The media is all abuzz about whether Caroline Kennedy is qualified to be appointed the junior Senator from New York. This in a year when we elected a President who had only two years in Congress prior to launching his presidential campaign, and who has no prior executive experience. This in a year when a comedian, Al Franken, who also has zero political experience, may become a Minnesota Senator if they can "find" enough votes to elect him. The great state of Minnesota previously elected a professional wrestler as their Governor, and California elected Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor because those Terminator movies were pretty cool.
Is Caroline Kennedy qualified ? Who cares ? It's an irrelevant question.
There are no qualifications to be a politician. Most of the time, you only need to fool the public into voting for you. This is generally accomplished by a series of slogans, lies, and false promises, but Caroline doesn't have to worry about that too much if she can get New York Governor David Paterson to appoint her. Plus Caroline is a KENNEDY. That's as close as we get to royalty in this country. That carries a lot of weight. For example, Caroline's uncle Teddy killed a woman and covered it up almost thirty years ago, and he's STILL in the Senate. 'Nuff said. Royalty has it's privileges. I only wonder why O.J. Simpson didn't go into politics. He had the requisite star power, but alas, it's too late now.
Of course Caroline Kennedy is qualified to be a Senator, even if she doesn't have any qualifications. Now, if she wanted to be a plumber, that would be a different story. You have to know something to be a plumber. She would NOT be qualified for that, but Caroline only wants to be one of the leaders of the country. That's an entry-level position, no experience necessary.
Three more things in Caroline's favor:
1) She read a poem on Def Poetry Jam a few years ago, so she has cred with the younger generation. Okay, probably not, but at least they didn't boo her off the stage.
2) She dissed a New York Times reporter for asking her softball questions yesterday, and suggested the reporter should be writing for a women's magazine instead of reporting on politics. Major kudos to Caroline for that wisecrack, even though her response will be twisted into a criticism of women, which it was not (Hint – Caroline Kennedy IS A WOMAN).
3) Caroline said she was "dismayed" over her own voting record, which showed she seldom voted in New York elections. I know this seems like a negative mark against her, but it shows she is quickly picking up the ability to BS, an essential trait for a politician. I think this should count as a qualification.
Vote for Caroline in '09 !!! Er, I mean, Appoint Caroline in '09 !!! I think her slogan should be "Hey, At Least I Haven't Done Anything Wrong Yet.'
But let's check the water in Minnesota. Something's definitely not right there.
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It is interesting how one can go all those years not being interested enough in politics to even vote and all of a sudden want to be a Senator. She should try to get Blagajevich to appoint her to the Illinois job since the only qualification to fill that one would be knowing how to vote "Present" and surely she could be there to vote that kind of vote. Hillary took part, and voted so would be hard for Caroline to replace,
Point #3 is your best.
"dismayed." of course she is dismayed over her voting record – not the lack of it, just dismayed that people found out about it. Welcome to politics.
Caroline isn't Smart, Experienced and Deeply Knowledgeable like George and The Dick, two Terrificly Qualified and Extensively Experienced politicians.
If Caroline was as Experienced as the Galactically Experienced Terror Twins, she would just tell those Knee Padders that her voting record is protected by "national security" concerns.
When conservatives have nothing else to bloviate about, they can ALWAYS bash a Kennedy.
Facts play no role in blind bashing exercises. Caroline is qualified to become Senator. End of story.
I notice you didn't say why she's qualified or even perhaps list a qualification, Reverend.
I have a nagging feeling that the primary reason she wants the Senate seat is because the family fears/knows Ted Kennedy will not be in the Senate much longer because of the prognosis on his brain tumor and the family wants a Kennedy in the Senate to carry on the family political dynasty. This does not preclude the fact that she might make a good senator. Just a thought.
larry,
Stop asking the Rev to present facts to back up his argument. That only interferes with his propaganda. Remember the Rev's mantra – Dem=good, Repub=bad. It's simple. Very simple.
But following the Rev's logic, I guess the more unqualified and inexperienced a potential candidate is, the better. Only if he/she is a Dem, of course. Like I said, simple.
Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for senators: 1) each senator must be at least 30 years old, 2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past nine years, and 3) must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they seek to represent.
Even I can tell she is qualified to be a senator.
High praise indeed, Mary. Too bad Obama didn't have to pass the same test.
This discussion has nothing to do with Obama so why interject it into the conversation? I do not know enough about Caroline Kennedy to have an opinion on whether she will be a good senator or not and I am not going to try and determine if she will be a good senator or not or anyone else from New York for that matter. Ohio — yes but not for me worth the effort for New York. I do think it strange that after all the years of avoiding public exposure she wants to go into politics. I think there must be some special reason and that is all I think. As far as qualifications — anyone with the qualifications stated in the constitution is qualified — even me — and she does have the connections and name — and money — to influence others and that is (I think) one of the most important qualifications of a politician — being able to influence others.
I see, mary. In addition to the basic constitutional qualifications, candidates should be rich folks who are part of the beltway-business-as-usual-familiar-last-name crowd.
As long as whomever occupies a seat in Congress has to spend most of their time fund raising, qualifications seem a moot point. They won't have enough time left over to actually read the bills they vote on, and will follow whatever party leaders dictate
Doesn't it strike anybody as odd that the people who run our country don't even have to pass a test like, say, a city sewer worker would ? For politicians, there is no civil service test, no drug test, no education requirement, no licensing fee, no nothing.
Yes mary, almost any adult American is qualified to be a Senator, or even a President, because there are no qualifications. I suggest you, me, frank, and larry run the country. It would probably be an improvement. I don't see how we could be much worse. I remember when William F. Buckley said he would trust the first hundred names in the phone book to run the country more than he would the so-called elites. Maybe he was right.
But there have to be better qualified candidates with more experience for the NY Senator job than Caroline Kennedy.
Caroline's part in the Obama campaign qualifies her in the eyes of most Democrats, I am sure. She did come out with her speech about how great old Hopey Changerson would be as President and those like Rev were taken in at how great her support was. Afterall, her name meant a lot to Dems.
I think she should stay at home and do her good works in the background as she has done all her adult life. When she gets involved with that crowd in the Senate she will probably just be another loyal follower of Uncle Teddy and they have plenty of left handed people to take care of that work now.
Speaking of Ted Kennedy, Rev, is he really left handed or just in his mind.
"Doesn't it strike anybody as odd that the people who run our country don't even have to pass a test like, say, a city sewer worker would ? "
When I first read that, I thought….WTF? Then I realized….you were referring to elected officials. Elected officials don't run our country. Corporate monied people who bribe, I mean contribute campaign funds, to elected and wannabe elected officials…..those are the people who run the country. Have for a good while now.
The reason the right hates the name Kennedy, even though they sometimes pay lip service to JFK, is because Kennedy's are champions for the not-so-blessed, and they're not shy about it. The right only likes the shy Democrats, you know, like Evan Bayh, who rarely champions anything.
Caroline meets all the necessary requirements to be senator, and she will be another progressive Kennedy voice for the people.
roy…he's left-handed in his mind.