NY Wants to Get to Know Caroline Kennedy

Now that Caroline Kennedy, scion of a political dynasty, has officially decided she wants to take Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, lawmakers and the public alike are awaiting to know more about her. Sure, she wants to be the junior Senator from New Yorker, but Kennedy has yet to make any public announcements—so far, Governor Paterson has been the one to tell the media, "She told me she was interested in the position."

The NY Times says it won't be easy for the Manhattan lawyer and mother of three. NY1's political director Robert Hardt says, “The tabloid culture is going to relentlessly follow her across the state. If she doesn’t dot every I and cross every T, the New York tabloids are going to be, ‘Gotcha!’ New York political reporters just don’t know Caroline Kennedy. We just can’t wait to talk to her.”

Kennedy did call Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown, whose name has also been mentioned as a possibility for the Senate seat. Brown told the Times that Kennedy said she wanted to learn more about regional issues and visit—and he also told her, "I think upstaters are going to want an upstater on the ticket."

Clinton herself is trying to stay out of the fray. Politico's Ben Smith reports that Clinton's staff has told some Kennedy detractors—like Rep. Anthony Weiner— "their comments weren't appreciated, and that if they have a candidate they prefer that is motivating their comments and actions, they need to make that crystal clear so that nobody thinks we're behind it," according to a source.

A Democratic source tells the Daily News, "It's a brilliant pick for Paterson. You choose a Kennedy, how can people be angry? She's in the pantheon. It's not that it's owed to her, but there's no way anyone could say that Caroline Kennedy, that American icon, doesn't own a piece of all of us."

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By Jen Chung in News on December 17, 2008 10:00 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

Let her go to Lackawanna NY and let her meet those laid off Arcelor Mittal steelworkers and explain to them how her galas at The Met will help them rebuild their lives.

aj

The "So's J. Lo" comment seems to be sticking. Nothing against Caroline, but what has she done, other than being born to a political dynasty, that literally MILLIONS of other New Yorkers have not?

I'm not a New Yorker, so not really my problem, but if I were, I'd be screaming.

inoyourider

Buying a bridge renaming will do wonders for your political credentials. Blagojevich should take notes on how its done.

nycnewsjunkie

I'm a New Yorker, born here, raised here and live here...

I don't care about her and i do not want to get to know her. Can she just go back to working part-part time and cutting ribbons and eating at dinners.

famdoc

And now, nytimes.com is reporting that Ms. Kennedy was "stopped from answering by aides when she was asked her qualifications to be a senator."

They go on to compare the scenario to that of one-time VP candidate Sarah Palin.

Consider her candidacy as having lasted 20 minutes.

There are far more qualified individuals.

and, ^fugothamist, your point is well-taken.

Knarf

@fugothamist: she's 67; she's met with Paterson and expressed an interest.

ides_of_march

Isn't it about time the Kennedys tried to succeed in a real job in the real world; something other than bootlegging?

I was hoping the American Revolution had put an end to aristocracies and royalty in this country.

And yes, that means no more Bushes either.

Think2wice

Whoever can bring NY state the most Obama-dollars. Whoever can legislate magnanimously. Whoever is better for urban (ie green) policy and won't put money into roads-to-nowhere or bridges-to-nowhere.

fugothamist

i think CK would make a fine junior senator from NY..all this faux outrage is laughable

and famdoc, do you really want to bring up the Iraq war authorization as an example of what seasoned, career politicians are capable of? you practically made the case for Caroline

famdoc

I've got a little problem with a political novice, apparently capitalizing on her name, stepping into this role. Let's say congress needs to vote on something really important. Oh, I don't know, maybe a presidential war authorization. Who would you like in that chair? Caroline Kennedy, the school fundraiser? Hmmm...

It seems unconventional, but maybe David Paterson should be thinking WWBD...what would Barack do?

Or, WWHD...you get it. Ask Barack, as the de facto leader of the Democratic party or Hilary, as the departing junior senator from NY, who they'd like to see.

glennQNYC

The "Democratic" source (whatever that means) sounds like an ignorant douche. People could/would be angered by the Kennedy pick, since it looks like her only qualification is that she helped Obama, and has a famous family. Pay-to-play? Looks like it to me!