Caroline Kennedy's Critics
A short one on Caroline Kennedy since I've already more than made my thoughts known about whether or not I want her to be my senator...
Why all the venom directed at people who, for whatever reasons, just don't want Caroline.
Why did MJ Rosenberg call us hypocrites? Why did Bernard Avishai so casually dismiss criticisms based on Kennedy's background and qualifications? I know that some people really like Kennedys (and Caroline in particular) but don't people realize that it's possible that people who very passionately don't want her to be senator aren't motivated by any sort of evil?
I've made my case already and you're all familiar with the arguments but why all the venom from Caroline's supporters. It's as if they're somehow shocked or appalled that anyone would criticize, much less oppose, this idea.
I was particularly struck by Rosenberg's argument about governor Rockefeller replacing Bobby Kennedy with a Republican even though New Yorkers had clearly elected a Democrat. Nobody complained then, said Rosenberg, so why are people complaining about Caroline now? There's a couple of troubling assumptions behind that statement. One is that people were right not to complain then. If they didn't, they should have. The other is that New York's laws as they're written are right and good. I'm not so sure. They certainly didn't anticipate having an unelected governor select a senator. Maybe I'm wrong about this and the laws are absolutely the best they can be. But I think it's worth discussing -- Caroline's defenders don't seem to agree.
Finally, there's the matter of a public vetting, another thing that Caroline's supporters seem to think she's above. Before she's appointed I want to see her in a candid, difficult interview. I want to see a platform. I want her to lay her finances bare. She should release her tax returns and list of donors to any foundations she's chaired.
I totally understand why some dismiss the "she's only up for this because of her last name" argument. If you like her, why would you care how she got to be considered? But I can't believe that smart people here are willing to argue that the person who is going to be my senator doesn't owe me some transparent look at her finances and philosophy.
Instead of criticizing Caroline's critics, I think that Caroline's defenders should work to get Caroline to answer some of our critcisms. Show me a platform and show me her books and maybe I'll change my mind.
Why all the venom directed at people who, for whatever reasons, just don't want Caroline.
Why did MJ Rosenberg call us hypocrites? Why did Bernard Avishai so casually dismiss criticisms based on Kennedy's background and qualifications? I know that some people really like Kennedys (and Caroline in particular) but don't people realize that it's possible that people who very passionately don't want her to be senator aren't motivated by any sort of evil?
I've made my case already and you're all familiar with the arguments but why all the venom from Caroline's supporters. It's as if they're somehow shocked or appalled that anyone would criticize, much less oppose, this idea.
I was particularly struck by Rosenberg's argument about governor Rockefeller replacing Bobby Kennedy with a Republican even though New Yorkers had clearly elected a Democrat. Nobody complained then, said Rosenberg, so why are people complaining about Caroline now? There's a couple of troubling assumptions behind that statement. One is that people were right not to complain then. If they didn't, they should have. The other is that New York's laws as they're written are right and good. I'm not so sure. They certainly didn't anticipate having an unelected governor select a senator. Maybe I'm wrong about this and the laws are absolutely the best they can be. But I think it's worth discussing -- Caroline's defenders don't seem to agree.
Finally, there's the matter of a public vetting, another thing that Caroline's supporters seem to think she's above. Before she's appointed I want to see her in a candid, difficult interview. I want to see a platform. I want her to lay her finances bare. She should release her tax returns and list of donors to any foundations she's chaired.
I totally understand why some dismiss the "she's only up for this because of her last name" argument. If you like her, why would you care how she got to be considered? But I can't believe that smart people here are willing to argue that the person who is going to be my senator doesn't owe me some transparent look at her finances and philosophy.
Instead of criticizing Caroline's critics, I think that Caroline's defenders should work to get Caroline to answer some of our critcisms. Show me a platform and show me her books and maybe I'll change my mind.
