Kennedy Reaches Out To Clinton Directly

Caroline Kennedy has called Hillary Clinton to discuss her interest in the New York Senator's seat, a source close to Clinton tells the Huffington Post. But the two, as of Monday, had yet to actually speak.

"[Kennedy] called," said the source, "but they hadn't connected as of yesterday morning."

Nevertheless, Kennedy's outreach to Clinton, who is leaving her seat to become Secretary of State, is another chapter in what is quickly becoming a fairly comprehensive public and private campaign for the Senate post. Kennedy has additionally been in touch with a host of prominent New York figures, including Governor David Paterson, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Kennedy has also hired a well-connected political hand to help steer her candidacy to success. Josh Isay, former chief of staff to Sen. Chuck Schumer and founder of the political consulting firm Knickerbocker SKD, is a well-connected figure within New York politics. He is controversial in progressive circles, in part because of a client list that includes Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Benjamin Netanyahu. But Isay also has obvious connections that could aid Kennedy in the short term, including ties to New York politicos and powerhouse unions like the SEIU.

Even with Isay's help, the key sticking point for Kennedy remains: whether or not she can placate Clinton's backers in New York, many of whom seem tepid or antagonistic towards her candidacy.

Multiple reports indicate that supporters of the former first lady -- not to mention the Clintons themselves -- weren't willing to simply forget Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama during the Democratic primary. Others, including several Clinton fundraisers, have made public statements that the former first daughter simply isn't qualified for the Senate. But the source close to Clinton insists that their differences are not caused by hurt feelings, but rather preferences for other New York politicians.

"The Clintons aren't going to do anything against her," said the source. "I think they had just been more emotionally attached to names that surfaced before hers did, like Randi Weingarten [of the United Federation of Teachers] and [Rep.] Carolyn Maloney."

Asked for comment, Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines responded: "This is entirely Governor Paterson's decision, Senator Clinton completely respects the privacy of his process so will not be commenting on it or any individual candidate, nor does any third party speak on her behalf."

Comments

[Active]

Caroline already has the advatage of name recognition. Why give her the advantage as an INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT in 2010? NY is a blue state and no viable Democrat will want to challenge her as an incumbent for the "sake of the party"

Yes, Hillary had name recognition but did not also have the advatage of being appointed and running as an incumbent for her first election

[PiscesPrincess]

Oh Good Grief ! Give it a rest.

[bubbuh]

This isn't about some spurious concept of fairness. It's strictly aboout hardball politics. NY deserves the best representation it can get. Part of the qualifications will be how much political clout the next junior Senator can add. CK has the ear of the BHO. No other candidate can claim that.

That doesn't mean she will get the nod from Patterson. But, you can bet that it's a huge plus for her in his judgment.

[Beninn]

"CK has the ear of the BHO"

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has the ear of BHO.

He's got big ones, and he claims that anyone can speak into them.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CKS WANTS TO SAY INTO THOSE EARS?

What are her ideological positions on the issues facing us?

[UncommonSenz]

If CK is as bad as you say, then someone will run against her.

People trade on celebrity for office all the time, and Hillary is only one example of that. Yes, she was in an election-- one where she had advantages that ONLY came from her relationship to Bill. She traded on that... either you can see that or you can't, but the democratic apparatus that comes from being the wife of an ex-president was HUGE. And she didn't get elected because of her experience­...

I'm not saying she wasn't qualified (she has proven that she was). What I am saying is that she started in roughly the same place as CK, and the advantage she had in that election came solely from her relationship to bill.

I think you are being severely hypocritical, but I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

[Active]

I never said she was bad. And no Democrat will run against an INCUMBENT Democrat especially with Uncle Teddy throwing his elbows around.

Comparing Hillary to Caroline is absurd. Hillary has put herself out for public scrutiny for years. She took heat from the press and the GOP. Bill ran in 1992 claiming it was a 2 for 1 deal. She headed a failed presidential task force on health care. She had an infamous listening tour across NY asking for their votes.

Caroline by all accounts has been guarded and private. She has never been as publicly scrutinized as Hillary was. She is asking politicians for an appointment, not NYers for votes as Hillary did.

There is no comparison here.

[Seral]

It is obvious she wants a payback from Obama, because of supporting him. And, it is obvious her ambitions will not end at a Senato seat. She most probably wants to use her surname to aim for Presidency after Obama. It makes me wonder, isn't there a limit to that family's ambitions? Greedy from the beginning till the end...

[PiscesPrincess]

Stuff it up your nostrils.

[bubbuh]

By that you mean, perhaps, that the obviousities of which Seral speaks would be less so if certain cranial leaks were well stuffed?

[Osprey3]

The Kennedy family has been plagued by many scandals and tragedies, but greed is not characteristic of their public service. Despite their wealth, they've always championed the causes of the common man.

[hardybear]

Is there a limit to your bitterness?

[Seral]

I am not bitter. I just don't like this side of politics, and I have every right to criticize it. Also, Caroline calling everyone to become appointed (instead of trying to reach out the people of New York) reminds me the beginning of a popular manga, Skip Beat. Sorry to say that, but right now, she looks as if she wants to get there using her name and gender, nothing more.

[GeorgeP922]

Connected to Joe Lieberman?

Shocked, I don't believe she shares his politics, but man that is a gaffe she can't recover from.

She needs to fire the SOB and appologize for her first political blunder.

If she doesn't, there is now way I can support her, and if she joins Evan Bayh failed BushDogDemocrat delegation her last name will not save her.

NY is another "Soft" Blue state, we need to change that.

[PiscesPrincess]

Are you talking about Caroline Kennedy?
If you recall, Joe Lieberman was a Democrat for the lions share of his political career.
and George, I doubt if she really cares whether you support her or not.
right now she is just trying to get the support of VIPs.

[bubbuh]

CK hired a political consultant who has done work for Lieberman. In the minds of certain playground politicians this means CK will soon be campaigning for McCain.

[Pancake]

I have a high opinion of Caroline Kennedy and her family.

This has nothing to do with her qualifications, but I just can't hold it in any longer with out comment:

What has she done to her skin? Her skin looks like a Montana cowboy. She looks older than Hillary and at least 10 years older than her actual age. Couldn't she afford a visit to an esthetician for an emergency facial?

[bubbuh]

Apparently, she is very comfortable in her skin and isn't looking to trade it in.

[MaxxEliot]

You must be from LA

[frustratedinohio]

She looks like she tans a lot and that ages the skin. Also, she is very thin, so every wrinkle shows.

[Beninn]

What are Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's political views?

I've read the books she's "co-written", I've seen many of her televised interviews and I couldn't tell you what they are. She has intentionally avoided controversy and projected "I AM AN ENIGMA" throughout her life.

I don't believe that any of us can say we don't have vested interests in these appointments. Joe Lieberman's campaign in 2006 was financed by out-of-staters. Decisions made in the US Senate affect all of us. Forget all politics being local. All politics is international.

Drilling in ANWR means more carbon burning and poor air quality everywhere. A nuclear accident in Chernobyl means fallout that travels around the world. Failure to fund EPA superfund cleanup means spikes in cancer throughout the US. And a handful of southern state senators are in league with foreign nations that have set up car manufacturing plants in those states can put millions of Americans out of work and send the US into the next Great Depression.

WHAT ARE CAROLINE KENNEDY SCHLOSSBERG'S VIEWS ON THE ISSUES FACING US?

[bubbuh]

Apparently, you have comprehension problem. Fortunately, folks as different as Barack Obama and Ron Bloomberg think they have an excellent handle on CK's political views. Perhaps, you might wish to reread some of her books.

[klondiker]

I tried reading "A Family Christmas" and "A Family of Poems" but couldn't really figure out her views.

JUST KIDDING!! :) I know you're talking about the other two books on the bill of rights.

[Beninn]

RON Bloomberg?

Mayor Bloomberg? Mayor MIKE Bloomberg? Democrat-t­urned-Repu­blican Mayor Mike Bloomberg who strongly supported the war in Iraq and the civil liberty desecrating Patriot Act, and is against withdrawing troops from Iraq? The same Mike Bloomberg who supports a federal ID database that uses DNA and fingerprint technology to keep track of all citizens and to verify their legal status?

And Barack Obama, whose voting record is remarkably similar to the most conservative Democrats in Congress and who has yet to appoint one authentic representative of the largest bloc of voters (progressives) that put him in the White House?

Nothing in the two books CKS "co-wrote" indicates her political ideology. Nothing. But if you think you know what it is, either from reading her books or otherwise, please tell.

[writerforhire]

And we all you how that conversation went, "You owe me!" "We don't owe you!" "You owe me!" "After what you did? You said it would kill his chances." "We didn't know it would back fire."

Stop all the political wrangling send Carolyn Maloney to Washington as New York State's Senator

[UncommonSenz]

One pragmatist's view (as an outsider):

There are two things the replacement senator needs (from a dem prospective).

1) The ability to get things done.
This comes in two flavors, seniority (which no new candidate will have) and the ability to pull press. If the press cares about what this person says, they can use that to be much more involved in the process. If the press doesn't care, they can get walked over with impunity.

2) The ability to fundraise.
This person will have to compete in two senate races in a handful of years in a very expensive state. They will need connections to the money machines that power politics. Name recognition helps as well. If they can't get enough cash to compete, Dems could lose the seat.

Based on those factors, Caroline Kennedy makes perfect sense. I am not saying that to exclude the others, but those two things will be an indicator of how effective this senator will be. Given that, you can take someone who is arguably "more experienced", but will risk the seat and won't have much impact, or you can pick someone who has a chance to make an impact.

[klondiker]

Thank you for this post. Here's a valid argument for appointing Kennedy to the position. It reflects a sad reality about American politics, but it is what it is. Fundraising is important, whether we like it or not. Being able to attract attention is important, whether we like it or not.

On these basis, CK is probably the best choice.

What I do have a problem with is people who try to sugercoat the situation. By reading some of the comments here, one might get the impression that CK was the greatest legal mind of our generation!

The bottom line is: thanks to her name, she can raise money and bring attention to NY issues. And both those things matter.

[UncommonSenz]

I agree about the presumption of her abilities.

I like her a lot, and I have heard her speak on a number of topics and she does seem knowledgeable. But we are sort of going on first impressions here, and as much as I like her personally, I recognize she could come up short as a senator. (Not presuming that she won't do well... but since her positions on everything the senate tackles are not well known, she could vote "unexpectedly")

But if you want bang for your buck, she is the best name.

[doctorwang]

Well put.

[bubbuh]

I've not seen anyone state that she has a genius for the the law; but, given how fast and furious the comments have been coming, I know I've missed hundreds, if not thousands.

In any case, CK does have the JD and several publications, co-authored and otherwise, to her credit.. Personally, the fact the co-authored publications are explicitly labelled as such says much about her integrity. So many politicians and celebrities neglect to mention that the publications they claim to have authored were written at least in part by someone else. She has also lectured on Constitutional Law as a guest lecturer in many places.

Both Obama and Bloomberg feel very comfortable with her political instincts. I view all of the thiings as positives. Possibly Peterson will, too.

[frustratedinohio]

Other, more qualified people, can do that too.

[Beninn]

Here the Obama "pragmatism" meme again. It's pragmatic to go with the flow, to lay down and let the most enthusiastic (conservatives) continue to have their way. That's pragmatism. That's not the "change" that Obama promised but is backtracking on.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is a fundraiser when it comes to public schools. In that, she is perfectly suited because anyone with money who spends it on public schools is ripe for the kind of pitch Kennedy Schlossberg makes. It's "feel good" money, philanthropic money. That's not the same kind of money that gets donated to political campaigns. It's a very different source.

The kind of money that will donate to a Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg senate campaign wants political favors. It's what has made Democratic politicians sleep with corporations and very rich special interests to sell out the people.

When is Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg meeting with the press and answering their questions?

[k6007]

OMG, any big donors to CK's campaign is going to want political favors!!!

shocking.

[UncommonSenz]

Okay- you really need to go look up the word pragmatic.­.. seriously.

All I said is that if you want to get ANYTHING done (regardless of ideology) you need someone with the ability to bring cameras to their pressers. Without that, there is NOTHING they have to offer a fellow senator. She can (if she chooses) leverage that ability to move an agenda item, shape legislation, and create voting blocks (especially from senators who cannot raise their low profiles on their own). In short she can be an impact player (not in the way a senior chair person can, but much more than a name from new york that nobody outside the state recognizes).

In terms of raising money if you honestly do not believe that the Kennedy machine will be able to easily turn up zillions of dollars you have no idea of how politics works.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Wow, like directly on the Bat Phone or what...

[ProgressDon]

I like Ms. Kennedy and the intellectual prowess she displays. Once again, all the clamor and outrage is coming from Republicans, not really any Democrats that I know.
Her interest to serve New York in the senate is genuine because she could become ambassador to any country of her choice with Pres. Obama but she has apparently choosen to serve in the US Senate. Good for her.

[Active]

Anthony Weiner's not a Democrat? Stuart Applebaum? Robert Zimmerman? NO? not Democrats?

People who are complaining are New York Democrats who have worked their ENTIRE lives in public service and feel Caroline Kennedy just walks right in front of them simply because she's a Kennedy!

[ThunderclapNewman]

It's called jealousy.

[k6007]

Did you see the letter from hil's ny fundraiser buds?
You're right.....­......only republicans are complaining.

[Beninn]

I am a liberal democrat and every democrat I know (many) is against this appointment.

It's the worst kind of old politics, and certainly nothing of the CHANGE Obama campaigned on.

As a matter of fact, people who I know who have worked for Ted Kennedy, who idolize him and his record, are appalled by this possible appointment. As one said, "This is the Senator 'in his cups', a sentimental old drunken Irishman looking back and not forward. It's the worst of the Kennedys, making this all about their family, the fable of Camelot, not about the American people and their needs, their fight. A fit Ted Kennedy wouldn't consider this for a moment, especially because he would realize that won't be around to protect her, to teach her the ropes, and that's the Ted Kennedy that was the great Senator. That's when he was the most effective, the lion born of his realism and not his romantic dreams."

If Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg wants it, she needs to get it on her own, through campaigning and working to earn the respect and trust of the voters. Not handed to her on a silver appointment.

You can't say on the one hand that Obama become a better candidate because he was tested (and learned) through the primaries, and then say that being handed the seat is the way to bring out the Kennedy in Caroline Schlossberg.

[Bozwellian]

GBO !!! Selectiong Caroline is THE WORST KIND OF POLITICs ? GIVE US ALL A BREAK...Wh­at was Hillary's INITIAL carpet bagging for the NY Senate seat (and WITH Kennedy support to boot !!!) Caroline would be a superb selection and to her credit, NOT EGO CENTRIC DRIVEN but of a far more deliberate thoughtfulness to SERVE THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE NOT HER OWN EGO !!!! What drivel is being spouted as if CKS had NOT a brain nor accomplishments or ANY experience. Lots of sniveling old haggery going on...NY should be so fortunate that now that her children are grown, she is willing to devote time and effort to the seek betterment for the citizenry of NY state . What a bunch of snarky malarky being floated and flaunted around and about !!! IF NY passes up the opportunity CKS offers, look for the likes of Rudy or similars to take the seat in 2010 for sure !!!

[rellort]

I support Caroline because she supported Obama.

That's good enough for me.

[Blue in NH]

Revolting. Ms. Kennedy should be appealing to the voters she claims to want to represent, not just working the higher levels of the party. Guess what Princess Caroline, you don't live in London any more.

[doctorwang]

Are you suggesting that she start campaigning to the public for an appointed position? Newspaper ads? Television commercials? I can only imagine how well that would go over.....

BTW: wtf does the fact that she spent some time in London have to do with anything?

[Active]

NO she should lobby Paterson to appoint a placeholder who will not seek re-election in 2010 and instead have a fair election then with all potential candidates running!

[bogues]

When senate seats are vacated in between election cycles, it is up to the Governor to appoint a replacement. Mrs Kennedy is doing what all persons interested in that seat are doing. She is not asking for or receiving special treatment. When it comes time for an election, she will appeal to the voters as you suggest.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Except for her early childhood, Caroline has lived in NYC her entire life.

[ReportThis]

Caroline should have identified herself on the phone as Monica Lewinsky, and asked for "Bill". My guess is that Hillary would have snatched the phone right up.

[nevadagirl]

Get over it.

[DemNY]

ReportThis: Wow. It has been over 10 years.

Still can't quite stop obsessing over BC's private parts and M.Lewinsky­.
So sad.

[BartLA]

Doubt if Hillary will do much to help her.

[Deparis]

What experience did Hillary have in 2000? What experience did the Vice-Presi­dent-elect (Joe Biden, in case you don't know) have when he was elected Senator in his 30s? I can go on and on. What experience does any pol have before their first elected office?

People may have an issue with the selection/election process, but please shut the crap up with the "experience" meme. Lobby to have the Gov. hold a special election or to have the NY legislature vote from a list of candidates for this Senate seat, but don't question Caroline's experience. She has done a lot of public service works in NY that half if not a majority of Congressmen and women in Washington have never done for their state, let alone their county or neighborhood. That's what the people's representation was meant to be, to choose among us those who would serve and represent us to the best of their ability with honor and integrity.

[MendotaLee]

The difference is, and it is a big one, is that Biden and Hillary were both E-L-E-C-T-­E-D...

Caroline Kennedy wants to be A-P-P-O-I-N-T-E-D

That's why this is such a sham. Why doesn't she just wait and run for the seat in two years??

[k6007]

Are you suggesting the seat remain empty for 2 yrs?

SOMEONE is going to be appointed, why not her?

[bubbuh]

Because someone is going to be appoinyrd right now.

[UncommonSenz]

Ok, so what ELECTED position did Hillary have BEFORE running for senator?

Her qualifications were about the same as Caroline's. One could argue that she used her family connections to get that position (by being able to out organize and outspend any opponent).

Nobody gets to be elected for this appointment. They will have to run soon enough, but they will be appointed.

If she has the same quals as pre-senate Hillary, and she has to run in 2010, she seems to be in a fairly similar situation. It just seems hypocritical to attack her as someone trading on celebrity when that is what Hillary did.

[DeniseD]

I am not from New York or Illinois, so I don't have a vested interest in these appointments. If this situation was happening in CA, it would concern me that a candidate was so aggressively lobbying for a senate appointment. Both Caroline Kennedy and Jesse Jackson Jr. have made me wonder about their motives even though I agree with their political views.

[HerbTee]

Denise, do you have a problem with others having or displaying ambition? What is wrong with having ambitions? As long as CK or JJJ have ambitions that do not purposely hurt or destroy others in the process, what is the problem with it?

[HappyIdiot2008]

Well said.

[klondiker]

I have no problem with ambition. But, what bothers me about aggressive, public lobbying for an appointed position is that it puts the governor in a bind. Now he may not want to be seen as the person who rejected Kennedy.

[DeniseD]

No, I don't have a problem with ambition at all. I am in fact very ambitious myself.

What I do have a problem with is the public and private lobbying that is being done for a position that is in the hands of the governor of the state. I have no problem with qualified candidates meeting with the governor to discuss their political views and qualifications. The problem comes with outside influence and pressure being placed on the governor to make the appointment, that is, the lobbying that is being done. Hillary has the right idea. Let the governor make up his own mind without the influence of outsiders.