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

[blondecuban]

I'm completely offended by this entire situation. If Caroline gets the seat, it's going to be because her name and the lobbying she's doing for it. God forbid the Gov. would choose someone actually qualified, who has done the work. It goes to show you that if you actually want to climb any ladder, it's going to take people at the top who know you to help you get there.

[CTtransplant]

If Caroline gets the seat, it will be because of all the good WORK she has done for New York...please do some research before you comment....doing things quietly behind the scenes does not mean she is not qualified...you seem to think because you do not see it, it is not there....

[Bitsko]

As much as I admire Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, I don't believe we need a wealthy third generation Beltway insider as our Senator. I hope Gov. Patterson will choose someone from upstate or a member of a minority group.

[reliant1]

Just a native of NY would be nice. The carpetbaggers are getting to be a bore...

[Phoebe917]

she was born in NYC and has lived there for many years.

[cnick]

She's not a beltway insider, she is an attorney who lives in Manhatten, she has written 6 books, she runs a foundation, and perfectly as qualified if not more than any other new senator, she is much more than a wealthy debutante. I hope she gets it!!!!!

[CTtransplant]

I hope she gets it, too! She is the MOST qualified - and has the least baggage. People who do not research for themselves have absolutely NO clue what her qualifications are...and probably should not comment.

[rellort]

Fran Drescher, the people's choice.

[vsign]

The O messiah is a stand-in for John Jr. The Kennedy family wanted to continue their historical mission with America. O is a perfect stand-in. A celebrity candidate for a dynastic family that celebrates the Kennedys as if he were one.

The great O messiah told us unwashed ones that we were to dump the Bushies
and the Clintons because they were the PAST (how horrible!). Leaving
room of course for the resurrection of the Kennedys. Forget how dedicated
to being smart about public policy the Clintons were. Let us all worship
at the feet of celebrity politics.

Caroline can go wherever her name and money can take her. Just not in
Hillary's seat, thank you. Hillary better grab her seat back before the
music stops. I just know that Bill is trying to tell her she will be
fired from the O administration soon enough - after they can blame whatever
on her.

I would not have felt that way about the Kennedys until dear little Caroline
endorsed Obama with her great uncle Ted. They are substituting Barack for
John Jr. Too bad. Their family is sad. Now give me back Hillary!

Or has Hillary become an Obamabot?

[doctorwang]

A little early in the day to be drinking......don't you think?

[Phoebe917]

doctorwang; that was my first thought, too. either boozin or tokin up.

[robertsandimas]

You posted this twice. Once was repulsive enough.

[Candyx]

twice is stupid! I would agree!

[Candyx]

what was BUSH? you savior of Ronald Regan!!! NOT!!!

[reliant1]

You twit - Hillary sold her herself to the O Messiah. Hillary was a carpetbagger and was never getting NY back after so blatantly using it to launch herself. Oooops.

Where do you go when you are a loser and not a native of the state you only represented so you could be President...options narrow. Ooooops. Clintons are not that all that smart but they are brazen.

[davidhilton1]

just curious how many ppl here think the appropriate way to select a new senator is to have a special election?

[HappyIdiot2008]

It's expensive for one thing and I don't think New York has that much money floating around right now. An appointment for two years won't be the end of the world, would it?

[davidhilton1]

ur rite - it wouldnt be the end of the world.

[Beninn]

No Democrat would run against Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. No Democrat could compete with the Kennedy fundraising machine.

That's just a fact.

[partyofone]

And it will be less expensive to have a special election in 2010, as required? Do it now and let the people speak. That is democracy.

[doctorwang]

Great point- New York (as well as the majority of other states) is experiencing a huge budget deficit. The choice is waiting two years or needlessly spending millions that can be applied to more urgent/important needs.

[klondiker]

You're right about the money part. Why not get a respected elder to be a placeholder for two years, until 2010, when a real primary can be held and all interested parties can run for the position?

[doctorwang]

There will be one in two years. It takes considerable time and money in order to hold a special election. NY law already provides the mechanism for temporarily filling a vacated senate seat until that time when the special election will be held.

[SethBLiNK]

The appropriate way is the way that's in the State consitution and been followed for years. Just because a bunch of people who never followed politics before are suddenly blogging doesn't mean we change the law.

Unless you're in Illinois, of course.

[partyofone]

I think that is the most appropriate solution. There are four years left in the six-year term. If some one is appointed, a special election in 2010 would be required, and then a regular election in 2012. Why not just hold the special election now and let the person serve for 4 years?

[HappyIdiot2008]

Here's another person being floated for the Senate spot. Thomas Suozzi.

"On paper, Suozzi seems like a consultant's wish come true. He's a reform-minded Democrat in a largely Democratic state ripe for reform. He's young (43), suburban (born and raised in Glen Cove, Long Island), and a practicing Catholic (check that: pro-choice Catholic). He's got early-Pacino good looks, and a hey-let's-­put-on-a-s­how enthusiasm that makes him the guy you want to talk to, whether it be at a Staten Island potluck or a policy conference in Albany.

And he's got sparkling political credentials. At 30, Suozzi, a lawyer and CPA, returned home to Glen Cove, ran for mayor, and went on to save his beloved town from fiscal disaster. In 2001, he pulled off a colossal upset and was elected Nassau County executive, the first Democrat in three decades to hold that position in the 55 percent Republican county. Once in office, Suozzi eliminated a $45 million deficit that had threatened to balloon to $400 million by 2005 and send the county into bankruptcy. The county's bond rating skyrocketed, and Suozzi was named a Governing magazine "Public Official of the Year."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/25/thomas-suozzi-hillary-cli_n_146438.html

We shall see what happens.

[k6007]

I'm liking what I'm reading, so far...

[Beninn]

I really resent Sam Stein's presenting this as Hillary Clinton's supporters are what stands in Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's way. Talk about patronage reporting!

I and no one else that I know who oppose appointing Kennedy Schlossberg supported Hillary Clinton or give Clinton any thought in this matter.

This is about a new kind of politics we were assured of through an Obama administration, of voter power, and all that we've seen from Obama to date is more of the same old politics. No change. He's gone out of his way to eliminate progressive and liberal voices from his administration and policy-making.

We need proven workhorses representing us and solving problems and not pampered showhorses dropping in for the cache.

[rabiddog6708]

We are glad to hear what you resent. Perhaps everyone should clear their thoughts and observations through you before the post it. Why you dragging Obama into this? He isn't appointing anyone to this seat? You've done this other posts, hinting that Obama is more of the same and not living up to his promises.....the man hasn't even taken office yet.....lo$er.

[Marcospinelli]

Do you have any idea what her positions are on any issues?

Obama is reaching out to Repubs, calling them, making nice with them, while he's appointing DINOs to his cabinet. Not one progressive in the bunch.

Obama has backed down on all left-of-center campaign promises. He's even backed down on center promises. I think real Dems have been reamed by this guy, and I for one am not giving anyone the benefit of any doubt.

I expect elected representation that work in the interests of the people, but all that I'm seeing are Democrats working on behalf of the monied.

[Marcospinelli]

Did you hear about the loophole missed by Obama and Democrats in the Congress on the $700 billion bailout package? About executives being able to get those multi-million dollar bonuses after all? It seems that for all the Democratic lawyers in Congress, not one of them caught the loophole. Executives will be getting multi-million dollar bonuses this Christmas as part of the $700 billion bailout by us taxpayers.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6165162.html

Eight years of Bush double-speak, of poison pills in Republican legislation, and Democrats are still not wise to them?

Supporting that bailout was Obama's big show of how much better a bet he was than McCain in leadership. So much for "Constitutional scholarship", something I hear being said of Caroline Kennedy. Not one Democrat in Congress caught the loophole, or if one did, he failed to sound the alarm for whatever reason. I can only guess it to be because the leader of the party, Obama, had stood behind the bill and you don't go against the leader in politics.

We can't afford that kind of blind loyalty any more. We don't need a neophyte to Congress -- We need hard-seasoned killers.

[SethBLiNK]

When JFK was elected President, he got the Governor of Massachusettes to put his former Harvard roommate in his seat for two years until his kid brother Teddy reached 30, the legal age to hold a Senate seat. That was 46 years ago, and he's been there ever since.

Now that's a dynasty.

By contrast, Hillary tried to follow her husband into the white house and not only did she lose, and not only did she get denied the VP slot, and not only did they humiliating make her ex-Prez hubby jump through hoops in order that she could be Secretary of State, but she hasn't even been confirmed yet and already her seat has been claimed by that other dynasty... which conveniently backed her opponent for the nomination.

And here is the best part... the only reason she chose being Secretary of State over staying in the Senate is because she was being denied a major role in the health care fight. And who denied her that role? Uncle Teddy.

You gotta love it.

[chewie2008]

Never thought about it this way.Oh..what a devilish plan.lol

[nana4g]

I have thought the same things....so many things seem to fall together. However, in my opinion, Hillary will always be a viable option for elected positions not because of her husband or how long she is allowed to serve as SoS, or what the "Big Plan" is, but because she has much to offer and she has proven herself a serious 'workhorse" throughout her life.

What I resent, if you will, is the all of the machinations of Uncle Teddy. His ignoble endorsement of Obama---the way in which he did it---a publicly, ugly, demeaning way to an honorable opponent; his stating after his diagnosis that he wanted his wife to take his Senate seat from Massachusetts on his death, his pushing of Caroline into the New York seat, his grandstanding the new Health Care Reform issue when he had 40 years to push it and could have helped Hillary with it 8 years ago. It is unseemly to me and smacks of personal greed and agrandisement and entitlement.

Do not expect Hillary to make any public statements about this; she is, effectively, at the current time, OUT of political life and into government as the nominee for Secretary of State. Unless there is a concerted plan to stab her in the back, she will do well and do her best to serve us in that capacity.

I am really put off by Sen Ted Kennedy; my respect for him has been diminished in the past two years.

[SethBLiNK]

What you call machinations is what a legislator does. I suppose you and I supported different candidates in the primary which is why you thought his endorsement ignoble and I thought it magnificent. Yes it was a slap in the face to Hillary (and Bill) but it was at a time when I thought they were acting rather ignoble. He said that he thought Bill was campaigning inappropriately in South Carolina and that's why he went public. I felt the same way and I think he was acting from his heart. As for asking that his wife take his seat, many Senators do that, upon death, and as for Health Care he has been an advocate for 40 years. That's been his issue. And most will tell you that Hillary's failure with it was from her mistakes, not lack of support from Kennedy. And what's wrong with him pushing his niece to join the Senate race. A lot of people who aren't her uncle think she'd be good.

[HaloGuy]

I think she would be a great choice, but I would like to learn more about the other contenders... if Paterson or other NY higher ups have other names in mind, the media should be mentioning them.

[Beninn]

WHY do you think she would be a great choice?

What has she done that leads you to believe she can represent your interests in the US Senate?

I don't want to hear about the books she wrote. They were in reality editing jobs of work done by a co-writer. I don't want to hear about her great support for public education -- She's a fundraiser. That's all she's done for public education in NY, raise private money for them. Her own kids don't go to public schools.

[rellort]

Fran Drescher.

[aOsO]

Clinton is asking her supporters to stand down. Good move on her part.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/Clinton_chides_supporters_on_Kennedy.html

[bubbuh]

Nice catch on the early news.

[fayemac]

Caroline should take over Teds seat when he retires. In the meantime she should work her way up the old fashion way and start at the bottom. That way she can really boast about the acomplishments she worked hard for and pad a resume shes lacking now.

[Beninn]

Not long ago we were saying about Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple.

How would this appointment of Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg be any different?

[TerryFL]

.

I'll take any non-politician. Janitor,s house painters, and school teachers are all preferred to our current "experienced" politicians who have ruined our economy and world standing.

.

[reliant1]

Got one for you - Joe the Plumber. He's available and you deserve the fruits of his good works.

[reliant1]

Got another one - the teacher who seduced that kid - Butler? Fl has a thing about teachers and kids. How will you protect the interns?

[1murillo]

Kennedy Schlossberg's appointment would be different than GWB's experience because GWB speaks and acts as if he knows and cares about Americans, justice and the world

On the other hand, she has successfully studied and worked in many fields to improve the existing situations. They both are in wealthy families, but that doesn't mean they behave the same way as each other.

[LogicNow]

Beninn... I think it would be different because Caroline has a brain.

[astroyo]

Carolyn Maloney is deserving and has been working hard for years as a representative. Caroline has been active in "good works" as anyone with a fortune is, busily managing their money and appealing for others to give to the causes she cares about. That is not exceptional. Her book was co-authored. Again, nothing exceptional. Just the product of a well-bred education, won't take that away, but Senator, politician, she's not.

Should Paterson feel pressured by the Kennedy acolytes he needs to consider what will happen in 2010. Can't picture Caroline slogging through farms and small towns giving speeches with her whispering voice, while her Republican opponent (Giuliani?) runs away with the senate seat. Dems, don't be complacent, you could lose a seat you have long taken for granted.

[Kieran]

Hear, hear! Can I ask the Huffington Post to run coverage on the already-interested hard-working NY officials who also seek the Senate post? Can I see Carolyn Maloney's name in 50-point type here just like Caroline's?

Are progressives really that enchanted with celebrity? It's all too apparent and dismaying.

[partyofone]

Carolyn Maloney is a do nothing and should not be re-elected to the House, much less appointed to the Senate. Get real.

[orangepetal]

It seems like for the Democrats it has been sell the seat, give the seat and save the seat.
I guess it is in their interest to keep us somewhat dumb and very busy. Although actually, we are pretty good at enthusiastically lapping it all up. Depending on politicians is not something I would advise anybody. The rhetoric sure sounds nice, I'm sure the private clubs and schools are even nicer.
Yet I would never throw a shoe, it is not free speech. It IS an attempt to do bodily harm. People who cannot tell the difference seem pretty dangerous in my opinion. But then so much seems so twisted.
I do not expect much from the government, I guess I am lucky enough to be able to say my families well being is in my hands. I beg only that they protect our nation from harm and protect those who gave us and keep for us the freedom we all get to use.

[Grunty1]

The seats are assigned by way of state law.

Since you seem to vote Repbulican, I can understand why you would never trust a politican.