In Defense of Kennedy's Inexperience
By Azi Paybarah
RWDSU President Stuart Applebaum is the latest member of the New York political establishment to throw cold water on the possibility of Caroline Kennedy replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate by calling into question her qualifications.
He lamented her lack of experience in office and said she was a "blank slate" on New York issues.
But if that sounds familiar, it's may be because inexperience, like Kennedys in the Senate, is something of a tradition here.
Political consultant Joe Mercurio emailed me to say, "One of the important things to remember about this [U.S.] Senate seat is that several of its recent occupants: Kennedy, Buckley, Moynihan and Clinton to name a few, did not hold elective office before the Senate."
UPDATE: Appelbaum emails a response:
But Azi, Kennedy, Buckley, Moynihan and Clinton had been speaking out on public issues for years before running for office - and their views were well known. You wouldn't have called any of them a blank slate. The issue isn't about holding elective office - that is a strawman, but being engaged consistently in the public debate.
Contributors
Steve Kornacki
As Hail Mary passes go, this one isn’t bad.
Since his popularity collapsed back in January, David Paterson has been in a nearly impossible ... >
Jason Horowitz
As the New York political universe waits to see what Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says about the legality of David Paterson's selection of ... >
Joe Conason
The new senator from Minnesota is a comedian, writer and actor who lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and raised a lot of money from friends ... >
Eliot Brown
Richard Ravitch has been a groundhog of New York politics over the past few decades. He pops up at unpredictable moments into full public view, ... >
RSS Feeds
Send tips to: azi.paybarah@politickerny.com or jimmy.vielkind@politickerny.com
AIM:
azipaybarah or jimmyvielkind
Top Tags
Most Active Stories
- The Malaise-Proofing of Michael Bloomberg
- Liz Krueger on the Maloney Seat: It Beats Working in Albany
- In Picking LG, Paterson Picks a Fight With Cuomo
- Two Proposals, Claims of Progress
- Democrats Amigos Walk Out of Democratic Session as Espada Hints at Another Dramatic 'Solution'
- Paterson's Hail Mary
- Once Again, Amid the Chaos, Ravitch
- Garodnick, Too, Would Consider Maloney's Seat 'At the Appropriate Time'
- Dems Still Split on Operating Agreement
- Cy Vance: 'My Savior'
- Malcolm Smith Has a New M.T.A. Plan; 'We Did Not Take a Count,' Says Spokesman
- Obama Sells Out a Friend From Connecticut
- Citywide Candidates Celebrate Year of the Ox
- Patrick Gaspard Writes Poems, Collects Comics, Kills for Obama
- Obama Redefines the Debate for New York's Israel Boosters
- Kirsten Gillibrand, Like Chuck Schumer With Connections
- The Many Rabbis of Sonia Sotomayor
- Michael Bloomberg and the Universal Retainer
- Be Like Cuomo: Call AIG's Bluff
- A Labor Ad for Ferreras
Quote of the Day
Syndicate
Someone should tell Joe
Someone should tell Joe Mercurio that one of the other important things to remember is that while Kennedy, Buckley, Moynihan and Clinton had not previously held elected office, before they were handed a senate seat they had to first prove themselves to the people of NY, and then they were elected.
If Caroline Kennedy's newfound desire to be a senator is strong enough, let her begin campaigning for the position now -- I hear there's going to be a special election in two years.
You mean there actually
You mean there actually exists the possibility that Caroline Kennedy MIGHT be replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate? Sometimes I wonder who is kidding who in this crazy political farce that is so often played out in front of the cameras. We're all being fed a half baked slimming diet of misdirection and propaganda wrapped on candy-cotton just to keep everyone believing that all is well in the halls of power.
I completely agree. All
I completely agree. All politicians must earn the respect they expect to be given once they take power and not the other way round, ie expect the respect to be given because they have taken a political office. For the continued good health of politics, some will have to remember that the office they are elected to is not a given right, but one that must be earned first.
I think these guys have
I think these guys have gotten this down to a fine art, if you ask me. thrust and counter thrust, its all part of the political smokescreen to keep us all content in our own little worlds while we let the big players do their thing.
I think these guys have
I think these guys have gotten this down to a fine art, if you ask me. thrust and counter thrust, its all part of the political smokescreen to keep us all content in our own little worlds while we let the big players do their thing.
Post new comment