The Family Business
Caroline Kennedy is catching a lot of flak lately, all because she thought would offer herself as a candidate to fill a Senate seat once held by her late uncle, Robert F. Kennedy.
To read and listen to some pols and pundits, how dare she!
There are those who claim she's only there because of her political family name. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) went so far as to claim Mrs. Edwin Schlossberg (her married name) has no relevant experience, that she has never held a job let alone elective office. New York papers are beating their chests that she had the nerve to not vote in several mayoral and primary elections. Heaven forbid a Kennedy exercise her Constitutional right to not vote just like several million Americans do each and every election cycle.
Susan Molinari, also a New York Republican and former member of, and daughter of, and wife of former members of Congress weighed to say all these questions about her perceived lack of experience and political dynastic politics are "fair game." Tough scrutiny, they call it. Hey Susan, meet kettle.
That got me thinking. (And Lord knows, that is a dangerous thing for anyone to make me do!)
John Adams, John Quincy Adams.
Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Joseph P. Kennedy, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Robert Francis Kennedy, Edward Moore Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Maria Shriver).
Andrew Cuomo (with a Kennedy cousin as an ex-wife, no less), Mario Cuomo.
Prescott Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush, George Walker Bush, Jeb Bush.
Guy Molinari, Susan Molinari, L. William Paxson.
Richard Daley, William Daley, Richard Daley, Sr.
Albert Gore, Sr. Albert Gore, Jr.
William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Jerry Brown.
Ronald Wilson Reagan, Maureen Reagan.
James Wolcott Wadsworth, John Hay, Stuart Symington, J. Fife Symington, John Hay Whitney, James W. Symington, Fife Symington III
Stewart Udall, Mo Udall, Tom Udall, Mark Udall, Gordon Smith, John Hunt Udall, Nick Udall, Rex E. Lee.
George Romney, Mitt Romney.
John Sununu, Sr. John Sununu, Jr.
Basil Paterson, David Paterson.
Thomas D'Alessandro, Jr. Nancy Pelosi, Thomas D'Alessandro, III.
"Moon" Landrieu, Mary Landrieu, Mitch Landrieu,
(For more poltical families, see this spot at Wikipedia, for this list is by no means definitive.)
For all the big talk about how the United States is not about political dynasties, and all the talk about how "democratic" the process should be to allow the "qualified, but unconnected" people access, it is amazing how all this talk comes from folks who are pretty well-connected themselves.
Even Peter King has some good New York connections: seems Mr. King's father, Peter, Sr., was a New York City policeman. In NYC, having family as part of New York's Finest or Bravest is the ultimate connection to one of those good paying jobs whose nexus is a stone's throw from Battery Park.
The truth is, we like dynastic politics even though we say we don't. We like the idea of fathers and daughters, Guy and Susan or Jack and Caroline, or mothers and sons, like Carrie P. and Kendrick Meeks serving in our government. We feel comfortable with families who've made politics and public service part of the family business.
Attempting to disqualify Caroline Kennedy on the basis of her family heritage is as petty as it gets.
Kudos!
December 19, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem is she wants to become a Senator without ever having waged any sort of campaign, without representing any constituency, and without leading a company or any other major effort. It's nearly unprecedented, with the obvious exception of spouses appointed to their dead spouse's position.
She wants to be Senator, she can run like everyone else in 2010.
December 19, 2008 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Same comment made to Donal below applies here. She, like anyone else in NY is entitled to the opportunity to make her case to Gov. Paterson. If she (or you, if you live in NY) want to be considered for the job, go for it.
There are no "turns" in politics. If we learned nothing from this election, at least let us learn that. It wasn't Clinton's or McCain's "turn" nor will it be Palin's in 2012. You strike while the iron is hot.
December 20, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nicely researched.
December 19, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Personally I'm not comfortable with these things either. If the idea here is "you're okay with these other people, why aren't you okay with CK?" then, well, you should probably consider that there aren't that many people who are enthusiastic about Mary Landrieu or George W. Bush or whichever Daley is in power right now...
And personally I'm uncomfortable about the Andrew Cuomo candidacy for the same reason I'm uncomfortable with CK (although, since I'm not an NY resident and am not familiar with either C Kennedy or A Cuomo or the qualifications of either, I don't feel like I have much space to comment intelligently beyond expressing discomfort.)
December 19, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
The point is far too many people are claiming they don't want a "dynasty" in American political life, yet here is evidence to the contrary.
I'm not saying these people are all good or deserved to win the elections they stood for. Some of them lost (Maureen Reagan). Other won. But they were not denied the opportunity to run simply because they had relatives who were in the family business. For a number of folks complaining about Caroline, that is their primary reason: "Why is Caroline allowed to jump to the head of the line? Just because her name is 'Kennedy'? It's not fair!"
Caroline didn't choose her family. For the longest, both she and her late brother resisted the push to get them both into NY if not national politics. (Remember when John Jr. finally passed the NY Bar? The same people who are complaining today were speculating the NYC DA's office was his springboard into politics. The same when they both appeared and spoke at the DNC convention years ago.) Now that she makes a move, the song has changed. Same singers, different tune.
December 19, 2008 7:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
On stage, CKS strikes me as an introvert that has barely learned to cope with public speaking. Calling her 'Caroline Palin' today, Andrew Sullivan noted her reluctance to field questions from reporters, citing this article:
Actually, she did speak briefly in Syracuse.
"I wanted to come upstate and meet with Mayor Driscoll and others to tell them about my experience and also learn more about how Washington can help these communities," Kennedy said.
Her quick remarks fell flat. Reporters seemed to feel brushed off and they pursued her out.
"You're not going to answer questions at all?" one asked.
"Where you headed next?" another demanded.
To the car.
http://wcbstv.com/local/caroline.kennedy.us.2.889765.html
She may be very bright, but Senators have to be able to think and speak on their feet.
December 19, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Donal, I've been watching Caroline closely. She spoke, she was clear concise and coherent.
Unlike Gov. Palin.
Her purpose was not to hold a press conference with news reporters, but meet with various members of New York's political delegation and influential citizens.
The appointment to the Kennedy/Moynihan/Clinton seat is just that: an appointment. By Gov. David (son of Basil) Paterson. It is not a campaign. These visits with various and sundry leaders should not be confused with the "listening tour" (which also was a dud) held by Mrs. William Jefferson (Hillary Rodham) Clinton, when she decided to move to New York and contest in the 2000 election for the seat of Pat Moynihan. There is only one person she needs to impress and that is the Governor of New York.
She can think and she can speak on her feet quite well, thank you.
December 19, 2008 7:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
If she can't campaign, she'll be nothing more than a placeholder.
December 19, 2008 8:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
The central fallacy of your argument is that you keep referring to this as a "campaign" and that "if she can't campaign..."
There is no "campaign" going on here. You, like so many others -- especially media types -- keep trying to compare this with Hillary Clinton in 2000, or the start of an election cycle. It isn't. No balloons, no buttons, no placards, no campaign speeches.
What this is is lobbying for a high profile job.
Notice that none of the other shortlisted prospective seat-fillers are out "campaigning." They are making their pitches -- lobbying -- to Gov. Paterson and influential NY pols. Just like Caroline.
December 20, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Somewhere along the line, the Press has deified (palindrome!) itself and thinks any question asked MUST be answered. Perhaps when its members start asking intelligent questions, they will start receiving answers in kind.
December 20, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd include the King family and the Jackson family. Neither father was elected, but certainly a politician.
Lovely job here!
I feel certain many people asked Caroline to consider such an office. She's far from a narcissistic person. If she's interested, she needed to make that public. And I think a history of public service together with character is more important than having held elective office.
After all, Sarah Palin was elected..... to two offices. (god help us...)
Sometimes appointment to a position is a high honor.
December 19, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with the premise of the anti-name blame argument.
Paying particular attention to candidates Obama and Clinton, did we not learn anything from this past presidential election?
Personally, I can't think of anything that would summarily disqualify Kennedy from serving, while at the same time nothing jumps out at me saying she is the right person or the best person to fill the seat. But as a non-New Yorker, that's not for me to decide.
Excepting her name, does she at least have the right to make her case to Governor and the people of New York?
December 19, 2008 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, this cute. But just think about affirmative action old style. I beat w on SAT's. Thousands upon thousands beat w on SAT's. But w got into Yale and then Harvard, no prob. Or as he would say: no problemo. That is probably because the educational tsars did not misunderestimate him.
What is Yale supposed to do when the guys last name tells them that he is part of a foundation that gives annual monies to Yale?
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.
December 20, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with you, Jade. This is an appointment, so all the "campaign like everyone else" caviling is moot. And selective protest against particular political legacies of one dynasty or anther just seems arbitrary and, frankly, mean-spirited.
Caroline Kennedy not "tested"? How many of us would have the courage to even contemplate public service if our fathers and uncles had been shot and killed in that effort? CK has been tested plenty.
When her brother died (who was obviously gearing up for a run for something) I remember being really impressed when she said, quietly, with real dignity, that the legacy of her family was "to go on because there is no other choice."
There is a realism in that that speaks volumes to me about wisdom and judgment. If, in Ck's judgment, she is willing to apply her hard-won resilience and no-drama willingness to serve on our behalf, I think she is due our real respect, whether or not two years from now she earns our vote.
December 20, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't care about dynasties - BUT WHAT EXPERIENCE DOES SHE HAVE?? She's being considered simply because she's a Kennedy. She's even skipped out on voting - she missed the general election in 2002, mayoral race in 2005, etc.
December 20, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I will take the intelligence and intellect of a Caroline Kennedy or Barack Obama over the experience of a Sarah Palin or George W. Bush any day.
December 20, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink