KO: Kennedy has NOT withdrawn

[Undercurrent]

Keith said that it's not true. Kennedy has NOT withdrawn..

more as more is known...

[tishaLA]

1. This is a fucking mess

and it looks totally amateurish. Who released this info originally? Paterson's office?

[Inspired]

2. Yes it is. I wonder who is responsible for this? Amateurish indeed.

[sohndrsmith]

11. That is what I'd like to know, too. If it is anyone vying for the seat,

I hope they don't get it. : )

I was surprised by this (at first) because when Andrea Mitchell interviewed Paterson yesterday (and tried valiantly - but annoyingly) to get him to trip up and indicate who his choice was when he'd told her he would not... said she was pretty sure his choice was Kennedy. Much as I'm not particularly fond of Mitchell, she does seem to have more inside information or ways to get it than many...

I wasn't surprised, though, when it was mentioned that the reasons were listed as "personal" and related to her uncle Ted's failing health - which makes perfect sense to me because I think he is basically something of a father figure to her and I understand they are very close, that maybe this wouldn't be the right time for her.

For someone to both leak false information and use Ted Kennedy's brain tumor is just egregious and horrible. I want to know who put this out there, I really really do because if it is someone hoping for the seat (which seems unlikely) I don't want them anywhere near it. If it's a journalist, they might need to have a talk with their boss over their future and how fragile their job security may be at this point.

I don't see how this could be an honest mistake, unless someone heard Kennedy wonder IF she should withdraw when Ted collapsed, which was probably an emotional moment. Who knows. I still don't see how anyone could take something like that and bring it to the press as an official statement.

This smells.

[Undercurrent]

3. I don't know where the

bogus leak came from, but Keith said Kennedy's people are saying it is not true.

[Cha]

4. ProSense was right.. If this is

right:P

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8126546

[BlueCaliDem]

5. I just caught it myself. I kind of felt this was false when I first heard it.

I wonder who "leaked" the news to the New York Times? And why would the NYTs broadcast this false statement with no named source to back it up?

Seems to me that people are genuinely terrified if Caroline Kennedy is appointed. They're working overtime to make sure she doesn't, which only validates for me that she should be appointed to take Hillary Clinton's seat.

[Undercurrent]

7. Actually it was the Post, not the Times.

Big difference most of the time.

[NashVegas]

8. The Post Has Been the Go-To Paper for Anti-Kennedy Leaks

From what I've seen, Maloney is definitely one of the people doing it, I don't know about Cuomo.

[Cha]

14. It was reported in the NYT, too..

with a pretty specific story..

"On Wednesday she called Gov. David A. Paterson, who will choose a successor to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Her concerns about Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s deteriorating health (he was hospitalized after suffering a seizure during President Obama’s inaugural lunch on Tuesday ) prompted her decision to withdraw, this person said. Coping with her uncle’s condition was her most important priority, a situation not conducive to starting a high profile public job."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/nyregion/22caroline.html?_r=1&hp

Wednesday evening and no statement from Caroline yet.

[BlueCaliDem]

21. I saw "Breaking: NYT reports Caroline Kennedy withdraws name from consideration".

If it was initially the Post, the NYTs should've never parroted it since it's no secret the Post is a rightwing rag.

[pot luck]

6. You would think MSNBC would learn to not report stories from the NYPost

(or Drudge for that matter) without first checking to see if it's true.

[Raine]

9. Tweety should be embarassed for reporting

an untrue story but I'm sure he isn't.

[Inspired]

20. I heard it first on my local news.

[bottomtheweaver]

10. Yay.

Dave, I bet your parents had a hell of a time.

[Grateful for Hope]

12. I was glad to hear it

Hopefully the "source" who leaked this false rumor will be revealed.

[NashVegas]

13. Paterson's Going to Be Toast For Botching This

Unlike Blago, who knows he's probably going down in flames anyway, Paterson had everything to lose by making a drama out of this at the late date he did.

If he wanted to be controversial and name someone other than BO's pick, the time to do it was the day after Blago got arrested.

[nodramamama]

15. I don't think it's clear that Paterson spread this rumor

All those newspapers are quoting "sources" without mentioning Paterson. I see no indication that he spread this rumor.

[bottomtheweaver]

16. He should have put this to bed two months ago.

That's two fewer months someone will have to represent New York, as if that's any concern here, and it's obviously not.

[NashVegas]

19. The Rumor Spreading Would Not Have Been Possible

If Paterson made his pick known on the first or second week of December.

Like Blago, I'm sure he wants something, but at this point it is hurting him more to continue the drama. This current leak appears to be an attempt to force CK out of the running and it's going to blow up in his face if it hasn't already.

[HughMoran]

17. Rachel reporting this now

:wtf:

[Undercurrent]

18. David Gregory

on Rachel now with the scoop debunking the the Post report.