Love her, respect her immensely, but now we must walk it like we talk it...

[elehhhhna]

No more American Political Family Dynasties.

Period.

[ColbertWatcher]

1. What do we call it then, if she proves herself worthy of the office? n/t

[galaxy21]

4. If she runs and proves herself, that's different

But being appointed to a seat when their are better candidates...it's laughable.

[Book Lover]

2. Exactly - for the good of the nation, she can make this sacrifice (nm)

[DJ13]

3. I agree

So Hillary should immediately retire.

[elehhhhna]

6. HRC ran for her seat.

[DJ13]

12. ...... and only won because of her name

How far do you want to take this?

[Captain Hilts]

13. She won because she was able to beat RudyG, and Nita Lowrey was not. nt

[dorkulon]

22. Actually, she didn't beat Rudy, she beat Rick Lazio,

who had all the charm of a dung beetle.

[Captain Hilts]

40. She was going to beat Rudy and THAT's why he dropped out. My polling firm was polling...

in NYS at the time. He knew a "girl" from "outta state" was going to beat him, so he dropped out.

She kinda got two birds with one stone, as it were.

[Captain Hilts]

5. Make her earn it in '10. The military has dynasties. Entertainment has dynasties...nt

[verges]

32. IN '10 sho would have to run against a Dem incumbant.

People will then scream about party loyalty. At the very least it shows a divided Dem party. She feels she is qualified, therefore she has as much right as anybody to pursue this job. To deny her this right is also discrimination.

And, BTW, wouldn't the next choice be most likely Andrew Cuomo? It would still be a "dynasty." Nobody wants to complain about that one.

But, when push comes to shove, it's the Governor's decision.

[whistler162]

50. Who is another Political dynasty member!

OHNO OHNO OHNO

If not Caroline Kennedy then Bea Gonzalez!

[NYC_SKP]

7. For this family, with JFK and RFK brutally murdered and the shit that's followed,

I'll make an exception, happily, wearing a pink tutu and running topless through the streets of any town you can name.

Her family name should not disqualify her from an appointment, and she'll have to earn her keep to stay there.

:patriot:

PS: the tutu must be pink, I don't do garish.

[elehhhhna]

8. I agree with you completely. Unfortunately, it's against my principles now.

[Cha]

19. Have you read this by Al Giordano?

He's had a lot to say about Caroline and it's all good..this is just one of his pieces.


"See this photograph? It's of New York political leader Basil Paterson and his family, who has been: State Senator, Deputy Mayor, candidate for Lieutenant Governor and the first African-American Secretary of State in New York. He's a living legend in New York politics.

And see the kid with the afro on your right? That's his son, David Paterson, now Governor of New York, who will fill a US Senate vacancy in January.

Some folks seem to be forgetting that this will be a "primary-of-one." The state Constitution instructs that the Governor appoint to fill any empty US Senate seat until the next regularly scheduled election.

David Paterson has had to suffer the slings and arrows and jealousies of those who said he would never have risen through the ranks of Big Apple politics (first as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens, then on the staff of Manhattan Borough President - and close friend of his dad - David Dinkins, then filling his father's old State Senate seat, then tapped as Eliot Spitzer's running mate and finally filling his vacancy to become governor) if not for the family name and his legendary father's influence.

Of course, Governor Paterson knows the truth about himself, and is well familiar with the sniping of those who say he didn't deserve to rise (or wouldn't have risen if his name hadn't been "Paterson").

My guess is that every time he reads and hears some pundit or blogger or politician railing against an appointment of Caroline Kennedy to the Senate based on her name and family and the suggestion that she's not qualified, calling her a nail-filing princess and comparing her to Sarah Palin and all the other cheap shots taken in the past week, an enormous well of empathy and commonality is stirred.

Ha ha. They fell for it, hook, line and sinker, while forgetting the rules of this process: that only one person gets to decide.

They broke a cardinal rule of community organizing: they should have studied the target audience first.

There may be other arguments that could work on Paterson to pick someone else, but they've been drowned out by the shrill and unfair critiques that he's long heard against him now applied just as spitefully to Caroline Kennedy!"

"Checkmate."


<more>
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield

[JackRiddler]

20. Why is the reality so often inverted?

I beg you, please! You may be for her, okay, but let's dispense with bullshit:

Her family name does not "disqualify" her. Her family name catapulted her from zero into No. 1 contender. Without the name she would not have ever even been mentioned as a possibility. If the name is now a burden, that's too bad.

[Booster]

23. For this family, I, too, will make an exception. I say let the

governor select her and if she proves to be as good a Senator as her Uncle Ted, then the people can decide to elect her. We already have a whole lot of Senators who have far less esteem than this young woman, and she's more qualified than most of them. Give her a chance for God's sake.

[jaysunb]

9. But, what if she turns out to be a good public servant ?.

Think that could be possible ? And if not, could the people of NY vote her out ? :shrug:

[ColbertWatcher]

10. This is what I'm wondering. How long will she be in office?

Since this is an appointment, wouldn't it better to put someone in who won't lose their office and cause another appointment or election?

I agree with the OP that dynasties are too close to monarchies to us Merkins, but I think the problem is that it is an appointment.

I'm hoping whoever gets the appointment does no damage for the short period of time they are in office and doesn't become a sitting duck for the GOP.

Whoever Paterson picks has to be strong enough to withstand a full attack from the GOP.

[elehhhhna]

29. "I think the problem is that it is an appointment." DING DING DING - YOU WIN!

[earth mom]

11. Caroline is a bright light-she's one of the few politicians I feel good about lately.

Any real dem who doesn't want to see her in office needs their head examined

[lunatica]

14. This idea promotes discrimination against a group of people

Haven't we had enough of that yet?

[elehhhhna]

30. Wow, now that's very spinny. Super-spinny, even.

[verges]

33. It's also true.

Denying someone the right to pursue a job opportunity, that they feel qualified for, is discrimination.

[elehhhhna]

35. I LOVE HER. I'd prefer she earn it via election.

[verges]

37. Someone is going to be appointed.

That person will run as an incumbant in 2010. That person will also have Two years seniority in the Senate. It would be foolish to toss away those two advantages. CK feels she is qualified for the job. Therefore she has as much right as anybody else to pursue that job.

[elehhhhna]

38. I feel I anm ualifeid for the job. Where's my appointment?

For that matter, why not appoint Dani Delay?

[verges]

46. Do you meet the constitutional requirements?

If so, go ahead and toss your name into the ring. Call Gov. Paterson's office and let them know you are interested. Or, even better, call a press conference and announce that you would like to be considered. There is nothing stopping you.

[whistler162]

52. Appoint a Republican like Amo Houghton

or, what the heck, make all the Democrats unhappy and appoint Bruno!

[Pastiche423]

15. I so hope to hear that Caroline Kennedy

will be the junior senator from the state of New York soon!

[CTyankee]

16. You know, this thing is what it is. We have a situation where it looks like she will be

appointed. Is it fair to the other qualified people who want the job? No. but it is what it is, folks.

So let's calm down. If she's appointed she will have 2 years to prove whether she's up to the job. Simple as that. If she can, then she gets the go-ahead. If she can't, she doesn't.

This is one thing we just can't get ourselves upset about...

[mondo joe]

17. My walk, my talk: I don't consider familial relations grounds to exclude anyone

from public office.

[auntsue]

remember when Sonny Bono

died and his wife was appointed to serve out his terem then ran on heer owen I think - she's still there. In the past many wives or sons have done just that - I think she couldn't hurt.

[elehhhhna]

31. Yep. Most women in politics today came up thru their Dads or their Husband, or both.

When will nepotism be eclipsed by equality?

When President Jeb gets Jenna Bush appointed to the Senate one day, ya'll don't come crying to me.

RUN, CAROLINE, RUN!!! You'll have my full support.

[Captain Hilts]

42. Eleanor Roosevelt was offered the seat in 1948. Sometimes I think she should have ...

accepted it.

I'm glad the fact that her uncle and her husband had prominent names was NOT a reason she didn't.

And I'm glad her last name didn't discourage the DNC from asking her to take it.

But she should NOT have been passed over just because of those other Roosevelts.

[auntsue]

18. remember when Sonny Bono

died and his wife was appointed to serve out his terem then ran on heer owen I think - she's still there. In the past many wives or sons have done just that - I think she couldn't hurt.

[JackRiddler]

21. Question is, are they a reason to include someone...

who would have never otherwise been considered?

Even more important is to note that the prominence of her "candidacy" so far is entirely due to her winning the media referendum.

[mondo joe]

26. Fair question, and in the abstract I would say NO - it is neither reason to include nor

exclude someone, in and of itself.

The difference, in practice, is that some people are well known because of their family and it's hard to say whether they would be considered otherwise. If CK were not a Kennedy, who knows what she might have done?

In the end I don't wish to penalize people for circumstances of birth. It's harder to know sometimes if they are being rewarded for it.

Full disclosure: I don't consider CK particularly qualified, though beyond the minimum it's just a judgment call. She's probably better suited than a number of people who were elected. My position is that it's NY's issue, not mine.

[Quantess]

24. What if Malia Obama turns out to be a qualified political candidate someday?

Should we say "nope, sorry".

[JackRiddler]

27. And what if Jane Schlabotnik turns out to be even more qualified?

For starters, either should at least run for an office first.

[verges]

34. But somebody is going to be appointed.

And whoever is qppointed will run as an incumbant in '10, and have two years Senate seniority. If CK wants the job (and she does) she would be foolish to give up those two very strong advantages.

[JackRiddler]

41. Appointed = by the governor.

Not by this unprecedented PR campaign in the corporate media. The behavior of the CK "campaign," pretending that asking the governor is occasion for a public campaign modeled on an election run, including the hiring of campaign flaks, is unprecedented. It's what's going to disqualify her, and rightly so. Process matters, and is political. She may be a progressive on some issues, but this behavior is decidely contemptuous of constitutional procedures. Especially the attempted usurpation of the governor's choice by the corporate media and by out-of-state cheerleaders is obvious, and it is exactly the issue on which CK's "campaign" will fail.

You point out a serious problem. New York should provide for special elections.

[verges]

47. Perhaps.

But, the appointment is going to be made by the Governor.

[MichiganVote]

25. Well since all of Kennedy's family is dead I don't see much happenin' on that level.

[peace13]

28. I guess Hill was the last addition.

Go figure.

[elehhhhna]

45. better her than GW...we got the last word in that chapter. time to close it.

[babylonsister]

36. So Cuomo's out also? nt

[Captain Hilts]

43. And Paterson himself. Family ties and all that. nt

[pitohui]

39. what a stupid idea

so only the right wing can build on name recognition and accumulate power over generations, while we must always start from zero?

or wait...is it only women who must always start from zero?

what is wrong with progressives that they have to look for every possible way to cut off their own feet?

[suston96]

44. What dynasty? How do the assassinated Kennedy brothers fit into the "dynasty" scheme?

There is no "dynasty" when the dynamics of succession are interrupted brutally by assassination and war.

Or by a tragic airplane crash in the fog banks off Martha's Vineyard.

[NashVegas]

48. What Is This "WE", Kemo Sabe?

If you choose not to vote for second-generation politicians, that's your prerogative.

[elehhhhna]

49. It's either the Royal "we" or I thought some other DUers felt the same way.

[Cleita]

51. I guess I'm one of the few people who believe the Senate should be selected

from the rank and file citizens. Caroline would fit in here. In a true democracy the Senate would be selected by lottery from the population like jury duty. I would give people the option to decline or postpone. However, those who accept the invitation to serve for six years would come from the lottery selection from the population, not elections, meaning they would be learning for two years and governing for four. But then back in the fifties, when I was in high school, I used to say that government shouldn't be only for white men lawyers and people laughed at me to think that women or African Americans could serve in politics.

[JackRiddler]

53. Bravo.

Random selection would indeed produce a more representative and almost certainly better government than the prevalent one-dollar, one-vote system.