# I don't think that Caroline Kennedy is qualified for the NY Senate seat. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 16, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436 "2008-12-16T18:52:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/41 "2008-12-17T00:28:00Z")
What’s really required to be a Seantor? Perhaps a little intelligence, a willingness to learn and an honest constitution might be enough. If Ms. Kennedy has those three things, I’d give her a chance. Besides, I’m sure Teddy will properly school her. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/42 "2008-12-17T00:31:09Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > What’s really required to be a Seantor? Perhaps a little intelligence, a willingness to learn and an honest constitution might be enough. If Ms. Kennedy has those three things, I’d give her a chance. Besides, I’m sure Teddy will properly school her. In what? Chucking people off bridges in cars and leaving them there? If we use the standards expoused by some of her supporters here then I’d wager a lot of the posters on this website would do just as good of a job. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/43 "2008-12-17T00:32:29Z")
She’s written some pretty interesting books. Ed ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/44 "2008-12-17T00:45:41Z")
All I’m saying is that people with no money worries might want to do more for other people and will be less likely to be influenced by special interest groups. Again I could be completely wrong. I try to think the best of people until proven wrong. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/45 "2008-12-17T00:49:14Z")
Kennedy is well educated, she is steeped in politics, and shows some conscience. Is she qualified to be senator. I don’t know Maybe as much or more than most contenders. She will probably get the opportunity and may do well. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/46 "2008-12-17T01:37:34Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > All I’m saying is that people with no money worries might want to do more for other people and will be less likely to be influenced by special interest groups. Again I could be completely wrong. I try to think the best of people until proven wrong. I try to do that to, but you’re making a specific assumption about a specific group of people. You’re either that kind of cheat or you’re not, whether you’re rich or not. Ask Ted Stevens. (Also, special interests generally do their work by lobbying and trying to make their wares look like what’s best for everybody. They don’t always offer bribes, because that’s illegal and can land people in jail. Again, ask Ted Stevens.) ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/47 "2008-12-17T01:56:51Z")
I agree that Ted Stevens deserves more than he will ever get, even if he gets prison time. I’m a hard core Republican and I’m disgusted with most of the party. We will soon see how badly the Democrats can screw this up. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/48 "2008-12-17T02:23:29Z")
The only qualification that I see should be required for an appointed senator is someone who is capable and willing to represent an underrepresented constituency as well as her state. I see Fran Drescher as such a person. She can represent people who do not have formal higher education. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/49 "2008-12-17T03:03:10Z")
There was a young lass name of Caroline, Who deigned to the Senate without being voted in, Poetry she backed, Experience she lacked, But the public was fond of her kin. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/50 "2008-12-17T03:20:08Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > You have no way of telling which one of them are more intelligent. Kennedy was clearly raised differently than Palin. She was exposed to differnt things but in no way does that make her any more “intelligent”. Sorry but that’s just an arrogant, simplistic comment to make. There is some evidence that Kennedy possesses greater intelligence: AB from Harvard, JD from Columbia. Unless you think she got those via nepotism? Sarah Palin: 5 tries to get her bachelors at 4 colleges. Certainly Kennedy is more educated, if nothing else, and more worldly. I doesn’t seem like a stretch to think she’s more intelligent, but I very likely can’t prove it to your satisfaction. > [@](#): > > She would be a junior Senator so foreign affairs would not be a high prioriity. Having a basic understanding of how government actually works would help. Kennedy doesn’t have that. Sorry, but that there is just an arrogant, simplistic, and pretty flagrantly wrong comment to make. I suspect Ms. Kennedy has a very good idea of how government actually works. One does not have to hold elected office to understand how government works. Does she lack experience as a member of government? Yes, but I bet she still knows how it works, and has plenty of insight from an insider’s perspective. > [@](#): > > Also, at least Palin ran for election. Kennedy should run for election and take her chances that way. Just because she was lucky enough to be born into privilege doesn’t make her worthy of anything. Whoever gets Clinton’s Senate seat will not have to run for it this time, he or she will be appointed, so if Kennedy wants it now, she won’t have the opportunity to run. If she gets chosen, she will certainly have to prove herself to be elected when her appointment runs out. I say all this as a New Yorker who prefers Andrew Cuomo to Caroline Kennedy for this Senate seat. It’s not due to lack of intelligence or understanding of government that I’m not supporting her. ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/51 "2008-12-17T03:40:46Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > There is some evidence that Kennedy possesses greater intelligence: AB from Harvard, JD from Columbia. Unless you think she got those via nepotism? Sarah Palin: 5 tries to get her bachelors at 4 colleges. Certainly Kennedy is more educated, if nothing else, and more worldly. I doesn’t seem like a stretch to think she’s more intelligent, but I very likely can’t prove it to your satisfaction. Not when you’ve got W: Bachelor’s from Yale, MBA from Harvard. It’s tough to argue that degrees = education, let alone worldliness. I don’t have a hard time buying that Kennedy is more educated or worldly than Palin, but the fact that a member of American royalty has fancy degrees doesn’t alone prove the point. I agree, however, that it is some evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/52 "2008-12-17T03:45:06Z")
> [@Amazingrace](#): > > Not when you’ve got W: Bachelor’s from Yale, MBA from Harvard. It’s tough to argue that degrees = education, let alone worldliness. I don’t have a hard time buying that Kennedy is more educated or worldly than Palin, but the fact that a member of American royalty has fancy degrees doesn’t alone prove the point. I agree, however, that it is some evidence. Your point is well-taken about college degrees != intelligence. I do think, though, that Kennedy has Palin on worldliness. OTOH, W is hardly an argument against Kennedy’s candidacy, since he proves that experience in government is no indication of future success in government when one is elected to national office. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/53 "2008-12-17T04:49:21Z")
As a former NYer (and still one in spirit), I believe Cuomo is the logical choice, if he wants it. Other than him, I honestly don’t know anyone in NY politics who I’d want for the job. At least Caroline doesn’t have the negative baggage that more “experienced” NY politicians have. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/54 "2008-12-17T04:59:55Z")
There are certain potential attributes desired in one appointed to a Senate seat. First of all they have to either be someone willing to be a seat warmer or someone who can probably win a general when it comes up. We’ll assume that Caroline Kennedy plans on trying to win the general and not just warm the seat. Is she someone who can do that? Well she has some advantages in that regard. Most important she can raise the money to run without any problem and having a large war chest is a key part of winning. She will also be well connected with the incoming administration, with many key Senate players, and with many diverse other power brokers. So she is likely to meet another criteria - she can look out for her state’s interests. It is also desirable to have someone who reflects the values of the state’s populus. From the little I know I think that she does that. And all indications are that she is an intelligent well educated and intellectually curious person with good critical thinking skills. Those impressions could be false, but I tend to doubt it. New York could do worse. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/55 "2008-12-17T05:37:01Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > There is some evidence that Kennedy possesses greater intelligence: AB from Harvard, JD from Columbia. Unless you think she got those via nepotism? Sarah Palin: 5 tries to get her bachelors at 4 colleges. Certainly Kennedy is more educated, if nothing else, and more worldly. I doesn’t seem like a stretch to think she’s more intelligent, but I very likely can’t prove it to your satisfaction.. All due respect but Harvard has a significant legacy program. Did Kennedy avail of it? Not sure but who knows. I’d wager she did. However, Palin, without Harvard et al. still managed to do rather well for herself. Despite the lack of money and family name that Kennedt has. That suggests some sort of ability. Whether you rate it or not is your issue. > [@](#): > > Sorry, but that there is just an arrogant, simplistic, and pretty flagrantly wrong comment to make. I suspect Ms. Kennedy has a very good idea of how government actually works. One does not have to hold elected office to understand how government works. Does she lack experience as a member of government? Yes, but I bet she still knows how it works, and has plenty of insight from an insider’s perspective . I believe it helps. Palin was brough up (for reasons I still don’t rightly know) and the fact is that Palin is an elected official, Kennedy is not. So Kennedy has no actual experience. None at all. None. > [@](#): > > Whoever gets Clinton’s Senate seat will not have to run for it this time, he or she will be appointed, so if Kennedy wants it now, she won’t have the opportunity to run. If she gets chosen, she will certainly have to prove herself to be elected when her appointment runs out. Let’s have an election instead. Now. > [@](#): > > I say all this as a New Yorker who prefers Andrew Cuomo to Caroline Kennedy for this Senate seat. It’s not due to lack of intelligence or understanding of government that I’m not supporting her I spend one week a month in NY and have for several years now. I think Palin has been dragged in as a strawman. Kennedy isn’t qualified and is simply there due to her name and money she gave/raised to Obama. Don’t paint her to be anything other than what she is. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/56 "2008-12-17T07:32:56Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > There was a young lass name of Caroline, > Who deigned to the Senate without being voted in, > Poetry she backed, > Experience she lacked, > But the public was fond of her kin. Don’t give up your day job just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/57 "2008-12-17T07:44:19Z")
IIRC from old films of the young Kennedy family, they pronounced her name so that it rhymed with line, not lynn. Still, not a bad effort, **Dan**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/58 "2008-12-17T08:51:13Z")
Well, I for one think that Sarah Palin is qualified to be Senator. Plenty are elected to that post with any electoral experience - and Palin has 2 years as a Governor under her belt. Of course I disagree with her politics and tendency to intermingle personal pique and public trust, but that’s a different matter. As for Caroline Kennedy, I’d like to ask who the alternatives are. Googling, I find the names [Andrew Cuomo, Tom Suozzi, Kirsten Gillibrand and Mike McNulty](http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=751265&category=OPINION). I see that anybody taking the helm will have to run for re-election in 2010 and 2012, so fundraising ability really matters. Ah, [AP has a list of possible candidates](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iXRU82XT1ALu7eEf4-eb7QjBGYCwD9543E580). Rep. [Carolyn Maloney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_Maloney) might be an interesting choice. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/59 "2008-12-17T10:21:44Z")
Caroline Kennedy was three years old when she moved into the White House. Some of us have “known” her almost all of her life. She could have relied on her family’s name and fortune to get her through life, but she has opted for a life full of public service. To me, that is the _best_ qualification for a position of leadership. I think this list is inclusive, starting with college days: Worked in the summers as a political intern for her Uncle Ted. Interned for the _New York Daily News_. Worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Established the Profile in Courage Awards (honors elected officials who have shown political courage) Co-authored **In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action** with fellow law graduate Ellen Alderman. (Turned down an offer to be chairwoman of the 1992 Democratic National Convention) Co-authored another book entitled **The Right to Privacy** (1995). Helped to create **The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis** , published in 2001. Served as editor for two other anthologies: **Profiles in Courage for Our Time** (2002) and \*\*A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems and Speeches Every American Should Know (2003). Published **A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children** in 2005, and her latest work, **A Family Christmas** , in 2007. Serves as a member of the national board of directors for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Vice-chair for the Fund for Public Schools in New York City Chief executive for the New York City Department of Education Office of Strategic Partnerships. Wife and mother of three What percentage of our Senators are women? 12%? 13%? I’ve really lost count. We are losing one. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to think that she could be replaced with someone as qualified and Ms. Kennedy. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436/60 "2008-12-17T11:29:16Z")
I am very confused by those who keep insisting that the only meaningful qualification for appointment is having been elected in the past, or that service as an elected official is the only meaningful experience and that without that a candidate has “no actual experience. None at all. None.” Service as an elected official can be useful but is in no way a prerequisite for service as a Senator however an individual gets there. I’m not saying that she is the best for the job, but if not it isn’t because of that lack. The issues are who can adequately represent the views of the population of New York in the Senate and get New York’s voice adequately heard, who has the skill set to analyze the issues that are likely to present themselves in an intelligent manner, and who has the resources to run for re-election again (and win) in 2010 and then again in 2012. And from a RealPolitik POV the last is the number one consideration. You do not want to risk losing that seat. Having served in elected office before is hardly the be all and end all to answer any of those questions. Looking over that AP list there are probably several who could adequately represent New Yorker’s interests in the Senate, and who would be capable of intelligently analyzing the issues of national and international significance. For example, Maloney’s experience overseeing the House Financial Service Committee’s financial institutions subcommittee would likely provide her a particularly useful skill and knowledge set right now. I’m not as sure that anyone else on that list brings along the resources needed to run (and win) state wide campaigns fairly constantly for the next 4 years like Kennedy does though. BTW, I also think that identity politics ( **Zoe** ’s interest in keeping the seat held by a woman) also fails to inform on those questions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-think-that-caroline-kennedy-is-qualified-for-the-ny-senate-seat/477436.md?page=4)