MSNBC (breaking after midnight): Caroline has officially confirmed that she's out

[BeyondGeography]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28780112/

[FrenchieCat]

1. I don't blame her.

Fuck 'em.

They didn't deserve her anyways.

[sohndrsmith]

11. Well said. I don't blame her either, but I think NY and the Senate

would have been better off with her there. Hopefully she'll be part of the Administration or have a future holding some sort of public office... I think she would contribute much to whatever she chooses to participate in. I was just hoping the Senate was going to be it...

A loss for us for now (if she was Paterson's choice), but I respect whatever choice she has made and I'll respect whatever choice Paterson makes as well.

[onefreespiritedchick]

18. They don't deserve her

The NY media especially treated her shabbily. :mad:

[cali]

27. They deserve a Senator who can effectively fight to retain that seat.

And that wasn't Caroline.

[Colobo]

2. I'm glad to hear this. New Yorkers deserve to have a qualified person representing them.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. what do you mean by qualified?

was Clinton qualified? I think Hillary is a good Senator but she wasn't 'qualified'

[BeyondGeography]

6. I'm not a huge fan of either one, but Hillary is sure-footed and tough

and she had gone toe-to-toe with the Republicans. Caroline as a campaigner was a complete unknown, and her "listening tour" was a complete dud. Other than her money, I don't see how anyone could have a lot of confidence in her ability to hold the seat.

[smalll]

7. Hillary had not only graduated from law school, but actually (gasp!) practiced law --

She worked for the House impeachment (of Nixon) committee. She had fought in the trenches again and again for Bill in the several gubernatorial elections in Arkansas. She was instrumental in the planning for his victory in 1992. She has lived and breathed politics and law since the 70s.

Caroline Kennedy married some random art-history guy she met while "working" as a stereotypical Sotheby debutante, she's NEVER practiced law, she's "co-authored" two books (I know which two words she "co-authored" -- "Caroline Kennedy" - for the title page!) She's NEVER had a full time job, and now she wants to enter the 9-to-5 world as a Senator. U.S. Senator -- sorry, maybe I'm a little old-fashioned -- is NOT an entry-level job.

Look, I appreciate the tragedy she's experienced in her life. I can totally understand why she may have shunned politics up until now. But once she decides to seek to make an un-elected splash into the family business, I'm not going to cut her any slack if she shows herself to be completely without any platform, vision, speaking ability or charisma.

Sorry, Caroline, you're NOT going to Hollywood.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. you don't need to be a lawyer to be a Senator

[TeamJordan23]

14. wow. so practicing law makes you qualified. I bet a lot scum lawyers would be great Senators. nm

[smalll]

16. Clearly, you and Bambino (post #8) only read my headline.

A pity, because the actual body of my post was a wide-ranging, devastating and multi-pronged evisceration (if I do say so myself) of the You Know Princess of Park Avenue's campaign for her appointment to our latter-day House of Lords. :shrug:

[karynnj]

36. Well - your name really suits you

How small minded.

First - of all it was not a case of whether HRC had a more extensive resume than Caroline Kennedy. It was not a choice between them.

What Caroline Kennedy has shown through her life is integrity, conscience, intelligence and a commitment to social values that many of us agree with. She was an unusual choice. As many have said (both here, pundits and the better politicians) the reality of financing campaigns can corrupt people who enter public life with pure intentions and good values. You cite the hardscrabble AR campaigns and the Presidential ones as a positive. I think they were also a liability - they did harden HRC, but they also changed her. Something won, but also something else definitely lost. The interesting thing about Kennedy was that, had she become Senator, she would not have made the compromises to get ahead that nearly everyone else did.

[dionysus]

33. wow, you almost sound angry about it...

:rofl:

[MadBadger]

5. Thats something I never understood. I dont think for a Senator, qualifications are that important.

I think the views of the candidate should be what matters. She can learn how the senate works, and isnt that really where qualifications come in handy? I dont think shed be in charge of anything really as a freshman Senator.

[TeamJordan23]

15. agree. I am disappointed. nm

[ClarkUSA]

31. President Obama thinks she's qualified enough since he favors her for the job.

I guess you know better than he does, eh?

[karynnj]

32. Why attack her - she is a person of demonstrated intelligence and principle

One would think that that would suffice as qualifications - beyond those written into law. On those qualities, there are many sitting Senators - including on the Democratic side, who don't come close to Caroline Kennedy. In addition, there are issues that she has been involved in which suggest committees she could have performed well on. For most entering Senators, there is much reaching to gain the expertise needed - especially in the areas overseen by their committees.

[Maru Kitteh]

3. I wish her the best. I wish there were NO appointed Senate seats at all.

Special elections should always be held for a position as high as a Senate seat, imo. The people should decide, period.

[sohndrsmith]

9. I'm so bummed... : ( I was hoping she'd be the one. n/t

[democrattotheend]

10. Bummer :(

I started out with mixed feelings but in the end I was very much rooting for her. I hope that she actually decided to withdraw and didn't do it to save face after being told she wasn't getting it.

[jzodda]

12. Good I didn't want her representing this state

Hopefully he will pick Andrew Cuomo, our current AG.

[regnaD kciN]

19. Sure, pick Cuomo...

...because we wouldn't want to choose an underachieving child of a famous Democratic leader, would we?

:eyes:

[NashVegas]

24. Bless Your Heart

And I don't mean that in the Southern way ...

[jzodda]

25. Elected AG of New York State is underachieving?

If the Attorney General of New York State and a former Clinton Cabinet official is considered underachieving I hope to underachieve as well as he has. Man would I like to underachieve to that level.

[leftynyc]

26. Underachieving?

The man has already proven to be able to win a statewide election and has done a good job as AG. I would have been happy with either one.

[jzodda]

28. Don't forget he was also in the Clinton Cabinet

So underachieving is an extremely strange word to use.

[sabbat hunter]

46. I would like

Tom Suozzi or RFK Jr.

[jzodda]

49. I would take those also

Actually now I would love to get Caroline back since I am not a big fan of the congress woman he's going to choose. I am so anti NRA-I now regret Caroline dropping out.

[sohndrsmith]

13. I can only hope that this DOESN'T have anything to do with Ted Kennedy's health,

because she wouldn't drop out for that reason unless it was serious, I don't think. Given that possibility, I'd rather know that she bowed out for other reasons, whatever they might be.

Hugs and healing thoughts go out to Senator Kennedy and his family... I hope he's able to keep working in the Senate for as long as possible.

I hope I'm wrong, and I'm uncomfortable having such a supposition, but at the same time it doesn't seem all that unrealistic, either.

Damn... on all counts.

[SoCalDem]

17. In a way I hope it IS..

Any 76 yr old who has had surgery for a malignant brain tumor, is quite frail..

Teddy was the "father" she did not have for most of her life, so she's got to be devoted to him.. Whatever time he has left, is time she probably does not want to waste.

I<'m sure he would tell her to "go for it", but deep down, he probably wants all of his family close to him, for as long as he has left.[br />
The feeding frenzy that erupted with the HRC seat, got way out of control, especially when it has to be run for (for real in '10..and again in '12).. That's a whole lot of campaigning to do.

No matter who gets picked now, there WILL be a primary challenge in '10, and maybe again in '12. If she decides she really wants to run, she will now have plenty of time to hone her speaking skills, and maybe the time spent with Teddy will be time well spent by him mentoring her..if it's what she really wants to do.

I'm sure that the Obama admin could use her skills in the area of the arts, if she wants to serve..

[girl_interrupted]

20. NY doesn't "deserve" her? NY went for Obama big time

And for Kerry and twice Against bush. Caroline has withdrawn on her own, I don't know her reasons, I hope it isn't because of her uncle's health, but I wish her luck.

[cali]

21. Ted Kennedy is dying

Look, I'm sorry to be so blunt, but he has terminal brain cancer and statistically, he has only a few months left. Having said that, Caroline Kennedy knows this, and she knows her Uncle wanted her in the Senate despite his condition.

I think Caroline dropped out because she simply wasn't prepared for the whole thing, and by that I don't mean the job itself, but the attendent publicity, the constant glare of the spotlight, campaigning, etc.

[diane in sf]

22. I agree, her family and privacy seem very important to her.

An interesting side note--she was at Radcliffe when my brother was at Harvard. They shared at least one class--she did not bother to show up very often. Though she seems quite productive as an adult.

[karynnj]

39. I agree with you 100%

In addition to the constant publicity, I think that she likely was stunned by the level of the attacks against her. Although I would assume that she has always seen the RW attacks on Ted Kennedy, they were not directed at her and it was the Republicans. The attacks on Caroline have been intensely personal and very nasty. Unlike Ted Kennedy, either Clinton, Kerry, Dean etc, she has never been the target for much of any criticism before this year. (Where they get the ability to deal with attacks - I don't know.) As to CK, she was the very cute little child of the President who grew - with no public scandals - into a graceful woman, who was never a focus of attacks.

[ClarkUSA]

30. Of course it does. Today's NYT confirms this via "a person who spoke to her"

"Ms. Kennedy did not elaborate, but a person who spoke to her suggested that her concerns about the health of her
uncle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who suffers from brain cancer and was hospitalized after a seizure on Tuesday,
contributed to her decision.

Ms. Kennedy believed that the job was hers if she would accept it, the person said..."

She is a class act who loves her family. It's sad that she won't represent New Yorkers because of her beloved Uncle
Teddy's impending death.

[cali]

34. It's an excuse for dropping out.

She's known for months that Teddy is dying, and that he has only a limited amount of time. And Teddy has made it clear that he dearly wanted her in the Senate.

[ClarkUSA]

37. It's no coincidence that she came to her decision the day after Uncle Teddy collapsed in public.

I believe she got some bad news in the aftermath and wants to spend what little time Ted Kennedy has left by his side.

[cali]

38. oh, please

that just doesn't have the ring of truth.

[ClarkUSA]

40. Au contraire. The timing of her withdrawal makes it obvious: treatment is not going well for Ted.

Caroline wouldn't withdraw otherwise. According to recent reports, she had the Senatorship in the bag: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/nyregion/22caroline.html?_r=1&hp

[cali]

41. bull. as someone else pointed out

he's remaining in the Senate. And she's hardly his primary caretaker. He has a wife and children.

[ClarkUSA]

42. Says who? You? That's funny. You and "someone else" lack understanding and compassion.

I have had a parent die of a similarly aggressive cancer and I completely understand her reasoning.

[Occam Bandage]

48. Supposing she were entirely honest,

and that her uncle collapsing meant that she would not be able to effectively represent the state of New York in the Senate. Given that Teddy already has what is almost certainly terminal brain cancer, doesn't that then suggest that she was highly irresponsible in lobbying for a Senate appointment?

[Life Long Dem]

23. Obama should offer her a position...

given the availability.

[jumptheshadow]

29. I am saddened

I believe New York just lost a talented and intelligent liberal voice in the Senate who would have represented the state with the utmost integrity.

I believe that Western New York, in particular, got the bum end of this deal because I think she would have felt a deep connection with the struggles of that region and would have taken their issues directly to the President.

I admire Ms. Kennedy and I sincerely hope that she will help serve this country in some other way.

She can still be the greatest Kennedy ever.

[Lyric]

35. Of course she is. I'm guessing that she's feeling pretty needed by the family

right now.

:hug: to Caroline and Teddy.

[Beacool]

43. Good!!!

I have nothing against Caroline personally, but she shouldn't have been given a senate seat on a silver platter just for being a Kennedy and having supported Obama in the primaries. We are not the House of Lords!!!

There are far more qualified people to hold the seat until 2010. Such as Maloney, Cuomo, Lowey and Velazquez, for example. If Caroline wishes to become a senator, then she can run in 2010 and campaign like everyone else.

:shrug:

[galaxy21]

44. I don't think Paterson was picking her after she polled badly

Sounds like Ted's illness is just a way for her to withdraw with dignity. I don't know if she was forced out, although if she denied it at first maybe she was.

Cuomo, now, I suppose.

[Beacool]

45. My gut feeling too

and what I'm hearing through the grapevine here in the city.

[Occam Bandage]

47. Thank God Teddy had his health scare *before* she was sworn in.

If she can't handle an already-ill family member's health worsening *and* the job of Senator, she had no business "running" (such as she did) in the first place.