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Candidate sees Senate as personal growth opportunity
In her first sit-down interview since she emerged as a Senate hopeful, the 51-year-old daughter of President John F. Kennedy cited her father’s legacy in explaining her decision to seek to serve alongside her uncle Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy.
"Many people remember that spirit that President Kennedy summoned forth," she said. "Many people look to me as somebody who embodies that sense of possibility… She also credited her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, with giving her the courage to run. "I think my mother … made it clear that you have to live life by your own terms and you have to not worry about what other people think and you have to have the courage to do the unexpected," she said…
She said she realizes she will have to prove herself and "work twice as hard as anybody else." She acknowledged, "I am an unconventional choice," but added: "We’re starting to see there are many ways into public life and public service."
Oh, dear.
Yes, that’s true. There are many ways into public life, and one of them is work. With all due respect to Ms. Kennedy (who I vaguely think well of – I’m not a close follower of clan Kennedy outside of politics), every other candidate for Senator Clinton’s seat has used that path to get where they are, and she has not.* I’m going to work the hardest (just as soon as I start) is not a comforting statement from someone applying to be appointed one of the most powerful people in the country.
I don’t doubt that she is sincerely offering to work hard at the job, insofar as she understands what that means. I’d still like some better reason than her parents’ Q ratings to think that’s going to be enough for a fifty year old woman to become my Senator as her first full-time job, particularly since the job involves voting
Kennedy offered no excuses for why she failed to vote in a number of elections since registering in New York City in 1988, including in 1994 when Daniel Patrick Moynihan was up for re-election for the Senate seat she hopes to take over. She said she was "surprised" and "dismayed" by her voting record, adding: "I’m glad it’s been brought to my attention."
Where I don’t, I’m afraid, give her the benefit of the doubt at all is here
[S]he said she had turned down interview requests and tried not to appear to be campaigning for the job because she knew that the choice rested solely with the Democratic governor." I was trying to respect the process. It is not a campaign," she said.
I’m sure her (and Senator Lieberman’s) campaign manager will be disappointed to hear it.
*which is why those people know, as Ms. Kennedy apparently does not, that the job of a politician is precisely to care very much "what other people think" when those other people are voters (or at least not to say you’re proud of it if you don’t).
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Maybe she doesn’t vote because the assassination of her father showed that voting in America sometimes doesn’t really matter.
Just a wild guess.
Aloha, Julia!
I don’t care who is appointed to this seat as long as they vote dem- and can get elected when the time comes.
Nice piece Julia. That “Oh, dear.” is perfect. Thanks.
Gone for 8 days and the topic is the same!
Her uncle..and her brother’s death was full of MSM misinformation..and they almost got her when she was a teenager.
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/…..038;st=cse
Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post detailed five big mistakes Caroline has made, and I summarized and extended his remarks here. I think when the governor, who is the only person who matters in this, says, “How is she the front-runner?” it’s indicative of a process that is collapsing around Caroline.
She’s been ill-served by Bloomberg/Lieberman’s trusted posse. But why should either of them have any interest in a strong Democratic Senator from New York? Think about it.
Oh, you.
We have plenty of new topics in the meantime, just look around.
Oh, dear, indeed.
I’ve always liked Caroline Kennedy’s books on the Constitution, and American history, but know nothing about her as a person, precisely because she has stayed so under the radar.
I’m not enjoying this, because I have to say I wouldn’t support her. (since I don’t live in New York, it’s an academic point). Hate to see her spoil her reputation, which this may do.
You’re so right, representing in Congress is about caring about what others (specific others, your constituents) think.
My ex is with rwcole- CK is a Dem, that’s all that matters, let’s do it.
But not me–I’m more and more appalled at the way the US Congress is beginning to look like a hereditary aristocracy. That was (a small) part of why I opposed Hillary for Pres. – especially the feeling that the nomination was hers to lose. NOT! Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton?20 years of Presidents from just two families? Sorry, that’s un-American. We have other talented people who can get elected, as the President-elect just proved. I’m glad Hillary lost, if only for that reason (but it wasn’t the only one).
Caroline dipped her toe in the water in the last election – let her try for her school board, or even city council, or at least NY Assembly, and see if she really likes participatory politics. She’s got some cred for school board, I suppose.
Aloha, hon.
She will work twice as hard as she has. Let’s see two times zero is . . .
I wouldn’t be traumatized if she got it – what she says her positions are don’t bother me (although it kind of does that she hasn’t supported them publicly until now).
I am a bit disturbed that I’m being instructed by Mike Bloomberg, who has been as mayor a supporter of the ‘04 Republican Convention, Mayor Giuliani, and Vito Fossella, that I dasn’t punish her for her sacrifices by not supporting her.
I’m genuinely sorry for all her family has sacrificed. I don’t see how it’s made her qualified for office.
There are many people who enter politics after some other life. Names that come to mind are; Jim Corzine, Ahnold Schwarzeneger; Ronald Raygun; even Al Franken and Mayor Bloomberg. They faced elections but had amassed enormous personal wealth and name recognition. One can say that CK is not in it for the money and one could also say that Obama inspired her. I have heard all kinds of things of late. However, given that essentially she has lived her life in a fishbowl where any misstep would have been page 1 for weeks, there has been nothing much that could have been missed.
I am fine with those things that she has accomplished in her life and feel that her interests coincide with mine. Additionally, I feel that there are a lot of Ted Kennedy devotees in DeeCee that would likely gravitate to her. But then what I need to worry about is Salazar’s replacement because that is who I would have to be voting on in 2010.
Oh YOU! Thanks for the navigation tips.
CK has been a huge disappointment to me.
nuff said.
where are you, mike?
i’m in CO and am personally in deep sacred celebration to see Salazar OUT of my Senate seat!!!!
I’ve been stressing over how to dump his ass for 2 years now. Good riddance.
how bout you?
If the Senate wasn’t a rougues’ gallery of egotistical half-wits, I might be able to take this issue seriously. But given what the Senate is and has been, I am with rwcole.
The longer this goes on the more clueless Caroline Kennedy comes across. How long has it been since we were told of her interest? And yet during all that time she has made no real attempt to speak to the people of New York, to submit to questioning by press or better yet bloggers, or to enunciate her political views on pretty much anything. She makes Palin look like an in the weeds policy wonk and heavy hitter by comparison.
No shit, people go on and on and on about what a bunch of gutless morons there are in there now and then get all hot and bothered because she hasn’t gone through what they have to become gutless morons!
Salazar was kind of second on my need to dump list, right after Harry Reid.
West West Arvada
Who would you like to see replace Salazar
Senators are mindless votes with legs,,,,all you need to know is “who owns the vote?” it ain’t necesssary to know about the resume- cause the vote’s gonna dance with the one that brung em anyhow.
BTW anyone catch Glenn Greenwald’s salute to the Politico’s great scoops of the year? Who says American journalism is dead?
http://www.salon.com/opinion/g…..index.html
Yeah, Caroline Kennedy coming in as a pre-packaged moron should count for something.
Who brung Caroline?
Everyone knows that, Neil Diamond!
Hickenlooper probably gets the Colorado Senate seat.
Ken Salazar’s brother, John, a congressman, is said to be in contention — but there we go again with the family thang.
She can’t be bothered to vote, but she’s going to “work the hardest?” Riiiiiight….
Lots and lots of worser bringers
not. . . .the MAN?
John doesn’t have the creds for 2010. My congresscritters been named too – Ed Perlmutter
I like that Caroline is in favor of marriage equality, but that issue won’t come before the Senate. Has she done anything to advance it in New York? I don’t know.
I also like that Caroline has written books and is considered an expert on the Fourth Amendment. But — did she weigh in while the Bush Administration and Congress were tearing it asunder? I don’t recall.
I also like that she’s an advocate for public education, yet she says that our public schools are failing students. I also like that Caroline took only $1 a year for her part-time position working for Bloomberg on schools, but then I read that the reason for that was that by not taking the actual salary, she escaped the financial disclosure requirements.
None of these, to coin a phrase, strikes me as a profile in courage.
What about Dianne DeGette or Joan Fitz-Gerald for the Colorado Senate seat? These governors with a chance to appoint should make an effort to increase the diversity of the US Senate. Women are still way under-represented, and both these women are qualified.
Is that to suggest that there is something unsavory about her reported $100 million in personal wealth.
Dianne DeGette would be great. Joan FitzGerald I feel would be hard pressed in 2010.
West west Arvada, huh. That’s where all my family is. Right wing evangelicals, every one!
Ritter would be an interesting choice, but I’m leaning toward Perlmutter so far.
How bout you?
I don’t want her seeking office as a personal growth opportunity any more than I wanted Bush fighting a war as an act of will.
Not unsavory perhaps, but certainly above-it-all. It sounded very noblesse oblige, taking a dollar a year instead of the $90,000 allocated for the three-day-a-week job. But then I read that she didn’t need to disclose her finances. What’s to say she didn’t have a financial interest in some software the school system bought? It’s happened before (see Bush, Neil & OldBar).
Anyone who has sought or achieved office in New York has been subject to rather stringent disclosure requirements. It seems to me that she should, at the minimum, disclose what would be required were she an actual candidate for the position. After all, what if there’s something awful there? Then Democrats will have to find another nominee for 2010. Why go through that?
New York City School Teacher’s view
PrevTopic: 227 dead, 700 wounded in Gaza
Swopa is upstairs!
Iraqi Politics Moves Toward a Post-Occupation Phase (Perhaps Too Soon)
It is a swing area but we brought in for Obama,
Perlmutter is a centrist but votes ok. easier win in 2010. Hickenlooper would be good and an easy 2010 win. My favorite would be DeGette but it could be more of a battle in 2010. Keep Ritter as Gov. we don’t need any more prosecutors in the senate
Wow, that’s great.
Each of the opposing viewpoints have their merits. I think that the Kennedy-Camelot star power could be beneficial to the party. And she’s got many millions of dollars already. The political positions she has revealed so far are good. She does need to tell the voters more about herself.
Its not rocket science. There are some Democrats in the Senate that are pretty terrible. She has a good chance of being better than Reid right off the bat. Look at some of the Blue America Congressmen we have supported that turned out to be jerks. If CK is vetted and looks ok, give her the seat.
yeah In a perfect world, I’d like to see DeGette, but she comes with a lot of potential problems.
I’m from DenCo, Lakewood and Golden and have friends there who know the Ritters. They swear that what ya see is how they are. down to Earth and realistic, genuine and caring.
It’ll be interesting, but I am OVERJOYED that Salazar won’t be in the senate anymore, and i wish his Blue Dog Bro would get the boot Too!
been a long time unrepresented here, ya know?
You know the drill, Raven.
Same shit different day, been this way for longer than I can remember.
Happy New Year
I would think that as the daughter of a Kennedy and a Bouvier and the step daughter of Onassis most of it just wound up in her portfolio. Somehow I just don’t see her as a greedy money grubber.
dcblogger. When this schoolteacher refers to two books dealing with fourth amendment rights as children’s books I have to relegate her comments to the ignorant folio
You’re talking about a state that elected Al D’Amato more than once to the US Senate and you think Caroline’s not qualified? Sorry, but this makes no sense. The Constitution doesn’t require that a Senator held any previous elected office and there have been plenty of folks who didn’t, including Paul Wellstone, Chuck Hagel, and Jon Corzine. Furthermore, many women got into Congress by having their husbands die and they were appointed to fill the seat; a number of them went on to solid political careers.
What exactly is your standard for a Senate appointment?
If Caroline Kennedy gets appointed and NYers don’t think she did a good job, they can vote for someone else. In the meantime, polls show she is the top choice of citizens of the state.
I don’t think she will be appointed. She is receiving a lot of push back and she will probably withdraw as a result of the heat. She’s as qualified as any, but not the most qualified or best pick to serve NY. I don’t think she expected the resistance which is in fact one of the reasons why she should not be appointed.
This seat should go to someone who has been fighting for NY in electoral politics for a long time such as Jerry Nadler. She should know he is better for this job and SHE should support him.
I think she probably does not need someone telling her what she NEEDs to do. She is a fully adult woman, parented children, lead a sophisticated, educated, and complicated life….let her, for God’s sakes, have the freedom to decided what SHE needs to do.
What ever mistakes New York voters made in the past, using Alfonse D’Amato as your datum point is trivializing the importance of the seat, IMO.
Dr. Murphy is upstairs!
Has TVA Been Stockpiling Lies Along With Toxic Coal Wastes?
Barack Obama is living proof that the most-qualified candidate isn’t always the candidate that is prefered by the Democratic Party’s leadership (see Clinton, Hillary) — or voters.
I don’t find this piece to be a compelling argument against Kennedy’s hat having been tossed in the ring. And so what if she’s working with “Lieberman’s fixer?” If proximity to Lieberman implies something negative, then Obama has a lot to answer for by cozying up to him.
Kennedy has the right positions and an advantage none of her competitors have: Her uncle. I don’t see how the points in this piece serve to disqualify her from consideration.
Everyone leave Princess Senator Caroline ALONE!!!
Sad thing is what alternatives. Andrew Cuomo? Israel? Maloney? Ya that’s going to sell real well upstate. And the upstate people aren’t going to do well downstate. Byron Brown Brian Higgins? In many ways New York is two states. And how are the above going to afford two Senate contests in 2 years. The money alone might make it a bridge to far. You’re probably talking about easily a hundred million between the two. And it could go higher. Much higher depends how bad the thugs want it and who they’ll run. How is anyone going to raise that kind of money? It isn’t just who deserves it its more who can afford it.
I am not from NY, but would submit that someone who has read, studied and written about the Constitution would be a very welcome addition to the Congress which is the body that is supposed to be answerable to us and to it.
Kennedy surprised me by inviting herself to the stage, and I think she must have a strong will to do it. By temperament, she is introverted, and private. But how refreshing to have the prospect of someone who isn’t interested in spilling herself all over the place, racking up scandals and misbehavior. She’s not too likely to be on the take, either. She has plenty of money and she has a family reputation to uphold.
Maybe it seems like a royal coup; I think it’s great.
Ck said she has not been inspired to play apart in Politics until Obama this past election cycle.Why is it some folks can’t accept that,stop about her voting record,should all those folks who came out due to Obama now not try & enter politics cause they may have sit out a couple of election cycles ?Afterall your BClinton inspired no one ,remember your rememberance Clinton lost the Dem senate & many more seats in the house for Chrissakes!He & the rest of pathetic Dem office holders at the time were stomping on the poor & acting like Repukes with their deregulations & welfare reforms.Take a look at our country today,if you are honest with yourselves you know the Repukes had lots a help from a dem Prez & dem congresspeoples.You can’t blame Caroline for not voting in some elections.Puhleeeeeeze stop with your rediculous BS.
Carolyn and the Caucus Race
“A slow sort of country!’ said the Queen. ‘Now, HERE, you see, it takes all the running YOU can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!’”
blithely put.
Isn’t that Salazar guy in bed with the strip miners like a thug? Is O serious> bigger concern for me than friggin Warren least we knew or at least I did O was against Gay marriage I’m not shocked but aw hell BLM needs this dude like hell put fitz in and make him chase the money we’re getting screwed out of, Meet the New Boss, more disappearing mountains. Species not disappearing fast enough to satisfy the end timers full speed ahead.
Beg pardon?
You know I’m wondering what’s with the jealousy. I mean Princess Caroline remarks kind drip jealousy I don’t know if I’d want Princess Carolines life even with the Gold and all fucking born into a fucking cursed fucking family and all…Orphan girl wants to try the rough and tumble of politics you heap on the hate cause girls probly got more grit than you in her baby finger you’re just showin your player hate. Rollout might be rough but she shows every sign of being a bright girl watch out shits in her blood just like you’re sayin. Sorry been a strange night things had to be said
What BLM throw you off, Bureau of Land Management honey pot of the exploiters baby. End Timers say use it up and throw it away because Jesus is coming again…soon. Interior is the entity that regulates the enviroment. Disappearing Mountains kind of self explanitory unless you never heard of mountaintop removal mining. Or are you just being perverse.
or was it the fitz thing I suppose my lack of capitalization makes a little hard or is the bad conversational grammer I use sometimes?(especially when excited) What I meant to say Was we should get a shark to chase after all the money we don’t get in royalties from the rape and pillage types Salazar seems to hang around with. And heres a quote for you all:
To be nobody but myself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. -E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)
I have the same problem with Kennedy that (I think) most people here have: she seems like a nice, intelligent person, but it’s not clear that she’s got the guts or the skill-set for the office–which most elected officials demonstrate by winning an election.
How about this: Nadler gets the senate seat, someone else gets appointed to his congressional seat, and Kennedy can run for whatever job the new congress member vacated.
If she doesn’t suck at that, she can run to replace Schumer in ‘12. If she really wants the job, she won’t mind spending the next four years getting her ducks lined up and y’know, campaigning.
Jerry Nadler is very poorly suited for a statewide race. There have been a number of times when he didn’t even have an opponent in the general election!!
a campaign would make me feel a lot better. New York’s Senators are legendary makers of political sausage. I’d very much like to see that she isnt’ too fastidious for the less-attractive parts of the job.
Lord only knows the last thing we need is for Schumer to be our only active Senator.
Yeah, he’s got a safe seat. What’s your point?