by Deb Cupples | The New York Post reports that state Governor David Paterson is less interested than the media is in replacing Sen. Hillary Clinton with Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. Apparently, Gov. Paterson doesn't think that Ms. Kennedy has an aggressive- enough personality to represent New York's constituents. This is from un-named sources, so I don't know whether he thinks that or not.
It is becoming apparent, however, that not all progressives like the idea of Caroline Kennedy's taking Hillary's seat. Jane Hamsher explained a day or two ago:
"Her [Kennedy's] leadership could have been really helpful when the rest of us were trying to keep the progressive lights on and getting the stuffing beaten out of us by a very well-financed right wing for the past eight years. But when things were tough, she was nowhere to be found....
"The woman has never run for office in her life. We have no idea how she'd fare on the campaign trail, or how well she could stand up to the electoral process.
"She simply picks up the phone and lets it be known that she just might be up for having one of the highest offices in the land handed to her because -- well, because why? Because her uncle once held the seat? Because she's a Kennedy? Because she took part as a child in the public's romantic dreams of Camelot? I'm not quite sure." (See the rest of Jane's explanation here.)
It's not just progressive activists who might take exception to Kennedy's being named as Hillary's Senate replacement.
No, I don't mean to suggest that Hillary would object. I suspect that Hillary is too focused and professional to waste time objecting to whomever the governor chooses as her replacement -- especially if Hillary were busy running the U.S. State Department.
It's possible, however, that many of Hillary's loyal supporters from New York might object, because Caroline Kennedy publicly supported Barack Obama during the primaries. A lot of feathers might be needlessly ruffled. Thus, appointing Caroline Kennedy might not be a politically prudent move.
Oh, well: not my state, not my call. Me, I'm preoccupied with the possibility that the current president's little brother -- my state's former governor, Jeb Bush -- might run for a U.S. Senate seat.
Paterson, incidentally, is New York's first African American governor and the state's first blind governor.
Memeorandum has commentary.
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