Caroline Kennedy said to seek Hillary Clinton's Senate seat

Associated Press reports today that Caroline Kennedy has expressed an interest to New York Gov. David Paterson in getting appointed to the next two years of the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton.

Paterson's office says he's been contacted by several potential nominees he will not name, and there's no hurry since Clinton will not be resigning her seat until next month.

See the fresh news video with archival footage below. (Click on the "Read more" line.)

Kennedy is President John F. Kennedy's daughter, Sen. Ted Kennedy's niece, Jacqueline Kennedy's daughter and niece of Robert Kennedy (who also held a New York Senate seat), the seemingly shyer one who enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama and helped make his vice presidential pick of Joe Biden.

When she endorsed Obama earlier this year, Kennedy said he reminded her of her father, the assassinated president.

Kennedy's not been seen as a particularly political person but having yet another Kennedy enter public political life would seem likely to capture the nation's imagination. And it would happen just as her aging....

...uncle, Ted, who's suffering from a brain tumor, closes out his long career in the body where two of his deceased brothers -- John and Robert -- also served.

John Kennedy, in fact, was the last sitting senator until Obama to be elected president. His brother Robert was a senator when he was assassinated seeking to become president.

Whomever gets appointed to Clinton's seat would need to run again in a special election in 2010, when Gov. Paterson must also contend, which makes him extra interested in who'll be on the state ticket with him.

Earlier this week our colleague and Times political veteran Mark Z. Barabak wrote on The Ticket about what all Gov. Paterson would have to consider in his Senate replacement pick.

Here's what Mark said then that still stands:

"Paterson needs to replace Clinton with a woman. That yields a number of prospects, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who is philosophically close to Clinton; Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, a former corporate attorney and rising star in state politics, and -- celebrity alert! -- Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the late president who delivered a timely primary endorsement of Obama and helped oversee his vice presidential selection process.

"Paterson needs to pick someone from upstate New York, to gain support for an expected run for reelection in 2010. This boosts Gillibrand's prospects and also throws others into the mix, including Rep. Brian Higgins and Buffalo's popular black mayor, Byron Brown.

"Paterson needs to pick a Latino, to assuage an important constituency and help his reelection prospects. Candidates include Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez and Adolfo Carrion Jr., the Bronx borough president.

"Paterson can eliminate a potential headache and possible 2010 primary challenger by appointing the state's ambitious attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, and seeing him off to Washington."

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Jean-Pierre Muller / AFP / Getty Images; Associated Press (bottom).

Comments

[wp]

ENOUGH...
Yes, Caroline Kennedy is bright, attractive, and came out early and valuably for Obama.
BUT...
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH DYNASTIES.
Caroline Kennedy? Jeb Bush? Is access all there is to democracy?
Our country is rich enough in human resources not to have to turn it over to a few families.
Kennedy, Bush, Clinton. Enough is enough. No more dynasties, whether Caroline Kennedy and Jeb Bush are attractive or not.

[James Talbot]

Caroline would be a great replacement for Hillary.

[Hank]

And her qualifications would be, uh...what? And to all of you who critized Sarah Palen's qualifications, what say you about Carolyn's. What? I can't hear you. Speak up!

[MH]

While Caroline Kennedy has only had peripheral involvement in politics in the past, she seems to have ventured out into that arena more and more in the last several years in a behind the scenes manner.

She has the outlook and certainly the family creditials to be an excellent choice for Clinton's seat.

[Fritz Herrmann]

Question, will Caroline have to move to New york Like Clinton did or does she already live there. I mean really live there and vote there like us poor people?

[PNW Trojan]

Great!!! More Trust Fund babies inheriting Democracy....JUST what we need, like that other druggie Kennedy from Rhode Island, and then, there's still Ted, STILL holding on to his, in Massa whackies! Didn't we learn ANTHING about snot-nosed kids like Gomer Bush, establishing their 'dynasties?'

[Suggestions 4 Obama]

Caroline Kennedy's resume (from wikipedia):
B.A. from Harvard University
J.D. from Columbia Law School
Wrote two books with Ellen Alderman:
* In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights In Action (1990)
* The Right to Privacy (1995)
Edited several books, wrote one on the Kennedy family.
Currently President of the Kennedy Library Foundation, a director of both the Commission on Presidential Debates and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Honorary Chairman of the American Ballet Theatre. She is also an adviser to the Harvard Institute of Politics, a living memorial to her father.

The Senate would not only be getting another Kennedy and all the stuff that goes along with that but also Jackie's daughter, A girl raised at arms length fromt he rest of the clan. She would probably be the first Kennedy to serve in the Senate or House who has not been to rehab since Bobby back in 1968. She would be great, if she wants it.

[Megan]

Carolyn Kennedy has quite resume, actually, having helped o reform New York city's public schools, as well as contributing to and editing some important political writing over the years. She has dedicated her life to public service in the non-profit sector, unselfishly. She is quite recognized and beloved locally (yes, she is a New Yorker) and I think that is what matters, for she would be a New York senator after all. Many of us would love to see someone like her represent us.

She has none of the personality of a "trust fund" baby, something that irks many of us. Yet she has the poise and social skills to work well with others. I think she'd be way better than any other on the shortlist.

[Robert Laughing]

Hey! What about Chelsea? Then, there bush's 2 daughters; surely they're disgusted with the Repub Party and want to redeem THEIR name? Oh-Oh-Oh...how about Slick Willie's friend, the fugitive felon once living in Number Account Switzerland.....he would be perfect as he knows his fellow felon on Wall Street, has tons of money to furthert contribute to the Dem Party,like his wife did, JUST BEFORE THE PARDON!

[Rick Chavez]

As much as I admire Caroline Kennedy I Find it Disturbing and offensive That the Kennedy family seems to think and have a sense of entitlement when It comes to obtaining a political position ie: Senate / or a Congressional Seat. Thomas Paine called it Hereditary Succession. That was when Royal families would make kings or queens out of there children regardless of qualifications. One could be a irresponsible fool, be dishonest and corrupt and still be given the country of England to rule over until their death. It was wrong then and it is still wrong today.

[PNW Trojan]

To: 4 Obama..bush too has 'degrees' from Harvard and Yale - his track record PROVES that when your family has the NAME, and the CASH....you can have ANY DEGREE YOU WANT...and can buy ALL political offices. This Nation could become great, again, if the people simply stop SWALLOWING the Party Kool-aide. Josef Goebbels' desacendants are alive and well in American Politics...look him up in wikipedia, and 'One Tin Soldier', for Gomer Bush's legacy.

[Yurdelite]

Whoever tried to compare Caroline Kennedy's qualifications to Palins' should just STHU. YOU are ignant and need to check out the VAST difference between these two as far as life work and education.

Let's face it once and for all. Palin is a below average person who is getting by on the ignorant base of the Republican Party and the dummies who elected George W Bush. Never again. Palin will never be POTUS or Senator. She is not worthy of it and her family is totally dysfunctional. Eight years of one dysfunctional family is enough for now. No more Palins, McCains, BUSHES.