Discreet Meetings: How Caroline Kennedy Vets Potential Veeps

Politico:

The question bounced around the Internet and tumbled from the lips of Washington insiders: Why would Barack Obama choose Caroline Kennedy, a reluctant public figure with little affection for modern politics, to vet the next Democratic vice presidential candidate?

A month into the search, as one of two remaining members of the search team, Kennedy is emerging as an active participant, slipping largely unnoticed around Capitol Hill for private meetings and exercising the kind of discretion that made her an appealing choice in the first place. Despite initial skepticism in some quarters that her appointment was window dressing, associates and at least one member of Congress who met with Kennedy describe her as an engaged and savvy operative.

Consider these scenes last month at Democratic National Committee headquarters.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[tubette]

I'm glad she's on his team and sick to hear people talk down on her. There is absolutely no reason to get down on Caroline Kennedy, but of course so many are so eager to hate and belittle anyone they can find.

In fact when I read some of these stupid comments, I envision the low lifes posting them.... LOL!

[rwe]

To paraphrase Weasley Clark,,,Being the daughter of a former president does not make you qualified to choose a VP

[init]

I feel confident that this young beautiful and gifted woman will find the mate for Obama. My confidence in her comes from the Kennedys and her Mother.

[olivia]

Caroline Kennedy has far purer intentions, and far better qualifications, than the one who picked Bush's running mate, in my opinion.

[NotaBeliever]

Now, now, now ... Ms. Kennedy certainly has the connections to get the dirt on anyone she vets. She's smart, educated, and unlikely to be impressed by pretty boys like ... hmmmm .... Dan Quayle or absolutely without morals like GWBush. Dick Cheney would never pass muster. So already, she's more qualified to vet these politicians than whoever vetted any Republican in recent history. As a member of what remains of American's most royal political family, she bows to no one. I can live with her judgment of politicians at the vice presidential level..

[genia]

It was Dick Cheney who was selected to vet the VP for Bush He then chose himself...surprise, surprise.

[speakingtruth2power]

Thank God she spoke with first Boxer instead of DiFi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OtayPanky]

This is right out of bizarro-land.

We're talking about the selection committee for the next-next president...the one after the next president who will (hopefully) be Obama.

What, exactly, in Caroline Kennedy's personal and professional background gives her any more qualification for this monumentally important task than - say - the barista at your local Starbucks?

Maybe we should add Scarlett Johansson to this vetting team. I mean, what a looker she is - and she can act, too - and she's featured in that "We Want Change" song, to boot.

[genia]

She's vetting...she's not selecting

Come back from Bizarro-land...join us......;-)

[OtayPanky]

Oh, come on.

Vetters SELECT who goes on the short list for the candidate to consider.

I'll ask again: What in Caroline Kennedy's background qualifies her for this critical task? Why not Derek Jeter, or Eminem, or Big Bird?

[patmancando]

He already threw Scarlet under the bus.......said she was a wannabee intimate.

[johnnygoodwud]

in another life i was an event planner in wash. d.c. and had the priviledge to meet caroline, jackie, and john jr. at a party at teddy's many yrs. ago. caroline is a class act. she lends crediability to the v.p. selection process. i'm hoping she stays on after the election in some sort of position.

[brooklyncitizen]

She's really an impressive woman. Can't imagine how she manages to fight the good fight with all the loss that has plagued her.

[mamacat]

I think that it is brilliant to have Caroline on the team. She will help to keep the veep selection grounded in principle.

(Perhaps she is both discreet and discrete?)

[wilburr0g]

Sitcom alert:

She's a fun loving white woman whose father was president.
He's a serious minded black man with a passion for the law.
When they meet up, the change this country so deperately needs really begins.
But is America ready for them?

The article mentions Rep. Cheeks Kilpatrick, who could be the zany breakout character.

[wilburr0g]

She should just pull a Cheney and appoint herself veep.

Obama / Kennedy '08

[Gma11]

I deeply respect and admire Caroline Kennedy. Her books on the Bill of Rights and on Privacy are excellent.

[happypup]

Agreed!

[hudsuckerproxy]

From the article:

"They asked whether there were any Republicans who Obama should consider, Baca said, suggesting that 'they were open to looking at both sides.' "

A Republican? Don't go there, VP search team. FISA was bad enough.

[benne]

Suppose she's selecting the same way she says she selected Obama: by asking her children.