Caroline Kennedy Hires Joe Lieberman "Fixer" Josh Isay
In her first move after announcing that she would like to be appointed to the New York Senate seat, Caroline Kennedy has hired "major Democratic fixer Josh Isay."
Isay did the honors for Joe Lieberman during his general election race against Ned Lamont, after Lieberman withdrew from the Democratic party and ran as a member of the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party.
Here's one of Isay's ads, where Lieberman tells people about how much he wants to bring the troops home:
Of course, at the time Lieberman was getting hammered in the polls by Lamont, and needed to quickly change his rhetoric or risk a loss in Connecticut where the anti-war sentiment was strong.
The month after he was re-elected to the Senate, Lieberman called for an immediate increase of 15,000-30,000 troops.
Isay's ads were critical in deceiving voters and paving the way for Lieberman's reelection. Now that it's clear where Lieberman really stands, Daily Kos polling indicates Lamont would overwhelmingly defeat Lieberman.
It's telling that Caroline Kennedy has never wanted to run for office, and never thought to put her case before the public when she decided she wanted this job. Her first move was to pick up the phone and start working the elites, then hire a political fixer whose specialty is deceiving voters:
"She told me she was interested in the position," Mr. Paterson said at a news conference outside Albany on Monday. He added, "She'd like at some point to sit down and tell me what she thinks her qualifications are."
I think many people who aren't emotionally leaping into the cult of personality would like to know that too, because at this point in time, nobody knows what she stands for.
I guess the public will just have to wait until Isay appropriately "packages" it for our consumption.
Jane Hamsher blogs at firedoglake.com
Follow Jane Hamsher on Twitter: www.twitter.com/janehamsher
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Reading news on the internet a few days after it is written and I saw this article,
My suggestion: The Constitution State, Connecticut, needs a qualified candidate to run for the
Senate when Lieberman retires. Connecticut's Democratic politics need a boost. A competent legal scholar would fit the qualifications for the job, here,
Your argument that Isay was deceiving the people for proposing that Lieberman wanted to get the troops out of Iraq while Lieberman voted for a troop increase immediately after being re-elected is tenuous at best, for the two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the troop increase in Iraq is one of the factors that improved the situation in Iraq, which might have increased the likelihood that we might be able to get out of Iraq sooner rather than later. So, hitting on Caroline for hiring someone that was effective in getting the job that he was asked to do done is a little bit silly. You can have the best ideas as a politician, but unless you first get elected you have no chance at moving your agenda forward. Therefore, I see the move that you are criticizing as actually a shrewd move, which is based on reality and not wishful thinking, which gets you nowhere.
Isay DID help Lieberman deceive the "people" -- In this Isay ad Lieberman says he wants to bring the troops home ...
Yet ... in reality Lieberman told CNN that Obama is choosing to lose the Iraq war by planning to withdraw American troops.
What the Hell are you talking about?! We were able to get out of Iraq anytime. Instead we lost thousands more lives and wasted bilions of dollars on the most senseless war in history.
She has name recognition, money, political connections, and soon she'll have an incumbency. No wonder common people think they have to cheat and engage in backroom deals to get ahead. Who, in the entire state of New York, has a chance against this woman, her phone book, and her check book. She wants the seat. She'll have it.
And she'll get to say she got it cleanly. Because nobody gets freebies like the person who obviously doesn't need them.
If the point was only about merit, you would be one hundred percent correct. But it's not about just merit, it's about the person who can make the most impact, during the term of the appointment and beyond, on behalf of the people of New York in the U.S. Senate. I don't think it's necessarily a freebie. She earned her law degree at Columbia Law School. Prior to that, she earned her Bachelor's degree. While raising a family, she raised millions for good causes. Her father gave his life for this country. Her uncle has been an excellent senator for over forty years. Despite all the pressure of being a Kennedy, she has never been involved in any scandal or anything. She helped get Obama elected (she brought Ted on-board). She has shown good judgment throughout her life. She is an excellent mother who has raised three children who have never been in any kind of trouble. She is an accomplished writer and editor. So, clearly it's not just about her name, although her name did help some.
Giving her the seat gets in the way of anyone else getting into a position where they could make a difference. It's a short-term play.
If the Democratic Party wants to have success that outlasts this election cycle, we have to pay attention to the bench. We can't just focus on the children of the famous. We have to support talent.
I do not believe that every single elected official in the state of New York is corrupt or stupid. I believe that the party should appoint one of their own, and if that person doesn't work out, then in two years Caroline Kennedy can demonstrate her commitment to democracy, meritocracy and egalitarianism by participating in the process and running for office.
(It'll still be easier for her than for someone without her money, fame, and connections. But it's as fair as she can make it. And for that effort, I would respect her.)
Why not tap into the elite. The reason Obama became so "prominent" was because he became the darling of the Washingrton "social elite." Several months after this junior senator from a mere midwestern state, not New York state, he spoke at the prestitious Aspen Center. Many members of Washington's top society people attended the lecture. Check the Octtober 2005 issue of "Capitol Style" magazine. In the month he was sworn he made the "A" social list of Washington Life" magazine. He also made the 2005 "in" list of "Washingtonian." Success has many indixcators.
Caroline Kennedy "put her case before the public" via her unwavering support of Barack Obama in the primary and general elections. It's his agenda she'll be pushing for; that's good enough for me!
Just wow. So you don't care what her positions are on the issues or even in NY politics because of her "support" for Obama? Sheep exist on both sides I guess.
This isn't the presidium of the supreme soviet she's getting appointed to, where allegiance to the GenSec is the only qualification.
"Pick up the phone, work the elites," "hire a political fixer." I don't know what Ms Hamsher has against Caroline Kennedy, but it runs deep. If I could, I'd like to ask Ms Hamsher a question: what politician, planning a political career, does NOT pick up the phone, work the elites, and hire a political fixer?
A big difference is that most of the politicians actually run for office.
You could have made the same argument about Hillary not being qualified to run for senator from New York. Look how that turned out!
she ran and won a race / election ( by the people)and was not handed it on a silver platter because of her upper west side connections...
The fact is that somebody will be appointed to fill out the next two years. Two years from now she/he will have to stand for election. Whoever is appointed has political connections. Besides, Caroline is an intelligent women who would be replacing another intelligent woman. Caroline is an Obama supporter which he will desperately need to get his agenda through the Senate. So lighten up. Caroline was absolutely correct when she compaired Barack to her father JFK as far as being inspirational. JFK was my president I'd love to see his daughter in the Senate filling her Uncle Bobby's seat.
I don't know who's qualified for the New York senate seat, but I can say that Joe Lieberman is qualified to write a million-page essay on how he betrayed Connecticut.
I want Hillary for Sec of State!!!!! I love Hillary's sense of humor and international experience. She responded with humor when some silly college kids posted a video of them playing with a likeness of her. She quipped that she has the kid's application on file for a job at State. Humor goes a LONG way when one is dealing with contentious issues and countries not getting along well. Laughter is the best medicine, and Hillary's wit will definitely serve her very well at State. While I supported Obama in the primary and general election, Hillary has grown on me with her helping Obama be nominated by acclamation at the convention, and with her good natured reply to a college kid's prank.
As for Caroline, I believe she would have a chance to prove herself during the two years that she is appointed, if she is the appointee. Then the election in '10 will decide her fate in the Senate. She'll either do well and continue in the Senate, or be voted out for not doing her job.
Actually, if Lieberman would lose to Lamont now (which is doubtful) it would be because he has made the very big mistake of showing his rage and sense of hurt pride to the extent that it looks like everything he does now is about him, not about what he thinks is best for the State of Connecticut.
Lamont did not lose because people misunderstood Lieberman's position on the war. He lost because not enough people were willing to vote against Lieberman on that single issue. Lieberman made it very clear that he was against bringing the troops home until the war had been won. Sure, he said that he would bring them home as soon as he could, but there was no doubt that he was NOT the candidate for ending the war right away. No one could have been deceived on that point.
Caroline Kennedy is a pleasant woman, but my two labradors are pleasant. It doesn't mean they're qualified nor do I know anything about their positions. Except to fetch and eat. End the dynasties, we're NOT Egyptian or Old English.
If we were Roman, a horse would be qualified for the Senate.
I think it's fairly safe to believe that CK "stands for" the same principles as the candidate that she endorsed during election cycle '08...
So a highly educated, experienced, exposed, philanthropic and involved public servant decided that she's willing to make that service official and full time. I am thrilled...
SENATOR CAROLINE KENNEDY '08 AND '10.
This person has never done anything except live a privileged life and raise her kids... hey, good for her but never held office, never started or ran a business, nothing. Yet because her last name is "Kennedy" she is somehow magically qualified for a Senate Position?
Palin a Mayor and a Governor for 20 months was not qualified for VP ( a do nothing job really...) but Kennedy is qualified for the US Senate.
How about this - no more Kennedy's, no more Clinton's, no more Bush's for a while... let's see how that goes for a change...
"...no more Clinton's..." Does this mean that, along with Caroline not getting the Senate seat, that you don't want Hillary to have the State Department?
I mean, I think Caroline would make a fine Senator, but if THAT'S the deal, have your people call my people. :o)
Wakeup dear wakeup-You say the office of vp is a "do nothing job"-Well, it's a job that can turn into the presidency of our country in a heartbeat, or lack thereof-As such, it's far more conscequential than being one out of one hundred state senators for a couple of years-A Palin presidency would be a national nightmare, especially during these difficult times-Sarah is seriously deficient in both intelligence & character-Caroline possesses an ample supply of both-
it's kind of a permanent debating ploy to immediately convert VP palin to President Palin for the sake of argument. palin hysterics do it subconsciously, by reflex. palin is still always confronted as a presidential candidate- not a VP candidate. of course mccain was dying all during the campaign. now, however, he's being a clown on letterman and leno. he has always wanted to be a celebrity.
Kennedys and Clintons have actually done some good things for America, so I could stand more of them.
How about this (given the family record) - no more Bushes *EVER*?!?!?!
She hired one of the best liars in the business that helped one of the worst politicians keep his senate seat. I guess next she’ll be hiring Karl Rove as her advisor.
For someone who hasn’t been steeped in politics very long, she sure learned the ropes pretty quick.
Given the polls and Caroline Kennedy's fundraising abilities, it looks like the appointment is hers to lose:
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/518682.html
It remains to be seen whether or not she will have deserved it.
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