My Case Against Camelot

Caroline Kennedy should not be appointed to Hillary Clinton's seat. Plain and simple. As someone with an unending appreciation for the Kennedy mystique, I understand why just whispering her name as a replacement makes the New York press and political community go absolutely crazy.

There are three very important reasons why I don't think she would make a good enough Senator from New York.

First, what in god's name does she actually believe. Has she ever written a position paper? Has she ever written or supervised someone writing a bill, before it's become a law? Where does she stand on the role the federal government should have in fixing the economy, or our access to affordable health care coverage, or the quality of public education. Considering how one of her main accomplishments is raising private funds for public schools, is that something she believes our country doesn't do enough of then? I know she's a Democrat and I know that she supports Barack Obama, but so did a lot of people. I want more.

I'm also extremely uncomfortable with the idea of having someone so famously private become my representative in such a competive, pushy place. Unless your in the leadership or a Chairperson of a Committee, you better believe that Senators need to pick a few issues and focus on them. Otherwise, they become a Chuck Schumer-like press hound and get very little real legislation passed. And guess what, he already represents my state as well. I guess I would like to know what her passions are. Is it education? What? She'll likely have to choose only a few things, I can't say I know what she's really interested in. (Also, the fact that as a political glutton, that I cannot answer that question is troubling.)

Second, there is no indication that she has even a passing familiarity with upstate New York. This is problematic for two reasons, Democrats need to win in upstate in order to win state-wide and further, upstate economies are struggling throughout and need an incredibly strong advocate in the Senate. Hillary knew this and began her listening tour in upstate. Does Caroline really think she knows upstate New York well enough? And not only that, but their diverse and struggling economies? I doubt it. She's clearly a smart woman, but I don't want a fast learner as a Senator, especially now when federal and state budgets are shrinking thanks to bankrupt investment banks. I want someone already acutely aware of my state's needs, from Brooklyn to Buffalo.

Third, I'm not convinced that she has the charisma we need in a state wide leader. These are tough times that call for empathy at home and advocacy in Washington from a Senator who has the charisma to pull it off on both ends.

I saw her on Meet the Press the weekend before the Democratic Convention and she was so bitterly cold to Tom Brokaw, I remember thinking that, if I were running for President, I wouldn't want her speaking for me. [*Ed: remember when she blew off Wolf at the Convention when he asked about the Biden picking process? Andrea Mitchell is the only person she'll even look in the eye.] That isn't even Schumer-level charisma, its stiff and unrelatable. Neither bubbly like her cousin Kathleen Kennedy Townsend of Maryland, nor elegantly compassionate like her uncle Ted. At rallies, she only spoke after crowds were already riled up (READY TO GO). Now, given the personalities I'm used to enjoying in my elected leaders, I bet Abraham Lincoln would have bored the crap out of me. But for Lincoln, television wasn't how elections were won. Today, that's what's where you get people on your side. Just being famous really isn't enough. Hillary is charismatic in her own way. In debates for sure. I'm not convinced that Caroline Kennedy is charasmatic enough to carry so much as a state assembly district, especially where she lives in Manhattan!

This is so long and wordy but I'd like to make a prediction and explain it. New York is a state where you pay your dues and wait your turn before you get nominated to run for the office you want. This is largely due to New York being a state that doesn't like risky candidates it doesn't know well enough. [*Ed: or New York's irredeemably corrupted county-based party leaders] See Freddy Ferrer's disastrous run for Mayor in 2005 and H. Carl McCall's embarrassingly bad run against Pataki in 2002. Paterson is a big time party hack and I predict that he says in school and doesn't appoint Caroline Kennedy.

It's not just electeds who want someone with reliable and predictable ideas in position of power but also the people who really hold power in New York State politics, namely, the people who organize and raise money, i.e. unions, political action committees and the lobbying arms of business organizations and associations. Reliable sources tell me that the people who belong to these groups are either keeping quiet, or speaking to the Governor and others, not in support of Caroline Kennedy but Andrew Cuomo. Specifically, Emily's List, NARAL, and Planned Parenthood all are all confidentially in the Cuomo camp. Donors and bundlers are probably speaking to Paterson about who they think he should appoint and why, but I doubt there are many (or any, for that matter) who have close enough relationships with him that they could affect his decision. Governor Paterson has only become a robust fundraiser in his own right as of March 2008.

Finally, it needs to be mentioned that I am not impartial. I would like nothing more than to see Andrew Cuomo appointed to Hillary's Senate seat.