Caroline Kennedy appears to have cleared a big hurdle in her quest to replace outgoing New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a powerful Democrat who has questioned whether Kennedy is the best choice to fill the likely vacant seat, said Wednesday he will support Kennedy should she ultimately be appointed to the post.
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Joebaganuts. Nothing is preordained; nothing is ineveitable; certainly nothing is genetic in predicting human affairs. But from the beginning humans have fallen for power over duty. And it seems almost genetic for humans within families to pass their inheritance of positions, wealth and authority to their offspring. With rare exceptions are the offspring of inherited, rather than earned positions as competent or committed to the organization as were their parents and grandparents. Worst yet, ordinary people begin to lose their opportunity and practice in decision making. Gradually, the entire organization stagnates and declines, as decisions benefit the few while the people suffer. We are witnessing precipitious decline of this organization as wealthy elected officials pass rules and regulations to preserve and enhance their own status---the people are pushed into subservient caste.
You're right about how dynasty undermines the health of democracy, but it's not all doom and gloom. Despite the "you need to be a name to hold a seat" conventional wisdom, appointees rarely win reelection, and those who do generally had a legislative record before the appointment: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/appointed-senators-rarely-win-re.html
After two years as a senator, the appointee WILL have the name recognition that comes with incumbency. Furthermore, all the other people under consideration are veteran campaigners. They've listened to their own constituents. I believe they'll be just as diligent about getting out to town halls and meeting their new constituents.
On the other hand, this Kennedy celebrity will lose value over time. She'll have to stay in power based on a record, because celebrity always brings a backlash (which has already started) and if she doesn't have an outstanding record (beyond just fundraising) she'll be in trouble. I don't see her originating that much legislation in 2 years. And I don't see her pressing that much flesh either. So I think she's the weakest choice for a general election.
Has the media covered how much her clothing, hair care and makeup costs yet??
Please give it to her...then the Repubs can have the same fun bashing her like the dems did Palin..except Palins smarter.
Caroline Kennedy looks just her Dad - if her Dad had been a POW of the Japanese for about 3 years and forced by the guards to dress like a woman.
No politician wants to be on the losing side of something going forward. It creates enemies. The fewer the enemies in politics the better.
" ... he will support Kennedy should she ultimately be appointed to the post ..."
Keyword: Should ...
As a Republican, please give her the seat Gov. Patterson. She gives us the best best chance to steal a seat back in '10 with somebody popular like King or Guilliani. An actual qualified candidate gives us no chance. You never know though, NY'ers are a bunch of sheep who will vote for somebody with no record at all like Rodham.
but kcolema......she's a liberal and her last name is Kennedy , of course she's qualified.
"...you know..."
You know, the data backs up your view. Incumbents who were appointed based on name recognition are more likely to lose the seat. Those with a recent legislative track record have a shot of hanging on. That's the data talking, not conventional wisdom.
Unless Kennedy is the bestest senator who ever lived, you have a very good shot. Guilliani is not a Sarah Palin Republican. He's moderate enough to be able to win New York. If this "done deal" stuff is true, I imagine he'll be very pleased.
You mean Rudy Guilliani--who was so popular that he lost the GOP nomination to John McCain?... But it is good to see thet the GOP is once again concerned about a candidate being qualified-- I mean, Caroline is certainly no Sarah Palin!
Guiliani lost to McCain because he's pro-Choice. That's not a problem in NY. I'm a progressive and it breaks my heart that he'll probably be the populist candidate for 2010.
Sarah has been elected Gov. by a state. Caroline lives in an e"state".
There is no comparison between these two and for you to say that shows you cannot put your blinding liberalism aside to form an idea based on facts. But then again, if you guys could do that, Obama wouldn't be PE.
The question really is "Is Caroline tough enough when it come to campaigning to hold this seat for the Dems?" Maybe this is a district where a Republican does not have a snowball chance in hell of winning, I dont know. A tough Republicans will chew her up and spit her out.
People have this idea that money will buy any election. But it didn't work for Steve Forbes or Michael Huffington. Hillary Clinton tried the "my opponent isn't a big enough name or can't draw big enough donors to win in the general election" line against Obama. It didn't work in the primary and it turned out to be untrue in the general election.
The Kennedy name may evoke a lot of emotions across the nation, but I don't think she has much "star power" when it comes to local voters in an off-Presidential year election (which 2010 will be). She's not an orator. She doesn't come off as "one of us."
Appointed senators rarely earn reelection (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/appointed-senators-rarely-win-re.html). Those who are chosen for family names do particularly poorly. Those who are chosen for recent legislative experience do comparatively well. That fact seems to work against Ms. Kennedy's favor.
District? It is a Senate seat genius, the whole state gets to vote.
I've noticed that when anything that could be construed as even slightly pro-Kennedy appears on Huffington, it gets put on the Political page. But the critical pieces don't.
When you click on the articles and actually read them, you find that half of them are fairly neutral pieces - like this one. All Silver has said is that he will support her if she's appointed. I imagine he'd support whomever is appointed. Not a ringing endorsement at all. But the best Kennedy has received lately, so it's on the front page.
It's also interesting that more critical blogs and articles like these don't even get posted on Huffington:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/nyregion/02bigcity.html
http://www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/index.php/2009/01/01/editorial-pull-out-caroline?blog=69
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4695632.shtml
http://www.stargazette.com/article/20081231/OPINION02/812310311
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20081231/OPINION01/812310311
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/12/19/2008-12-19_politics_as_birthright_is_wrong_caroline.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/12/23/2008-12-23_caroline_kennedy_gives_inadequate_answer.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/12/28/2008-12-28_say_goodnight_caroline_how_jfks_daughter.html
You have to remember this site is not a news site. I don't know if it ever was since I've only been visiting here since March of this year but it is now an Obama site and only features articles that push his agenda. That's fine. It is a free country and it is Arienna's property but you just have to remember not to confuse it with a real news site.
Has anyone found out yet how much she spends on clothing?
Why should that matter unless it's being paid for by donations to the DNC - like Palins' was.
Like the Palins' were by the RNC, I meant to write.
Did she actually say "I think we are in a recession"? Talk about out of touch...
Spitzer is a better pick IF New yorkers can over look Hookergate!
Hookergate was a joke. Eliot Spitzer should've never had to resign over something that's private and no one else' business other than his family's, just as long as he didn't use donations and/or state money for his extramarital "fun". He didn't, so there was no need for his resignation.
There is no recession on the Upper East Side.
Hardly a ringing endorsement -- no support for her candidacy, just an acknowledgement that he would support her IF she were appointed, which is not a lot to ask of a fellow Democrat.
I'm sure any of the more qualified people who are up for the appointment, if she's appointed, will help her out. They may run against her in the primary, but no one but the republicans wants her to be a complete disaster in the senate.
That doesn't change the fact that there are more qualified people out there.
The best comment after the article was this:
"When you find yourself being measured, not by how good you are, but by how little you screw up. This becomes a problem."
The Senate seats in NY, Illinois and Minnesota are now up for ridicule across the country... The Integrity and approval of Congress is going even lower and no one thought that would be possible
As an Obama's supporter I wish Caroline to be senator of New York. She did help Obama when he was less known. Now it is my pay back to her. Please New York do something for this lady. She will help Obama build this country please please please
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a08L8fcNZLk
No thank you. We've got talented, committed people in New York. People who've voted in more than half of the past 38 contested elections. People who contributed to the democratic party before Obama.
If she wants to buy the election, she can do it with her own money.
"We've"?
meko: "I'm an Illinois Democrat and I've been thrilled with Fitzgerald since the days when he went after Ryan, those Daley aids and the Hired Truck Program. During the Scooter Libby trial I was amazed that anyone could have thought his interests were partisan. It seems as if he just likes going after corruption. If only he could have a press conference about Todd Stroger before the year ends.
posted Dec 09, 2008 at 15:34:41"
Better be careful. Some New York "Democrats" don't like out-of-staters opining about who the governor should choose to fill DLCer Clinton's senate seat.
Not that it should stop anyone, but just sayin'...
New Yorkers don't have to like that I'm not from there, but I've at least bothered to find out who the alternatives are before supporting a celebrity candidate.
Caroline, America Needs Your Honesty and Integrity !!!
Hang in There !!!!!!!!!!
Better yet, President Obama needs her. The American people need more REAL Democrats in the Senate where we can barely see the difference between neocons and DLC Dems these past, oh, 12 years?
Maybe he'd be better off with someone who's actually initiated legislation:
Carolyn Maloney: http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_issues&Itemid=35
Or Nydia Velequez: http://www.house.gov/velazquez/issues/index.html
Or Jerry Nadler: http://www.house.gov/nadler/legislation.shtml
They can be judged by their records. They don't need an uncle to tell them how to vote.
I can't stand how our country is being run like a family business where the punk kid with no experience gets handed the company.
IMO, Caroline Kennedy is about the same as Paris Hilton:
- Never had a real job in her entire life
- Trust fund baby millionaire
- Famous because of last name
You Need to shut up and read your facts !!!!
laughing
Not quite as bad as Paris Hilton, but still saliently not the right person for the job.
That is not fair to Paris Hilton. She has had jobs. She has worked as a model, actress, television performer and recording artist. She inherited money, but she's earned quite a lot too.
Besides, she's under 30. Who knows what she could accomplish between now and age 51.
She faces criticism and mockery head on and seems to have a sense of humor about herself. I still think the "fake presidential campaign" ads she did on FunnyorDie were hilarious. When it was suggested that she be a candidate for high office, she saw it for the joke that it was.
hey now that tr@mp paris has more class
wow i agree with a liberal.........now that's funny
You should read bios of those posting here. He's NO liberal.
Applies to George W in spades, don't you think?
And he can claim Harvard on his academic record too.
I would say yes but his experience makes hers look like what it is . . . nothing.
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CNN Political Ticker | Alexander Mooney | January 1, 2009 03:18 PM