Who the hell does Caroline Kennedy think she is?

Caroline Kennedy has reportedly asked to be considered for the Senate seat that Hillary Clinton will vacate to take up her post as Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

Kennedy is in no way qualified to be a senator. Which bothers me a lot, but then again, there are a lot of unqualified people in the senate. At least most of them had to convince the electorate to overlook their poor qualifications.

If Caroline Kennedy ran for office on the being-a-Kennedy platform and won, I would be deeply disappointed in the voters of the Empire State, but at least we'd have elected her. She could hold her head up high and serve with pride because her ascention would be our fault.

But appointing Kennedy would be a double whammy of non-qualification and nepotism. The only reason Kennedy's being considered is because she's the daughter of a former president and the niece of a senator.

It's sad that the following is the best argument I can think of for appointing Kennedy: Inside politics is brutaly egalitarian. Do big favors, get big favors.

Kennedy would get the senate seat as a reward for supporting Obama. She threw her political capital behind Obama when it counted, and I suppose political capital, like cash, spends the same whether it's inherited or earned.

The Democratic Party is supposed to be stand for equality, not dynasty.

Update: Speaking of incestuous relations among the power elite, a TIME bureau chief is going to become a senior aide to Joe Biden. If a campaign is willing to hire a journalist just weeks after the election, that's probably a red flag that the journalist may not have covered the campaign as well as s/he should have.

Comments

[Elena]

She's about as qualified to be Senator as Obama is to be president.

[Chris O.]

Elena's right, Lindsay. Don't you remember the brutal primary and general elections Caroline Kennedy went through to prove she had the proper knowledge and outlook to be a Senator? Oh, wait.

I agree about Carney's new job, too. It just does not look good, and members of the press should not be led to believe that they could get jobs in the White House if they don't piss off the candidates.

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

Obama got elected, though, Elena. He made his case to the voters and the majority thought he was qualified. Unlike Caroline Kennedy, Barack Obama practiced law, and served as an elected official at the State and Federal levels before ascending to the presidency. Moreover, he worked his way up from a single parent family despite having the name "Barack Hussein Obama."

If Caroline Kennedy takes her atypical CV to the voters and they approve, well, fine. She might even win me over, depending on how she campaigned and what her stances were on the issues. I was proud to vote for her uncle in Massachusetts.

At least Hillary Clinton had to win a brutal election for her "handpicked" Senate seat.

[The Phantom]

This is scary. Second recent issue that I agree with you on.

I loathe family political dynasties/businesses in general, and see her as completely unqualified for the office.

The only reason to consider her is the family name.

[SanderO]

I prefer her to Schumer, D'Amato, Buckley, and actually most other "senators".

She's done more than most for the people who have been elected such as Eliot Engel.

Or Arnold of kalifornia.

Life is not fair. She had a father assassinated, and uncle assassinated, a brother die too young in a plane crash.

Get over it. Hillary had no "experience" before she carpetbagged her ass into NYS. And now she is SOS.. based on what?

[Crusty Dem]

I don't know, Lindsay, did you read Carney during the campaign? He was about as pro-McCain as an "independent" journalist could be, up until the wheels completely came off the bandwagon.. Additionally, I'm not sure where, outside the media, you'll find qualified communications directors (as much as I love the blogosphere, I wouldn't choose any blogger to serve in what is in essence a liaison-style position..). What surprises me is that Carney would leave Time to take a job for the VP, doesn't seem like a big move up.

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

I have respect for professional press flacks--but you should pick a side and stick with it. Journalists should be journalists and PR people should be PR people and fuck the revolving door bullshit.

It's a measure of our dysfunctional media culture that people can move back and forth in the upper echelons of the Washington power structure. To me, the chumminess between political journalists and political operatives accounts for more of the pathology in our press than any kind of partisanship or ideology.

[The Phantom]

sandero

What's there to get over? She hasn't been elected or chosen for anything yet. We're expressing opinions.

I don't believe in a political ruling caste. Every son or daughter wants in on the con - Jesse Jackson Jr. ( Candidate Number 5) wants in on the loot, Biden's son the drug maker lobbyist is rumored to have the inside track on the Delaware seat.

Keep it in the political (crime) family, that seems to be how its done. I don't agree.

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

Sander, who cares how Mrs. Kennedy's male relatives died, as far as her potential political career is concerned?

Life is not fair. She had a father assassinated, and uncle assassinated, a brother die too young in a plane crash.

Get over it. Hillary had no "experience" before she carpetbagged her ass into NYS. And now she is SOS.. based on what?

Well again, I wasn't wild about the fact that Hillary got pushed to the front of the line to run for senate. She totally carpetbagged her way into New York.

What is her appointment to Secretary of State based on? Well, having been: 1) First lady, 2) A half-decent junior senator from the State of NY, 3) a successful lawyer before Bill Clinton's political career took off, 4) A credible Democratic primary contender in 2008. I didn't think she was the best choice for president or SOS--but Clinton has way more political experience than Carolyn Kennedy.

Face it, the only reason Carolyn Kennedy is even being considered is because of her family dynasty. That's fucked up. It shouldn't be happening in America, and especially with the New York Democrats.

Surely in a state with as many brilliant and driven people as New York, Gov. Patterson could find someone to appoint who is unequivocally qualified. He's got a big talent pool.

[Dave W.]

The Kennedys take the concept of political dynasty to a whole 'nother level. That said, I think you underestimate how much the actual qualifications for running for statewide office involve: (1): name recognition, (2): generally favorable public impression, and (3): ability to raise lots of money. She seems to have some pretty strong advantages in those areas. Then there's this (look at #19 in the list). Admittedly, those numbers are based on Nate's rough estimates rather than polling, but still...

[Trisha Latest Wallpapaers]

The Kennedys take the concept of political dynasty to a whole 'nother level. That said, I think you underestimate how much the actual qualifications for running for statewide office involve: (1): name recognition, (2): generally favorable public impression, and (3): ability to raise lots of money. She seems to have some pretty strong advantages in those areas. Then there's this (look at #19 in the list). Admittedly, those numbers are based on Nate's rough estimates rather than polling, but still...

[Cass]

I don't know her, so I'm agnostic at this point. However,

1. Al Giordano likes the idea, and he seems more often right than not. (http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/caroline-kennedy-no-drama-no-drama-was-cool)

2. I'm quite sure Obama would never sign off on a Senate appointment that was merely a reward for services rendered; its not the ambassadorship to Great Britain we're talking about here. If he supports her, he must have a very high opinion both of her skills and of her potential effectiveness. And as long as those skills are pointed towards progressive ends, I really don't care about her family pedigree.

The Carney thing is of course something else entirely.

[Uncle Kvetch]

Good post, and good follow-up comments, Lindsay. I'm in 100% agreement with you on this one.

[Alon Levy]

Surely in a state with as many brilliant and driven people as New York, Gov. Patterson could find someone to appoint who is unequivocally qualified. He's got a big talent pool.

Who? The only one I can think of is Nadler, who won't get any support outside Manhattan. So far the rest of the local political leadership seems to consist of a couple of populist demagogues (Weiner, Liu), a Ways and Means chair whose 37% poor district has one of the highest tax burdens in the country (Rangel), an ex-terrorist (Hikind), and a pro-war centrist who started pretending she was a feminist in order to get progressive political capital (Maloney).

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

I like Christine Quinn. She's smart, politically savvy, progressive, and young. We have no idea whether Caroline Kennedy can even campaign. So, it's not like CK is a safe choice.

[Jaye]

Frankly, I wanted Andrew Cuomo.

It is pay off time. She wrote the Op-Ed piece and recreated the image of her father as a civil rights leader when in fact he wasn't at the Mall for King's speech and didn't understand how his rhetoric had anything to do with the marches he hated.

But she really couldn't say he was a feminist and would have supported Hillary could she? No not really.

Her father said if you are in the race and you can run the race you are qualified to be in the race. She is there. And with that, you will have to deal with her.

[Alon Levy]

I like Christine Quinn. She's smart, politically savvy, progressive, and young. We have no idea whether Caroline Kennedy can even campaign. So, it's not like CK is a safe choice.

Is she even electable outside NYC?

[Lisa]

Hello there!

I think that there are many people speculating about WHY Caroline Kennedy has decided to step into the role of Senator.

It's a no brainer. This country is going to hell in a hand basket and everyone who is able to wield influence on a broad level in a way that will produce positive change for this country better step off of the yacht and out of retirement...right NOW.

An effective senator needs to be able to influence others, needs to be able to lead effective, needs to be able to steer change in a way that "works" without causing a blood bath. An effective senator needs to understand the informal political process as well as the government infrastructure that is known by insiders.

Caroline can deliver on all of these fronts.

Caroline has maintained a significant presence in the political arena, supporting progressive-thinking candidates without having her name attached publicly to every issue and every cause that she has been advancing from the sidelines.

Obama did not bring her out front simply because her last name was Kennedy. He knew that she had a very seasoned understanding of the political machine in his country. Her own family has helped to shape that political machine.

People claim that sitting on boards is not "REAL" leadership. They have never served on a board with a significant role! Board members hire and fire organization and corporate officials. They shape policy and guide organizations to market leadership. Board members are responsible for evaluating the implementation of national initiatives and for evaluating the effectiveness of leadership practices.

Caroline has had this level of responsibility for decades. She is a seasoned professional who has been a mover and shaker behind the scenes in many important organizations. I don't feel we should take her board directorships lightly.

Caroline is unimpressed by wealth and power and is the least likely to be "bought" by Washington special interest groups. Caroline also understands consensus building. She will be a unifier and I believe that is vitally necessary.

[zélie]

She is a fraud "you know" an a poor debater . Being a kennedy is not enough

[The Phantom]

Alon

Delayed reaction

I think that Christine Quinn may well be electable outside NYC. She's been an impressive performer in the City Council.