Senate slipping away from Caroline
By Nick Ragone | Related entries in NewsIt’s hard to lose an election that isn’t even an election, but it sure does seem like the New York Senate seat is slipping from Caroline Kennedy’s reach.
Her non-campaign campaign has mostly been a series of missteps, and it seems to be alienating the Democratic rank and file.
I’m semi-shocked to see the amount of resistance Caroline’s receiving from within her own party, and even more shocked to see the mainstream media piling it on. Both The New York Times and Politico have taken her flimsy record to task, while the left wing blogosphere is crying foul over the dynastic nepotism.Â
All this organized opposition to her non-candidacy is going to make it difficult for Governor Patterson to appoint her to Hillary’s seat.  Keep in mind, Patterson has his own election to worry about in 2010, and the last thing he needs is a primary challenge from a disgruntled party insider looking for payback.  I still think Patterson wants to pick her, but I also think his political instincts are telling him to find someone more qualified.
Bottom line: Caroline Kennedy has dug herself into a hole that will be difficult to recover. As Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman put it, she’s been Palin-ized by her own handlers by ducking the media and refusing to give interviews.  There’s a growing groundswell against her, and it will only pick up steam with each faux pas.
Here’s my counsel to Caroline (in case she’s a big fan of the blog): Pull out of the “Patterson sweepstakes”, and declare your candidacy for 2010. If she really wants to be in the Senate, she should earn it just like everyone else: at the ballot box. I think she’d win-over disgruntled Democrats, and earn the respect of the electorate for taking the hard road — not the easy one.  But something tells me she won’t do that.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 and is filed under News. 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 23rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Dynastic nepotism about covers it. I don’t know about digging a hole, I just think this proposed appointment legitimately has rubbed many folks the wrong way, myself included. I can’t imagine anything that she could have said or done which would have made me think she was legitimately qualified, or stop thinking that insiders were horse-trading to put the fix in for her.
And I agree with your takeaway, since I’ve been saying the same thing. If she wants it, she should run for it. A person appointed to an important job like senator should have legislative experience or a very comparable substitute. If they dpn’t, they must be expected to make their case before the people.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I have no grudge against her for seeking the appointment – I just think that if she really wants in on a political seat, then she probably needed to do an awful lot more an awful lot earlier. But it’s an appointment process, anyone should be able to throw their name in if they really want to – they just have to accept the consequences.
I think the media, the left and everyone else speaking ad nauseum about whether she’s qualified, the role of nepotism and all that has just been using all that as an excuse to explore THOSE issues – which is fine.
But I really object to the way they’ve used her as the whipping child for all those issues. That’s been wrong from the start – the Palinizing thing is absurd and I particularly resent anyone who has tried to diminish what she did while raising her kids as being only wrapped in childrearing and not bona fide experience that contributes to one’s skill set. It’s just sexist to beat up on her or any woman that way and I thought the whole point of Palin was supposed to be that EVEN PTA and hockey moms have value, not the opposite.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
This seems more like an exercise in wish fulfilment than anything else. I see no signs whatever it’s slipping away from her. Ragone takes the chattering classes who are basically trying to stir controversy to sell papers and a few disgruntled dems at place like Daily Kos a lot more seriously than anyone else does in the real world. The public is not paying much attention anyway, too busy wrapping presents. I’d still put my money on her getting it.
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
What you have here is an essentially shy, introverted person who does not really perceive the discontent out there right now. After all, the economy is very likely not affecting HER, so why should she be aware? Oh I forgot, she said “these are tough times” as one of her reasons for wanting to be in the Senate–maybe she had to cut back to a mani/pedi only once a week? But let’s give her the benefit of the doubt, she may have a romanticized image of herself “helping” Joe Sixpack as he struggles to feed the brood. That’s the trouble with the Kennedys…they are the government, and they are just here to help.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
That’s excellent advice. I am very sympathetic to her positions, but her fame, wealth and connections coupled with her lack of experience would make an appointment very troubling. You’re right. She should announce fo0r 2010 and spend the time honing her skills, meeting people the way Hillary did.
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I do not see the relevance or even the truth in this article. it seems like factual makeup for a purpose
December 24th, 2008 at 7:18 am
Chelsea Clinton should announce that she is running in 2010, when she is 30 years old. Forget about Princess Caroline. We have to keep things in the proper dynasty.
And if the Princess is appointed, Chelsea could announce that she will challenge Patterson for the governorship.