My guess is that she got a heads up from the governor allowing her to withdraw gracefully.
By the way, I’m wondering if this move (whether it was Caroline’s or Patterson’s) might be an effort to have her in position to take over another Senate seat that will soon be available…at the precise moment, in fact, that she no longer has to worry about her uncle’s health?
And of course the obvious question: was she outbid? 
Can she do that? She’s not a citizen of Masschusetts…she’s a New Yorker.
From the New York Post:
So it wasn’t just the “you knows” in media interviews…she didn’t do much better privately. Yikes.
I don’t think a Kennedy would have any problem finding some way to claim residency in Massachusetts.
I figured she withdrew after being told she wasn’t getting the job anyway, and ivylass’s link backs that up. I don’t like to judge politicians by tone of voice, but Paterson seemed to be making a case for picking a Latin candidate (like Velazquez?) in an interview over the weekend.
This is Kennedy’s own fault, and I’m still not sure why she handled it this way. I guess she really believed she could twist Paterson’s arm by posing as the inevitable choice. I wasn’t convinced of her qualifications but I wasn’t convinced she was unqualified either; mostly I was turned off that she was refusing to make her own case. She insisted she didn’t have to because it wasn’t an election, which missed the point entirely, and then she bombed in her interviews. Good for Paterson for holding out, I suppose. Even if Ted Kennedy’s health really got that much worse yesterday, Caroline won’t take over for him. Here’s betting she’s not going to be dealing with the press and the general public very much in the near future.
I agree with Marley23, completely. She bombed her chance of making this look like anything but a nepotism pick, either through her own ineptitude, or through choosing (Or accepting) handlers who seemed afraid to let anyone talk to her.
Her record is such that I can’t believe she’s as incompetent as she made herself appear with the various interviews she did give. By the same token, I’m not prepared to tell those people who are judging her based on those that their wrong, either.
And what’s particularly embarrassing is admitting that for a while there it seemed like all she had to do was make some kind of semi-capable presentation of the case for her appointment, and she’d have been a shoe-in. (At least in the eyes of the media.) And she failed miserably at that.
Yeah, yesterday I was reading the NY Post article linked to within ivylass’s article below, and it looked like naming her was threatening to cost Paterson much needed votes in next year’s election. Ted’s illness probably seemed like a good excuse to allow her to bow out gracefully.
I’ve been quite surprised to find out what she’s really like. She’s quite the disagreeable and entitled little snot, but due to the media-created image of her over the years I’d actually thought pretty highly of her prior to this Senate run. Even the NY Times admitted they’d have omitted all her “you knows” and “ums” if she hadn’t been insulting to their reporters, so it just goes to show how the media takes pains to make the people they support (or may support) look better than they really are.
What’s a citizen of Massachusetts?
All the Constitution requires, in terms of state affiliation, is that the Senator, “when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.”
Moving to another state for a Senate appointment after failing to get one in your home state would look amazingly crass. And like I said a few posts up, I don’t think she’ll be very interested in dealing with the scrutiny after the way this went down.
I’m sure you’re right. My point was merely that there’s no legal barrier to her moving to Massachusetts and running for the Senate.
Not so fast, everyone. From the AP:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1Ip3ozUR59_dUPZBfwDdRBUpbRgD95RV1AO0
*
A person familiar with Caroline Kennedy’s decision says she has** renewed her determination to win appointment to the U.S. Senate** seat once held by her slain uncle, Sen. Bobby Kennedy.
Earlier in the day, The New York Times and New York Post reported that Kennedy had ended her monthlong bid to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was confirmed as secretary of state.*
The plot thickens…
I’d say her biggest public service to the nation is being executed right now in her gracious demonstration of her feckless political skills.
Hang on! She’s out again!
http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/kennedy.ends.senate.2.914497.html
“I informed Gov. Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate,” Kennedy said in a statement obtained by CBS 2 HD.
Looks like he learned from Spitzer’s mistake at least. 
My guess would be that her next stop will be a white mansion surrounded by grass.
She’d have to actually run for the seat, not be appointed. Back in 2004, Massachusetts changed the law regarding a vacant Senate seat, removing the governor’s power to appoint a replacement and requiring a special election instead. This was done out of fear that Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican (and/or himself) to John Kerry’s seat if he won the Presidential election. And given Carolyn’s interview skills, and the complete carpetbagging appearance of quickly moving to MA after living in NY for the past 3 decades, I don’t think even Kennedy-loving Baystaters would elect her.
You are correct. I live in Massachusetts and I’d forgotten all about that. I think the Dems are sorely regretting that little move!
Seriously? Do you think they’ll have trouble getting voters to elect another Democrat to replace Ted?
Nah, but the state house hacks have hamstrung their ability to hand pick a successor and deliver him to the governor, which is exactly what they would have done before they changed the law. Now they’ll have to turn it over to us voters, and god only knows what we’ll do.