Caroline Is Out In Out In?
So is Caroline Kennedy in or out for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat?
Earlier tonight it was reported that Caroline Kennedy had withdrawn her bid to be appointed by Gov. David Paterson, first from the New York Post, then picked up again by the New York Times.
Then NBC News reported that a Kennedy family source told them that Caroline has not withdrawn -- that there was a "miscommunication" between herself and Gov. David Paterson's office. But they've since then revised their report to say she's really out.
And now check out this hilarious AP news alert, time stamped at 10:38 p.m. ET:
Source: Caroline Kennedy remains in contest to fill Hillary Clinton's NY Senate seat. (Corrects APNewsAlert with source saying Kennedy had withdrawn.)
Just when we thought she was out...she pulls herself back in.
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Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
This is an embarrassment. If she's not out now, this will surely finish her off.
My tinfoil decoder ring says she got word that Patterson was not going to pick her so she decided to preempt her loss. But then if she wouldn't be willing to take that loss, how could she ever run in a real election?
January 21, 2009 11:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
P.S. Please God, not Cuomo.....
January 21, 2009 11:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
When you've lived in the states that gave the Senate Mitch McConnell, Jim Bunning and Jesse Helms, and yeah, just recently John Edwards, then you can talk about your state embarassing you.
Then again, could be worse. Could be Oklahoma.
January 22, 2009 12:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Steve, there aint nothin worse than Oklahoma. Nice people. I have met em. Terrible terrible pols.
January 22, 2009 12:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
A political farce!
January 21, 2009 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
It invites an obvious Clockwork Orange cultural reference.
January 22, 2009 12:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really looks like a set-up. Paterson wasn't going to pick her, he let her know, she did this to save face, used Ted's illness as an excuse and so Paterson can now praise her but not pick her.
It's too bad because Kennedy interest in the post was the answer to a question that nobody asked. Paterson shouldn't even be praising her as she bows out. He should say, "I was never going to let a 51 year old woman be senator as her FIRST full time job."
It's ridiculous that she was even taken seriously as an option.
January 21, 2009 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amen, destor. This is my reading of the situation as well.
January 22, 2009 3:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
What does her gender have to do with it?
... And if you think about it, it cuts the other way: a man may very well never have held a full time job while motherhood is a full time job every time.
January 22, 2009 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think he was talking about gender. She happens to be a woman. I think "51 year old man who never had a full time job" wouldn't necessarily be about gender if she were a man.
January 22, 2009 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Paterson is a schmuck. New York is now officially at 50% strength in the Senate.
January 21, 2009 11:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
We can't hold on for a week without full senate representation?
January 21, 2009 11:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can blame your ex-employee Matt Yglesias for this meme. His second post over at ThinkProgress is titled "New York Needs a Senator!"
January 22, 2009 12:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Consider the poor plight of the State of Delaware. A full two years before a non-puppet takes the seat. Hopefully, it will not be the rule of Nepotism there -- but that's what motivated the puppet position to begin with.
January 22, 2009 3:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
New York has been at 50% strength for the last 8 years. Hopefully, they will finally get a second senator.
January 22, 2009 1:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry, Chucky Schumer gets enough air time for 3 Senators...
January 22, 2009 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention Illinois for the last two years! Obama ever even convene his committee?
January 22, 2009 9:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
"You do the Hokey-Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what its all about!"
January 21, 2009 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whether she's in or out, it's embarrassing for New York. And combined with the Blago/Burris episode, it makes Democrats look ridiculous nationally.
January 22, 2009 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nah! That honor would be reserved for Pelosi going on FNC to send Obama a "warning" missive.
Democrats: snatching defeat from the jaws of victory for the past 40 years!
January 22, 2009 3:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good thing that Obama is learning the limits of jawboning against Blago rather than against some foreign leader.
The law of it was fairly clear -- unless the Illinois State legislature beat Blago to the punch with legislation he was willing to sign or by impeaching and convicting him, Blago had the legal power to make that appointment and no one could stop him.
January 22, 2009 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I say wait till morning. It may be the NY Times that has egg on its face. You get better reporting at the Daily News, where they at least identify some of their sources. Sheesh!
January 22, 2009 12:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
the level of journalism in this country is becoming a joke. I will believe once Caroline has made an official statement.
journalism is not: "a source closed to ...has reported..."
January 22, 2009 12:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
She is officially out of consideration per her spokesman says Politico.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0109/Kennedy_withdraws.html
January 22, 2009 12:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
She's out!
I think Fran Drescher has this thing wrapped up.
January 22, 2009 1:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
She'd probably do a better job the way things are looking.
January 22, 2009 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
There's a really good comment at the end of this blog by Louie Cortez:
"Do actors make good politicians? I don’t think one profession lends itself to the other more so than experience in any other profession save previous political experience. It certainly helps the public identify with them–their names and faces. Like a bonus round of advertisments, their careers can promote them. We as Americans need to stop and weigh what these actors say disciminately and not be clouded by false perceptions. Actors are people–plain and simple. They too have their own opinions and are just as valid as anyone elses but for us to look at Fran Drescher and actually think we are voting in the Nanny is ridiculous. The fact they were acting before their political careers begin should be a moot point. If she thinks she can do the task than more power to her! If my views coincide with hers, I would vote for her but on that basis alone not her acting career."
http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/2008/12/09/fran-drescher-looks-to-graduate-from-nanny-to-us-senate/
Good article too.
I was being half-snarky in the above comment, but I also have a hunch she'd do a good job.
Probably not gonna happen. Personally, I'd be interested. Of course, I live in MN/WI sooooo... not really my call.
I'm curious what NY'ers would think.
January 22, 2009 1:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Fran is too boring in real life. You'd hate her.
January 22, 2009 2:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
...but she sounds just like a Kennedy.
January 22, 2009 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Patterson would have done what Obama asked. It's other things, personal stuff.
She just doesn't seem ready for the typical annoyances she's going to have to put up with as an appointee and candidate forthwith.
January 22, 2009 1:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think you nailed it.
January 22, 2009 7:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope Lady Hamlet makes up her mind.
Frankly, I don't think she is senatorial material.
January 22, 2009 1:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
In anyone wants to indulge my Fran Drescher fantasy, I wrote a blog. It's a fun one...
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/josephcast/2009/01/the-new-senator-from-ny--fran.php
January 22, 2009 2:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like she's out beyond doubt.
Who do we want for this seat? Cuomo?
January 22, 2009 4:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't Cuomo screw up his cabinet gig in the Clinton admin? And the word is that he's only out for his own advancement -- big ego, not a people person.
January 22, 2009 6:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jerry Nadler would be great IMHO. Cuomo is hardly my ideal, but he has at least put himself forward as a candidate and didn't expect name brand recognition and calls from Bloomberg & Co to seal the deal.
I was just astonished that for weeks people who should have known better were not only acting like CK as senator was an inevitability but that it was a great gift for us. I could smell the PR firm hard smell miles off, even in central Ohio, where this exiled New Yorker is residing.
January 22, 2009 7:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think she is out again.
January 22, 2009 8:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Scoop!
You heard it here first. Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell.
Not likely, but damn wouldn't it be great.
January 22, 2009 8:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
My money is on Kirsten Gillibrand. Though it will probably end up being Cuomo.
January 22, 2009 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
This was Paterson's doing all the way. NY politics is such that the same sources "close" to Kennedy are close to Paterson. So, I think what happened was this: Kennedy wanted the seat and Paterson decided on someone else. He told Kennedy, who said, "well, I may run for the seat in a primary or I may back out." Paterson's people then leaked this to the press, who had a lot of fun with it.
On the one hand, this is unfortunate because I think Caroline would be a good senator. On the other hand, I believe there are decent people who have served New Yorkers already who would be great senators.
Please, not Cuomo. I cannot stand him.
January 22, 2009 9:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully it will be a woman appointed to Hillary's Senate position. Definitely shouldn't be Cuomo, but it is in Paterson's best interests to remove Cuomo as a threat.
I expect Obama will name Caroline to an ambassador position.
January 22, 2009 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I live in New York, and I am annoyed by Paterson's interminable selection process. Colorado managed to make a choice in good time, why couldn't New York? While I think Paterson is competent, I don't think he is a dynamic or inspired leader. I wish Spitzer could have held on!
While I like Caroline Kennedy, I had mixed feelings about her as a Senate Candidate. I lean towards Cuomo. I think he has been distinguishing himself as Attorney General (one example — the settlement he recently achieved against United Healthcare was an important victory). I think he would offer strong leadership. I also am intrigued by Kirsten Gillibrand, although I know less about her.
January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
My top choice would be Randi Weingarten - someone who has real credentials on school and education reform, lawyer, teacher, union leader, knows the ins and outs of policy. She would also be the first openly gay US Senator which be a great move for Patterson who has been very supportive of gay marriage and friend to the LGBT community. She's more than qualified in her own right, but it's a nice bonus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randi_Weingarten
I would also be thrilled with Carolyn Maloney or Jerry Nadler. I know upstate needs some love in the Senate, but I am not enthusiastic about Kirsten Gillibrand. I am hoping to add a progressive voice to the Senate. Andrew Cuomo is acceptable - highest in terms of probability, lowest in terms of enthusiasm for me.
January 22, 2009 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I love that you keep plugging for Randi, dij. Unfortunately, I think she's a long shot.
January 22, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink