Sorry for inflicting a bad Neil Diamond earwig in the New Year. However, it kinda fits the prospective junior senator from New York.
I haven't seen Caroline Kennedy in her new persona as senate candidate, but what I have seen of her over the years showed a smart, charming woman. Those were in apolitical settings as she talked about being a first daughter or about various books, but she seemed very competent. New York could do far worse, like most of their congressional delegation or state AG Andrew Cuomo, who has his dad's smarts but not his charm.
Would she be up for this post were her name not Kennedy? No. Celebrity gets your foot in the door; ask her cousin-in-law Ahnold or half-senator Al Franken.
Do you have to have legislative experience to be a good senator? Not always. Paul Wellstone went from being a poli-sci prof to the Senate and was an effective spokesman for his liberal causes. Sam Hayakawa went from being an English prof to senator on the GOP side; he gave us the great quote from the Panama Canal treaty debate-"Why should we give it back? We stole it fair and square."
Lest we forget, Caroline's uncle Ted has been a rather effective senator as well after being essentially handed the job by his older brother without prior elective experience. Side note-Ted was a pretty good tight end at Harvard, getting some interest from the Packers, but opted for "another contact sport, politics." Wags might say that he went from being a good tight end to being good at getting tight. That's the only Teddy-bashing allowed on this post, Peanut Gallery.
She might prove to be a formidable factor in the Democratic party if given a chance, a blue-state Sarah Palin of sorts. She has Upper East Side charm rather than ya-betcha spunk, but with a warmth that might appeal to the hockey and soccer moms (and dads) that Palin resonates with.
Recent Comments