Caroline Kennedy For Congress?
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Democrats, New York, Senate
She has said she wasn’t interested numerous times, but I can’t help but think that getting into the family business at this time in history is too attractive to pass up.
The crazy speculation about Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat may not be so crazy after all. A Democrat who would know tells ABC News that New York governor David Paterson has talked to Caroline Kennedy about taking the seat, which was once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. It’s not exactly shocking that Paterson would reach out to one of the most highly respected public figures in New York, but this is: Sources say Kennedy is considering it, and has not ruled out coming to Washington to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.A few years ago, the famously private Caroline Kennedy would be the last Kennedy expected to serve in Congress, but of course, she took on a much more high-profile role during the presidential campaign and, if she does it, would be more than New York’s junior Senator; she’d have closer ties to the Obama White House than any of her colleagues, a direct line to the East Wing.
When Robert Kennedy, Jr. took himself out of the running for the seat earlier this week, he told Jonathan Hicks of the New York Times, “Caroline Kennedy would be the perfect choice if she would agree to it.†And one more thing: We hear that President-elect Obama has made it clear that he thinks Caroline Kennedy would be a great choice.
NBC also weighs in and confirms she spoke with Patterson and says she’s interested.
As of right now, if I had to place a bet, I think she’s a lock for this seat.
This entry was posted on Friday, December 5th, 2008 and is filed under Democrats, New York, Senate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Looks to me like a story leaked either by Patterson as a trial balloon or, more likely, by someone pitching for Caroline who expects a generally positive public response. Or maybe someone who wants to block Andrew Cuomo.
After all, Patterson would almost certainly have to meet with and consider any high-profile candidate. From his standpoint — and on this matter, he’s a constuituency of one — the appointment either gives him the maximum help in winning his own election to a full gubernatorial term or it doesn’t.
Does Caroline give him the maximum help? Maybe, in the sense that appointing her would enable him to sidestep all the potential downsides of appointing someone other than her. But Andrew Cuomo is still the guy to watch; if Patterson does not give him the seat, Andrew will probably run a primary against Patterson.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
If her last name wasn’t Kennedy and her father wasn’t a dead President, we wouldn’t even be talking about her.
She has less political experience than Sarah Palin for god sake.
If Paterson does pick her, it may be political suicide on his part. Andrew Cuomo is poised to run against him for the Democratic Nomination for Governor (the two are apparently known not to like each other) and would have a very good shot at beating him.
Or maybe David doesn’t want to be Governor after 2010.