said that she did not see such negative feelings affecting how New Yorkers will view her.

“It might be bumpy for a day, but it’s going to be a very short story,” said Gillibrand. “I am here to represent New York, and I think what’s going to happen over the next few days and weeks is that folks are going to begin to get to know me. And they’re going to being to realize that I’m going to be such a strong advocate for them, that I’m going to go to Washington and fight every day for their needs and their concerns. So I think it’s a short story and I’m really looking forward to doing this job and I’m so grateful to have the privilege and honor to do it.”

At his Harlem rally, Sharpton also said that political struggles would impede on Gillibrand's work.

“I can certainly say that all of the Democrats, rather than trying to posture yourself for 2010 politics, need to deal with the 2009 deficit and foreclosure and education crises,” said Sharpton.

In her NY1 interview, Gillibrand revealed that Paterson alerted her of the appointment through a phone call at 2 a.m. Friday.

Gillibrand: I, I couldn’t believe it.

Robin: What did he say to you?

Gillibrand: "Let’s do it." And I said, "I'm honored. It's quite an honor and quite a privilege."

The 42-year-old Hudson Valley Democrat also touched upon her plans to combine her Senate career with raising her two young sons, five-year-old Theodore and eight-month-old Henry.

"One of the reasons why my family’s with me at Washington, as opposed to having them stay home in the district, is because I want to have that day-to-day life with them. And what that allows me to do is to have to bit of normal life," she said. "We live on the [Capitol] Hill, and if I have a vote late at night, I can come home, pick up the kids, bring them home, make dinner, and then I can just shoot back for votes. I’m just five minutes away from the Capitol."

She also talked about the need to "rightsize" immigration and her reluctance to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants.

"In my district, we have such a great need for immigrant workers in the agricultural industry, but I want those workers to be here legally," said Gillibrand. "I think amnesty is the wrong approach, and I’ll tell you why. Half of this country will never accept amnesty. It will not work for them, they will not vote for it, it will never pass."

After the meeting with Sharpton, Gillibrand then worked the crowd at Sylvia's, a noted Harlem soul food restaurant.

Later Saturday, Gillibrand also spent time in Queens, where she will attended a forum with Congressman Gregory Meeks and State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

She is set to be sworn into her new position on Monday.

However, some members of Gillibrand's own party have vocally opposed to her positions on immigration and gun rights.

The senator's pro-gun stance has earned Gillibrand a 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association.

One fellow Democrat, Long Island Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, is already challenging Gillibrand in next year's primary.

McCarthy has been fighting to get guns off the streets since her husband was killed and her son wounded in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road massacre.

"There were a lot of very, very good people that had their hats in their ring," said McCarthy on Friday's edition of NY1's "Inside City Hall." "And I told the governor a couple of weeks ago, I was not advocating for anyone, but I said there is one person who would be a great mistake and unfortunately he choose that person. And that's why I'm standing here today."

In a statement congratulating Gillibrand, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "I have a strong disagreement with one area of her record as a member of Congress: illegal guns. She has actively opposed the efforts of New York City, and cities around the state and nation, to enact common sense measures that keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals."

Gillibrand says she grew up in a hunting family and wants to protect hunters rights, but she pledged Friday to work with McCarthy on a bill to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

A top official also said Saturday that Gillibrand may shift her votes to reflect the generally liberal attitudes in New York State, rather than her personal conservative leanings.