Senator Apparent?

Does Caroline have the right stuff? -- Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

by blogSpotter
Kennedy scion Caroline has recently thrown her hat into the ring to take over Hillary Clinton's New York senate seat. I'd like to preface my remarks with the statement that I revere the Kennedy family and have profound respect for their contributions to America. After reviewing Caroline's political viewpoints (pro-Choice, pro-Human Rights, etc) I'm very aligned with Ms. Kennedy's political point of view. So you can see my position and probably feel a "but" or a "none the less" headed this way -- and you'd be right.

Caroline Kennedy seems to think that "Senator" is an honorarium given for a combination of family prominence and noble thoughts. I hate to break it to her, but Senator is a job title and it really needs to be earned. It was pointed out on the Today Show this morning that Caroline has never held a long-term, full time job. Mind you, her resume is very impressive. She's a graduate of Radcliffe and Columbia; she has a law degree and sits on many impressive boards: NAACP Legal Defense, American Ballet and the Kennedy Library Foundation to name but a few. But everyday work calls for true grit and tenacity -- the kind that generally comes from holding a position of financial or personal responsibility. Caroline's main two stints of employment were long ago -- as a photography assistant at New York Daily News (@ age 20) and as a part-time research assistant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both jobs were before marrying exhibit designer Ed Schlossberg in 1986.

Caroline took a long time out to parent her 3 children (now young adults) and is apparently warming up again to the outside world of working and doing. There is yet another thing to consider -- and this one you must pose delicately. Caroline has a reputation as being quiet, shy and a little bit remote. She's been seen as such since she was a little girl living in the White House. There's nothing wrong with a shy, sweet personality but it's at direct odds with the kind of happy Irish, glad-handing, back-slapping people-centric friendliness of her Uncle Ted.

People have thrown out other examples of politicians who succeeded with little experience in business or in office. (One of them was George W. Bush as Texas Governor -- wouldn't that be a counter-example?). Nay, in both the experience and people department, Caroline is not a match for the job. Her family connections are such that she still may get it, but New York state may not be the winner in that transaction, should it come to pass.

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