On the potential appointment of Caroline Kennedy to serve out the next two years of Hillary Clinton’s senate term (it ends in 2012, but a special election will take place in 2010), do you agree more with Jane Hamsher, Markos, and Atrios, who oppose it, or with Al Giordano, who enthusiastically endorses it?
I confess, I find Al’s argument more compelling, but barely so. I tend to agree with the arguments against, just not in this particular case.
I don’t agree with Kos or Jane about the dynastical aspect. If Caroline fall flat on her face or doesn’t serve NY, she will lose in 2010. But that is my worry. Caroline is not a politician. She is not that good of a public speaker. Maybe she learned how to be one over the course of this campaign, but I don’t see it. Her speeches are boring, with no inflection in her voice.
I am not worried about her ability to retain the seat. Nor am I worried about her politics. I’m just sympathetic to the argument that we shouldn’t engage in dynastic politics as a matter of principle. Yet, it’s Caroline.
You see, I don’t understand that point: that we should not engage in dynastic politics as a matter of principle.
Why? What is the principle? That we have to exclude talented and qualified people from office because of whom their parents were? I find that discriminatory. If Caroline wants to enter politics, why should her family name, or we, stop her?
I don’t think we should stop her. The criticism is twofold. First, it’s one thing to demonstrate your chops through campaigning, and another to be handed a seat. Second, we keep rotating Bushes, Doles, Kennedys, and Clintons in this country, as if people hold office in this country by dynastic right. It’s not a good or healthy development. We should resist reinforcing this tendency.
Or you might as well ask, why should her family name propel her into Credible Candidate status? Do you really think she’d have gotten even considered if she was an auto worker named Hussein or Cruz? Not from anything I’ve seen.
The lust for dynastic succession weakens the democratic ideal and promotes the notion that the undeserving elite are somehow superior to the rest. It’s such a powerful yearning that even the stark examples of the Bushes and Romney, among others, don’t dent it. There are lots of people out there with Caroline’s qualifications. Making national decisions based on sentimentality is both irrelevant and irresponsible.
She’s amazing. She’s got an incredible history of quiet, effective activism.
Anyone who thinks she’d be getting by on name alone simply doesn’t know her, or has never read her thoughtful writings.
we’re a nation that embrace entitlements, noblese oblige,
what arrogance!!
where are the jack’s and jill’s entitlements?
and while we’re at it — Merrill Lynch chief Johnny Thain says he deserves a $10 million bonus. Merrill lost more than $11 billion and was forced sold with tax dollars to Bank of America. Meanwhile Bank of America takes tax dollars in the bailout to keep the economy going, keep jobs afloat, yet they hoard and shutter companies leaving workers out in the cold.
It’s a Christmas holiday basket full of pox…appropriate to usher in a brutal 2009.
I think Jane’s et al arguments are good ones, but think Ms. Kennedy would make an excellent Senator nonetheless.
g.
Plain and simple.
At least with Caroline Kennedy, the state of New York would have someone who has lived there most of her life. I have no qualms with Paterson appointing Caroline Kennedy. It would be one of the smartest things he’s done since taking office.
I love the idea of Caroline Kennedy as a senator, but I can’t for the life of me imagine why she’s want it. But if she’s willing to do it, I say give it to her, and be grateful.
And as for the two dynasties, I much prefer the Kennedy dynasty. I’ve had enough of the Clintonian drama.
I mean…really.
And…why not hire someone who has paid some dues in the world other than personal tragedy?
The real world.
What makes Barack and Michelle Obama so extraordinary…and I extend this idea to Bill Clinton (and by extension Hillary as well, upon whom much of his early life must have rubbed off, bet on it)l…is the simple fact that THEY PAID SOME REAL-WORLD DUES before ascending to the stratosphere of American politics. With all the good intentions in the world, how can a third generation billionaire truly know what is up with the people?
Sorry, but there it is.
No street time.
Not really.
Further…let us look at her bloodlines a little. And bloodlines is the only reason on earth why she is under serious consideration.
She is the daughter of the children of two world-class political thieves.
Sorry once again. Joe Kennedy and Black Jack Bouvier belong in an Orson Welles film.
Of the second generation of Kennedys, the only one with real creds as far as I am concerned was RFK, and I believe that he needed the epiphany of his brother’s tragic rise and fall to wake him the fuck up.
Jack? A lot of show, not that much go. Not much in the way of honor, either as far as I can see. He made a social marriage to a climber who remarried yet another world class thief after his death (Aristotle Onassis) and then proceeded to fuck all of Hollywood and most of Mafia-run Las vegas as well. He died because of his own hubris when you get right down to it. He thought that he was immortal (I know from successful Irish hustler families, bet on it.), and thus fatally fucked with some serious hitters.
Teddy? Sorry a third time, but w/out his two brothers to preceded him? I don’t think so. He would have drunk himself to death in the upper-class Catholic country clubs that would have had him at the time and nothing more. I am sorry for his illness, but that does not hide the fact that he is totally a creature of inherited position.
So here we are about to thrust a good librarian with a big family history into the shark tank of theU nited States Senate for political reasons. I suppose that something like that going to happen anyway, but at LEAST make it Andrew Cuomo, who is one generation closer to the street.
Better yet? There must be an honest, capable black or hispanic pol in all of NY State. Send yet another a message to both the Senate and the minority populations of NY and the rest of the country that the age of white privilege is over in the U.S., that having a successfully crooked white hustler grandfather…witness McCain, the Bushes and Gore just for starters…does not a politician make.
But nooooooo….
Betcha.
Aniother Senator Kennedy is in the works.
Why?
Because she asked for it, apparently.
New age, my ass!!!
People Magazine politics as usual.
Whadda buncha maroons!!!
Later…
AG
you want to really blow some minds? Appoint Nydia Velázquez. She’s currently the chair of the House Small Business Committee, and she’s totally qualified. But she hasn’t lost her heavy Puerto Rican accent, and she’d struggle to connect with upstate voters on a cultural level for just that reason alone.
So what? Let her take her chances.
I’m with you on this, since she wasn’t appointed Secretary of Commerce.
And not because it would “blow minds”, but because she is qualified to be Senator. Her understanding of the needs of small business is a tremendous asset. And she knows how the place runs.
I am not so sure about Velazquez…not that I know anything particular to recommend against her, just that I smell politics as usual (NYC Puerto Rican style…please Google Ramon Velez[Ramon S. Velez} for all you need to know on that thought) wafting out of every pore of her body. My own pick would be New York State Supreme Court Judge and author Edwin Torres.
He is a heavy in any number of ways.
First of all, he came up on the streets. All you have to do is read one of his books… Carlito’s Way and Q + A are my two favorites…to understand his own understanding of what happens in the real world.
Secondly, he truly supports Hispanic culture. As in…showing up at concerts and dances not as a photo-op but simply to dig what is happening.
And third…well, he is quite adept politically or he wouldn’t have made it up through the ranks.
Of course..he is about 70 years old, but he is as strong as a horse as far as one can see. I do know this…he dances his ass off.
Not that second generation political hustler Paterson will have the courage to do so, judging from the leak campaign already raging in favor of Caroline Kennedy.
But we can always hope.
My own take on this thing is that there was a quid pro quo thing in place when she joined forces with the Obama campaign back in early ’08.
Here are the available facts:
Hmmmm….
6/20/07? She’s on the Clinton bandwagon.
A few months later, she’s with Obama?
Hmmmm….
Bet on it.
AG
Later…
AG
AG
who still believe in Santa Claus and honest politics…here ’tis, folks.
The REAL deal.
Bet on it.
For those who will say…”Oh. Well. That is obviously politics as usual. He’s being framed” all I can add is this.
What if he IS being framed?
It is STILL fix politics as usual.
And if someone says “Yeah. Right. Crooked Chicago politics as usual. That’s not the way it happens here in (fill in any location on earth)” I will answer “Uhhhh…where was it that our shiny new Preznit cut his political teeth, again?”
I actually believe that the image of Clinton and Obama that I posted above is the most accurate visual representation of where things are really at in big time politics than has been presented in the last 50 years.
Two feral dogs planning the next stalk.
That’s the way it works. Those with less killer instinct and sheer guile fall by the wayside.
Them what win long and big are hailed as conqueror heroes; the ones that get caught go slip-slidin’ on down that tricky ol’ Nixonian tube.
So it goes.
If you don’t like it…move elsewhere.
“Where?” you ask?
Precisely.
Where indeed.
Later…
AG
haven’t read the articles on Blago yet but an elf told me that the Obama Camp refused to play ball.
Bank of America.
YOU know.
As in CIA/B.C.C.I. involved Bank of America? You remember Ollie North and Iran-Contra, right?
Favors beget favors…
And I am SO glad to see Petrock Fitzgerald at work here. The very founder of the idea of Fitzmas.
Nice, Paddy me boy.
Still hard at work (not successfully) prosecuting the truly guilty, eh?
Unless they are guilty of crossing your masters of course. Right?
Riiiiight.
But you DO look good in that suit.
How do you get it to hang so well, empty as it is?
The Augean Stables had nothing on us.
Bet on it.
AG
So Blagojevich was seeking personal profit of one kind of another for this appointment, right?
That’s bad. So I am being told over and over again, anyway.
The media verdict is in.
Is the Caroline Kennedy/Hillary switch thing not seeking even more “personal profit? If you stretch that definition to include political profit”? YOU know…assembling a Kennedy/Clinton/so-called “New Politcs” rapprochement that will give Obama a real boost?
The kind of boost that produces a successful presidency?
I guess that’s good. Right?
Even though I will bet you that every pol Blagogevich was considering has more true political experience than does Caroline Kennedy.
Hmmmm…
Plus…Bill Clinton only had about 2/3rds of a successful presidency, and wasn’t a large part of the big rap that almost everyone on the leftiness blogs used against Hillary’s candidacy was the amount on money that Bill earns as an ex-president?
Hmmmmm…
Lotsa grey area here, ain’t there?
Hmmmmm…
AG
As a prospective constituent, I have no problem with Caroline Kennedy serving for HRC’s remaining time. HRC also had no prior experience in elected office, if memory serves. If Caroline wishes to continue after 2010 she will then need to deal with the rigors of fundraising and campaigning. Her name will surely help but by then she will have something of a track record.
Okay what about the Clinton dynasty? Is a first lady automatically qualified to be a Senator, like a Senator Barbara Bush?
We need a Kennedy in the Senate, because that Kennedy will always be a lifeline between the right wing or centrist Democrats and the left wing. Remember that term, “left wing?” And if Markos dislikes the idea, what more does one need? Daily Kos did not afterall represent the left wing of the Democratic party as it was sometimes proported. I think even Kucinich avoided posting there.
Sorry but there is still room for a bleeding heart liberal in the Senate, and this one I like.
She actually had to run a campaign, raise money, participate in debates, win a primary, etc. She was not appointed to the Senate because her last name was “Clinton”.
This kind of nepotism, based on which family you are from, is unAmerican and frankly rather disgusting.
There are plenty of great liberal NYers who would thrive in the seat, and give us some fresh blood.
Some of us like old blood, like an FDR Democrat who is concerned about the poor and disadvantaged, the kind of people Reagan told us were freeloaders.
Just a difference of opinion here or perhaps a difference in Democratic politics. I just didn’t move right with the party when it was told to do so.
As an ‘upstate’ (north of Westchester) constituent, I’d happily support Velázquez. I won’t rend my garments if Kennedy is chosen either (though Schumer might –a plus!).
What would cause me pain would be the loss of my Congressman, Maurice Hinchey, as some are suggesting should occur.
When pigs fly, really.
I won’t rend my garments if Kennedy is chosen either (though Schumer might –a plus!).
Oh, that’s just TOO funny! Heh.
I’m with Jane, Kos, and Atrios. It’s bad enough when members of a political family use their fame and connections to get elected to public office (see “Clinton, H.R.”). But appointed??? To the Senate?? After, as far as I can tell, her public life thus far consists primarily of taking care of her family connections??
Fuhgetaboutit!!!
It really doesn’t bother me that much. Does the law give the governor the power to appoint anyone he damn well pleases as long as they meet the Constitutional requirements? If so, then she’s met the standard. Doesn’t mean the voters can’t kick her out next time.
Also: Has Al Giordano ever criticized Obama?
He wasn’t keen on Clinton at State.
I think Caroline Kennedy would make a fine senator. As an upstate New Yorker, she has my unqualified support. She has conducted her life with uncommon dignity and grace and been, apparently, the key force in the Kennedy organization, no small accomplishment.
Anyone who watched the funeral in 1963, would have, I believe, a strong emotional bond with her.
It’s time for another progressive senator from New York named Kennedy.
She has no right to the seat. She hasn’t earned it. What has she done besides get appointed to positions? Nothing.
Appoint a fine public servant to the seat. Appoint Cuomo. Appoint Bloomberg. Appoint any Democrat who has run for and won a lower seat.
No to a hereditary ruling class.
casey was from a dynasty, a poor spreaker and anti choice to boot yet look at all the people who made way for him and supported clearing the field for him.
i wish we could get rid of casey and get caroline down here.
That’s the democratic way.
I really am uncomfortable with appointing famous people who have done nothing to senate seats. What has she done? Besides choosing her parents well, I mean.
I really despise nepotism and think this would be a slap in the face to all the NY politicians who worked their ass off for years, doing all the dirty work of fundraising and going door to door, all to give the job to a dynasty member who was born rich and has never held political office.
I like Caroline Kennedy just fine, but I don’t think she’d be a great senator.
I’m pulling for Rep. Carolyn Maloney. Brilliant, super-liberal, and would not need training wheels in the Senate.