Caroline Kennedy's Advisers

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Kennedy Has No Shortage of Advisers
By DAVID HALBFINGER
Published: December 16, 2008

As she tries to move from being a famous private person to being a United States senator, Caroline Kennedy will rely on seasoned hands from previous New York campaigns. But she will also turn for advice to an extensive network of friends and family for advice, including her cousin Maria Shriver, California’s first lady; and Gary Ginsberg, a top executive at News Corp, the owner of The New York Post.

The nuts and bolts of her campaign for Gov. David A. Paterson’s appointment are being managed by Josh Isay, a political consultant who founded the firm Knickerbocker SKD and has been an important strategist for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Mr. Isay, who got his start working for Senator Charles E. Schumer, could help Ms. Kennedy make her case to many of the state’s most influential Democrats merely by putting her in touch with his other clients.

These include Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive, and leaders of several large unions: 1199, the giant health care workers’ union; Local 32BJ, the building-service workers’ union; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Communication Workers of America, and the New York City District Council of Carpenters.

As of Saturday, another adviser is John Del Cecato, a partner in David Axelrod’s consulting firm who followed Mr. Axelrod to the Obama campaign. Mr. Axelrod was chief strategist for Mr. Obama, and Mr. Del Cecato worked on advertising....

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Aside from those professionals, as well as her uncle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, and his circle of advisers, Ms. Kennedy is said to turn to a close-knit group of friends and relatives for informal advice and moral support. They include:

Mr. Ginsberg, executive vice president for global marketing and corporate affairs at News Corporation. A former assistant counsel to President Bill Clinton, he was also a legal counsel to Ms. Kennedy’s brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., and a senior editor of his magazine, George.

Richard Plepler, co-president of HBO and a onetime aide to Senator Dodd who played a behind-the-scenes role in Mr. Dodd’s failed presidential bid. Mr. Plepler is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ranny Cooper, the president of public affairs at Weber Shandwick, the public relations firm, who was a chief of staff to Senator Kennedy.

Esther Newberg of International Creative Management, the noted book agent who represents Ms. Kennedy and is a close friend.

Ms. Shriver, California’s first lady and a cousin of Ms. Kennedy.

Timothy P. Shriver, another Kennedy cousin and chairman of the Special Olympics.

Sydney Lawford McKelvy, another Kennedy cousin who is said to be a close confidante of Ms. Kennedy’s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/us/politics/17ckadvisers.html?_r=1