Caroline Kennedy: Thank God some NY elected officials are speaking out against her appointment.

[HeraldSquare212]

Mayor’s Aide Pushes Hard for Kennedy
By MICHAEL BARBARO and RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Published: December 17, 2008


When a powerful labor leader picked up the phone this week, he was surprised to hear the voice of a top aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York.

The aide, Kevin Sheekey, a deputy mayor, made it clear: Caroline Kennedy is going to be the next senator from New York, “so get on board now,” according to a person with direct knowledge of the call.


-snip-

But now, it is setting off a backlash among some Democrats who see in her well-orchestrated emergence the same message of inevitability and entitlement that surrounded Mr. Bloomberg’s successful bid for a third term — a campaign overseen by Mr. Sheekey.

They worry that the Bloomberg administration’s advocacy for Ms. Kennedy will only reinforce her image as a privileged Upper East Sider whose biggest base of support is from Manhattan’s exclusive social set.

“It appears to be another case of central casting by the city’s cognoscenti,” said a Democratic city councilman, John C. Liu. “It’s amazing how much it’s all about the upper crust.”

Rory I. Lancman, a state assemblyman, said that there was “a growing concern that high public office is being reserved for a better class of people — people who can buy into it like Michael Bloomberg or people who can come into it through their celebrity like Caroline Kennedy.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/nyregion/18bloomberg.html?_r=1

[MADem]

1. Mrs. Schlossberg is a lousy candidate.

Way to tarnish the already tattered "Kennedy Legacy."

I guess Teddy thought that since the idea of putting his wife Victoria in his job when he passed was going over like a lead balloon in MA, that the way to keep the family name in the Senate was to give Miss Never-Worked-a-Real-Job-For-a-Day-in-Her-Life a seat.

I'm profoundly OFFENDED, really. I'd rather they threw MARIO CUOMO in the job as a temporary place holder until primary fields can be developed and a real contest amongst people with RESUMES happens.

It really feels like this isn't a democracy anymore, when this kind of crap goes down. The only things missing are the searing heat and thobes. Oh, and we're not chopping off hands or beheading people, yet....

[Captain Hilts]

2. Paterson hasn't the approval rating or clout to make a choice for anyone but a placeholder...

so he should pick Cuomo or Slaughter.

Let CK earn it on her own. I think she'd be a good senator, but she needs to earn it Upstate.

[karynnj]

5. He may not have the approval rating or the clout, but he has the

governorship which gives him the right. Out of curiosity, what approval rating is needed? I think this is the latest poll - where 64% approve and 14% don't - that was in August, 2008 - so you may have later results. 64% is pretty healthy to me.

[otohara]

15. Google Is Your Friend and Poll Numbers Are Widely Available

http://www.maristpoll.marist.edu/nyspolls/GV081028.htm

[HeraldSquare212]

16. Never mind.

[roguevalley]

39. if you don't like 'entitlements' you can't put cuomo in that group.

unless male heirs are fine and female are entitlements.

[MADem]

51. I think MARIO ought to be the placeholder, myself.

I say let Mario hold the seat until the next election.

Not Andrew, his daddy. The guy with the really good experience as governor of the state. The one who isn't an heir or a legacy candidate. That's the Cuomo I like in the job.

Then, let the two parties field real candidates who can duke it out in the primary/general process.

[paulk]

3. hear, hear

"offended" is the right word.

I, too, am offended by this, along with dumbfounded...

Caroline Kennedy may be the nicest person in the whole wide world, she might even make a great Senator, but the idea of appointing her to the US Senate simply because of her last name (and that is what this is) is simply galling.

It's not what our country is about and it's not what the Democratic Party is about.

[karynnj]

7. Rather predictable of you

and it ignores that in polls she is at the top and the second highest is a Cuomo.

The fact is that Senate vacancies are almost everywhere (MA is an exception - and we know why) filled by appointments - so no one CAN earn it. If it were an election, Kennedy would be the front runner now given the polls.

[HeraldSquare212]

13. Two weeks of polls is not an election. And she could have earned by being previously elected to

another office, but she chose not to get involved in politics until now.

[MADem]

18. Predictable? In what way, pray tell? Do explain yourself.

We in MA actually CHANGED the rules to thwart Mitt Romney in case Kerry won. We didn't always do the irritatingly Democratic thing, and shell out the dough for a Special Election. It would be hypocritical if we went back to that appointment system.

In the OLD days, Governors would appoint "the wife" to finish out the term. That way, there WAS no incumbent. Then, wives decided they wanted to KEEP the job. It changed the dynamic.

Perhaps Patterson should appoint BILL Clinton to finish out Hillary's term. That would be fun.

Teddy, though, tried to CHANGE THE RULES BACK and have his wife appointed to his job. When that didn't fly, he chose to stay on.

Now, Plan B is Caroline.

I still don't like it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/05/22/2008-05-22_ted_kennedy_id_like_wife_to_take_seat.html

[paulk]

31. dupe

.

[paulk]

33. newest poll has Cuomo ahead

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/12/15/daily44.html

these polls aren't very meaningful at this point, being based mostly on name recognition for both of them, imho...

[Unsane]

23. Her name is not and never has been "Schlossberg"

Her surname has always been Kennedy; it was never legally changed.

[MADem]

30. But people call her whatever they call her--she said so, herself.

She didn't run around bellowing about it, or "informing" editors of their error. She apparently never cared one way or another, until suddenly, now, when the association might be useful, and that clumsy name of her husband's, less so.

WHY DO YOU USE THE NAME KENNEDY ON YOUR BOOKS, RATHER THAN KENNEDY SCHLOSSBERG, YOUR MARRIED NAME?

I never actually changed my name. But people call me whatever they call me.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002414,00.html

She managed to have it both ways for quite some time:

KING: How is Mr. Schlossberg?

C. KENNEDY: He is great.

KING: That is not your -- you don't use the name Schlossberg, do you? I mean, you do and you don't.

C. KENNEDY: Right. Well, I never really changed my name. But Ed is wonderful in every possible way.

Even the DNC called her Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg....

http://www.demconvention.com/caroline-kennedy-schlossberg/

How DARE they! The NERVE of Howard Dean and Co...!

She'd better get used to the scrutiny...and her kids had better, too. They've already gotten a taste of the "Barb and Jenna" treatment, http://gawker.com/5070555/new-rose-kennedy-schlossberg-photos-tell-shocking-tale-of-smoking-drinking-famous-college-student but if Mommy goes to Washington, they'll get more, still.

[Unsane]

38. they do and they're wrong

just like you

[MADem]

40. Caroline herself said I'm not wrong.

I even quoted her.

Yet, you persist, like a dog with a bone.

Get down off the cross, why don't you?

[Unsane]

48. Nothing in your quote indicates that

all she says is that people call her what they want

[MADem]

49. Read the interview. She doesn't object. NT

[makinguphumans]

57. WRONG--look here---at her books:******************

I see she goes by both names--on her books at least.


Alderman Ellen, Kennedy-Schlossberg Caroline:
The Right to Privacy

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The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg

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[MarjorieG]

4. CK would have to earn it in 2010. OTOH Slaughter is my absolute fave; would accomplish lots in 2 yrs

Liu is electioneering. 37 of our City Council are roaming around looking for next public service/pay jobs. Lots of rhetoric flying around.

[onenote]

41. Slaughter is a very good congresswoman and would be terrible choice for senate

First,choosing almost anyone to be a placeholder for two years is a terrible idea. New senators generally are expected to be seen, not heard. There are exceptions of course -- HRC and Jim Webb come to mind. But they brought with them something that other senators were interested in --- HRC's connections and fundraising prowess and Jim Webb's military cred. As good as she is, she wouldn't bring that much to the table. A Senator running for election or reelection in, say, the midwest, isn't going to look to Louise Slaughter to accompany him/her on a campaign stop. Plus, as a placeholder, there is even less reason for anyone to horsetrade. That person is going to be gone, so why work with them or help them? Its not pretty, but its undeniably the culture of the Senate.

So, as much as I like Slaughter, there simply is no reason to think that she'd "accomplish lots" in 2 years in the senate as a placehlder. To the contrary, she'd probably accomplish next to nothing, which is probably why she has, I understand, indicated that she's not interested.

[mmonk]

6. If Kennedy should be rejected due to her name, then I suppose

it goes without saying someone else should be appointed because they do not share that name?

[GarbagemanLB]

17. She should be rejected because of her resume. She should not be CHOSEN because of her name.

[mmonk]

21. Give me the problem areas of her resume'.

[GarbagemanLB]

22. How about the fact that there isn't much on it?

If she wants to run on her resume and let the PEOPLE decide, then fine.

She is the wrong pick in this situation, where a single person is deciding the qualifications.

[mmonk]

24. I believe the process calls for the governor to fill the remainder

of the term for the Senate seat through his pick. Again, answer my question as it relates to the requirements of the office. Where is the problem area?

[SuperTrouper]

8. Get used to it: Senator Caroline Kennedy (D, NY) it is a done deal

the token opposition is just that, token opposition.

[WI_DEM]

9. Patterson will appoint Kennedy

and the Patterson/Kennedy ticket will win NY easily in 2010.

[SuperTrouper]

10. Invincible ticket

[TexasObserver]

11. She's really going to have to work on her people skills.

I'm not one who thinks she is not qualified. I think she could be a decent choice, but she's got to be more of a people person. Getting out among the electorate is critical, and not answering questions was similar to the Palin two step.

[SuperTrouper]

12. Gov. Paterson told her not to talk to the press. She is not supposed to make a big splash

at this moment. However, by the end of the day she was more chatty with NY Press corps. Paterson wants no controversies or any drama before he appoints her to the Hillary seat. But of course, the MSM is all over the place having premature ejaculation about CKS

[Retrograde]

19. don't talk to the press? Sounds familiar

seems I've seen this recently - some candidate put in a prominent slot to make a news splash, kept carefully away from all except a few tame press reps, came from another state where replacement senators aren't appointed because of perceived past abuses, it's on the tip of my brain...

My advice to Patterson, FWIW especially since he's not my governor, is appoint a career politician or even a career bureaucrat who is near retirement - or even retired, like Mario Cuomo - and let Kennedy join in the fray for 2010.

[Beacool]

14. Finally someone with the cojones to buck Bloomberg and the Kennedys!!!

Caroline wants a senate seat? Well, then let her campaign for it in 2010 like everyone else. It shouldn't be given to her wrapped in a big bow like some freaking Christmas present because she happens to be one of the many Kennedys out there.

What the hell is this, the US senate or the damn House of Lords??????

x(

[MessiahRp]

25. Says the supporter of Hillary who had no experience herself as an elected official

and had every viable Democrat pushed out of the race so she could win a Senate seat in a State which she never even lived in.

The hypocrisy is pretty evident in all of the Clinton supporters who dislike the idea of a Kennedy getting the seat based on their name when that's exactly how Hillary Clinton got her Senate seat.

Rp

[HeraldSquare212]

26. I didn't support Hillary and I don't support Kennedy.

But you have to admit, Clinton had some pretty impressive experience as compared to Kennedy. Being in the White House for eight years, running health care reform (which failed, but nevertheless that's experience in the policy-making area).

[MessiahRp]

27. "Being in the White House for eight years"

Her Husband was the elected official. That's like saying Laura Bush would be qualified to be a Senator right out of the chute.

Really there is little qualification or circumstance difference here.

Rp

[HeraldSquare212]

28. But it's more experience than living on Park Ave for eight years.

[MessiahRp]

36. Not really.

Being the wife of an elected official doesn't mean you yourself have experience as an elected official. Being the daughter of a President doesn't mean you have experience in the White House.

Before they got to this point they were basically equally qualified. Both were attorneys, both worked on campaigns.

Rp

[NashVegas]

53. Tell It to Jean Carnahan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Carnahan

[MessiahRp]

56. Right well my argument isn't that Hillary or Jean shouldn't have gotten their positions

rather my argument was they got their positions based on their names and if it was okay for them to do it then there is no issue with Caroline Kennedy doing it. However there are a lot of Hillary supporters who tend to think that their woman is the only qualified woman to use political dynasty to her benefit for some reason.

Rp

[Beacool]

29. There's a BIG difference:

Hillary ran for office and worked her butt off to win the votes of New Yorkers. Caroline expects to be appointed to a senate seat when she has never ran for anything in her life and by her own choice. Besides, Hillary was vastly more experienced than Caroline.

[MessiahRp]

34. "Vastly"

Based on what? Being married to an elected official? Otherwise their resumes seem similar. They both worked on campaigns and they were both attorneys.

Hillary ran for office with all opposition against her forced out. She did not have a viable Democratic opponent specifically because of her last name and favors from party insiders.

Also if Hillary could have just been appointed, she would have taken it in a heartbeat. As it turns out the seat was not vacant so the circumstances were such that she had to run a campaign... even so it was not like your regular campaign as she was offered practically no opposition thanks to intervention by long time friends in the party.

Rp

[HeraldSquare212]

35. But she had to run in the general election. I'm no Hillary fan, but she did run and win.

[CakeGrrl]

42. Yes, but as was said above, only when the way was paved for a shoo-in.

Besides which, why is anyone arguing that the seat must be "earned" when NY rules declare that it's going to be appointed? NO ONE is running for the seat.

As for 'experience', the same song was being sung about Obama during the primaries. I just don't see where Hillary set some sort of gold standard for experience here.

[HeraldSquare212]

46. The way was paved for the Dem nomination, she had to win the GE

Obama was a community organizer and a state senator before being a US Senator. Kennedy doesn't have anything near that.

[onenote]

43. and so will whomever is appointed in two years.

Its not a lifetime appointment. Its not even a particularly good guarantee of getting to serve a full term. I've pointed this out before, but in case you missed it:

Appointed senators are extremely vulnerable. There have been 30 appointed US Senators since 1970. More than half did not end up being elected to a full term. 11 were defeated, either in the primary or the GE; 7 didn't bother to run, in some cases because they could read the writing on the wall. More than half of those who ran and were defeated lost at the primary stage. Of the twelve (out of 30) appointed senators that got elected upon the expiration of their appointed term, four only served one full term before losing re-election or deciding not to run again (and four have not yet stood for re-election).

Getting the nomination without having to face any competition for it -- something I supported in the case of HRC -- is not terribly different from getting appointed. At some point you have to face the voters if you want a full term and just as getting the nomination was not a guarantee for HRC, it wouldn't be a guarantee for CK.

So the real question is whether, for the two year period that someone is going to serve as an appointed senator, who will have more impact in the Senate -- and that almost certainly would be CK since the value of her endorsement (shown by the reaction to her support for Obama) almost certainly would make someone that more senior members would reach out to, both to support their agenda and to support hers.

[Jackeens]

20. "another case of central casting by the city’s cognoscenti"...alliteration heaven!! n/t

[Uzybone]

32. Its a done deal

remember how much it looked like Hillary would not be the SoS pick? Yeah, thats how it looks like Caroline will not be appointed. I just don't see how Patterson picks anyone else.

[bottomtheweaver]

37. Methinks the NY Times would prefer a more tractable candidate.

Somebody who could be bullied into voting the way the departing Senator voted. Tough.

[HeraldSquare212]

47. Well, CKS said she's a "Clinton Democrat", so I'm not sure what you mean.

[Beacool]

52. You're talking out of your ass.

NO ONE bullies Hillary, not even Bill.

x(

[HeraldSquare212]

54. Well, the gossip is she's having an affair with the publisher of the Times, so I doubt the paper is

against her.

[Cha]

58. Oh, it's the little gossipmonger,

again.

[BeyondGeography]

44. Sounds like the HRC rollout to me

How'd that work out?

[BlooInBloo]

45. I didn't care until Reid came out in support of her.

[saltpoint]

50. Whether it turns out to Kennedy or someone else, I like the way Paterson

is playing this.

I think he's top-drawer.

[Jennicut]

55. I wish Caroline would come run here in 2012, we could use anyone against Joe Loserman