# Who Should Be Nominated to New York's Junior Senate Seat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623 "2008-12-10T22:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/21 "2008-12-11T17:31:27Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Some say she has less “experience” for the position than Sarah Palin had for the vice-presidency. In some ways, [The Nanny](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKOkY2i4V7OoFa6P7NNJXRSUqrKwD95002780) has betters qualifications than Caroline Kennedy. At the very least, Fran Drescher would never be known as a wallflower. Caroline Kennedy has never held an elected position (nor has RFK jr). Thus, she has even less expereince than Palin. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/22 "2008-12-11T18:06:37Z")
Caroline Kennedy has not just been sitting around the house. She is active in a lot of causes especially having to do with education in NYC. Bloomberg gave her a glowing recommendation. She is connected. What’s with the C. Kennedy / Palin comparison? A Senate seat doesn’t put you a heartbeat away from the most powerful leadership position in the free world. A lot of “inexperienced” people have been appointed to fill out Senate terms. Some of them turned out pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/23 "2008-12-11T18:39:06Z")
Fran Drescher’s “voice” is schtick – she’s capable of talking like a normal human being, and would presumably do so if she held public office. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/24 "2008-12-11T18:43:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Fran Drescher’s “voice” is schtick – she’s capable of talking like a normal human being, and would presumably do so if she held public office. No, we fell for that once with Governor Goldthwait. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/25 "2008-12-11T20:10:15Z")
> [@Spartydog](#): > > Caroline Kennedy has not just been sitting around the house. She is active in a lot of causes especially having to do with education in NYC. Bloomberg gave her a glowing recommendation. She is connected. > > What’s with the C. Kennedy / Palin comparison? A Senate seat doesn’t put you a heartbeat away from the most powerful leadership position in the free world. > > A lot of “inexperienced” people have been appointed to fill out Senate terms. Some of them turned out pretty good. Not saying that Kennedy hasn’t done anything, but has she really done that much? Enough to qualify to be in the U.S. Senate, a group of 100 serving 300 millions Americans? Bottom line to me is if her name is Caroline Jones, the closest she’d get to that seat is the 3:15 tour on Tuesday that I’ll go on. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/26 "2008-12-11T20:13:35Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > Not saying that Kennedy hasn’t done anything, but has she really done that much? Enough to qualify to be in the U.S. Senate, a group of 100 serving 300 millions Americans? > > Bottom line to me is if her name is Caroline Jones, the closest she’d get to that seat is the 3:15 tour on Tuesday that I’ll go on. At least she’s been living in New York the last couple of decades, unlike, say, the current incumbent of the office. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/27 "2008-12-11T23:37:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > BTW, it’s an appointment, not a nomination. Nitpick: What David Paterson will do is appoint someone. What we’re doing here, is nominating names for that appointment. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/28 "2008-12-12T00:14:10Z")
> [@](#): > > At least she’s been living in New York the last couple of decades, unlike, say, the current incumbent of the office. So what? We voted for Clinton. If we want her to be our Senator, what business is it of anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/29 "2008-12-16T04:20:43Z")
Most recent developments: 1. Upstate NY Rep Louise Slaughter has endorsed Kennedy. > [@](#): > > [Kennedy’s first endorsement](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/Kennedys_first_endorsement.html) > > …Congresswoman Slaughter Endorses Caroline Kennedy for Senate…who she says “has spent her whole life fighting for what she believes in - she is a champion of public education, a lawyer, and an accomplished author.” > > “Caroline Kennedy understands that the stakes have never been higher for our state and our nation. We need our next Senator to have the skills and the stature to help bring about the change we need,” Slaughter said, echoing Obama’s slogan. > > Kennedy will presumably have to make some sort of public statement in the next 48 hours, and once she does, the question will be whether that triggers a flood of endorsements. 1. She’s actively campaigning for it now > [@](#): > > Caroline Kennedy to Seek Clinton’s Senate Seat > > … > Ms. Kennedy ended weeks of silence with a series of rapid-fire phone calls to the state’s leading political figures, including Gov. David A. Paterson, in which she emphatically and enthusiastically declared herself interested in the seat, according to several people who received the calls. > > “She told me she was interested in the position,” Mr. Paterson said at a news conference outside Albany on Monday. He added, “She’d like at some point to sit down and tell me what she thinks her qualifications are.” > > … > > But several people who have counseled the governor on the pending vacancy said that Ms. Kennedy has emerged as a clear front-runner, if she proves able to withstand the intense scrutiny and criticism that her decision to seek the seat is likely to provoke. > > Still, some have questioned whether Ms. Kennedy is qualified for the job. > > Ms. Kennedy is now launching a public effort to demonstrate that she has both the ability and the stomach to perform the job, with plans to visit parts of the upstate region. The governor, who has expressed frustration with other elected officials for campaigning too openly, has done nothing to discourage her, said a person who has spoken with Ms. Kennedy. > > In addition, a person with direct knowledge of the conversations said that Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Paterson had spoken several times in recent days and that the governor had grown increasingly fond of her. > > … 1. She’s hired an insider to help her > [@](#): > > [Kennedy hires insider to soothe critics](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16613.html) > > Caroline Kennedy’s trial balloon candidacy for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate seat was springing a few leaks over the past few days — so she’s made her ambitions more explicit and hired one of New York’s top political consultants to gain some altitude. > > After a week of coy courtship and low-key feelers, Kennedy began working the phones in earnest Monday — and signed up major Democratic fixer Josh Isay, who has deep connections to New York powerhouses Sen. Charles Schumer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Rev. Al Sharpton. > > Kennedy spoke with Sharpton on Monday, and he said he told her about another “lady that wanted to run for U.S. Senate [who] came to Harlem, to the House of Justice, and they told me she wasn’t qualified; they told me she was just there because of who she was married to — and that was Hillary Clinton.” > > Sharpton said Kennedy chuckled. > > … > Hiring Isay accomplishes several goals for Kennedy. It signals her seriousness to Gov. David Paterson, who has been cool to her weeklong whisper campaign; it initiates her courtship of state power brokers who know her only through the media and the History Channel; and it “scares the s—-” out of lesser-known Democrats actively pursuing the appointment, the New York Democrat said. > > Although she may be helping herself with her New York moves, one longtime operative active in New York City campaigns said Kennedy may also be getting a boost from the scandal surrounding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s attempts to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat: If Paterson appoints a star such as Kennedy, he can probably spare himself any allegation that he’s been bought off. > > “Post-Illinois, [Paterson] has to make this a big person,” the insider said. > > … ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/30 "2008-12-16T04:48:09Z")
I wonder how much difference that actually makes. I’m not surprised she wants the job, but it’s still Paterson’s choice. Depends partly on the public response, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/31 "2008-12-16T11:40:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So what? We voted for Clinton. If we want her to be our Senator, what business is it of anyone else? … But… if Ms. Clinton takes the cabinet post… she won’t _have the job anymore._ ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/32 "2008-12-16T17:26:01Z")
Recent [Slate](http://www.slate.com/id/2206292/) article on why Caroline Kennedy would be a bad choice for Senator. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/33 "2008-12-16T18:44:51Z")
Of course, she’s a Kennedy! Don’t you idiot proles know that a kennedy always does the best for you? Why should there be any argument? Don’t you want to restore camelot? Look at Sen. Ted Kennedy-he is always busy, doing what’s best for you…ungratefull villeins!:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/34 "2008-12-16T19:00:31Z")
Caroline Kennedy has not done enough that she deserves to be handed a free Senate seat without campaigning. I think it smacks of name entitlement, and I think if her name were Jenna Bush, the Dems would have a fit. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/35 "2008-12-16T20:40:22Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > Recent [Slate](http://www.slate.com/id/2206292/) article on why Caroline Kennedy would be a bad choice for Senator. Alas, I don’t find that article very convincing. And I _wanted_ to be convinced. The writer, in all honesty and integrity, admits he’s got personal reasons for disliking the idea of Caroline Kennedy in a position of official power. I respect him for that, greatly. It’s not easy to admit to something that will undermine his own position. In spite of that, it seems to me that his article failed to raise any glaring flags to my mind about why Caroline Kennedy would be a poor Senator. What’s worse, in my mind, is that it’s insufficient to simply say, “So-and-so is a bad choice.” Caroline Kennedy is not, and never will be, a choice that would make me ecstatically happy. Absent any other candidate being named - it is insufficient to say “she shouldn’t be NY’s next Senator.” There comes a point where a positive choice must be made: Not who shouldn’t be our next Senator, but who will be our next Senator? I’d prefer, myself, to see Andrew Cuomo in the seat. Even with that preference stated, I’m not going to howl if Caroline Kennedy is named to the seat. I still haven’t seen any other name suggested for that seat with any seriousness. Absent a better candidate, I do see the choice as being either Andrew Cuomo or Caroline Kennedy, or someone from the State Legislature. And I’d crawl naked over hot razor blades to avoid rewarding any of the incompetent hacks in the State Legislature. ETA: **Diogenes the Cynic** , I agree with you - I just find her to be better than any of the candidates I’ve heard bruited about, aside from Andrew Cuomo. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/36 "2008-12-16T21:04:32Z")
Too bad it’d be _declasse_ for DAVID A. PATERSON to nominate himself. How about Koch? or Dinkins? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/37 "2008-12-16T21:12:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Too bad it’d be _declasse_ for DAVID A. PATERSON to nominate himself. > > How about Koch? or Dinkins? AIUI, the problem with the idea of Paterson nominating himself is that there’s no provision in the State Constitution to allow for replacing the Lt. Governor. When Spitzer stepped down, ISTR hearing that nothing can be allowed to happen to Paterson, because after him there is no constitutional provision to fill the Governor’s seat, and the Legislature takes over. You can see why I think this would be a bad idea. A couple of years ago someone brought up the idea of amending the Constitution to allow for ballot referenda, and the State Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver, was quoted as saying there’s no need for the Constitution to be changed - we already have the Legislature to get the voter’s views acted upon. I don’t believe anyone in the state government would be willing to risk what might happen if the Constitution is opened up for amendment/rewriting. They might find a number of unpalatable measures added. (Like, say, confiscating 1% of a Legislator’s pay\* for every day that the budget is late beyond the April 1 deadline…) \*In the interests of fairness and symmetry I’d also fine the Governor the same amount of his/her base salary. But not the Lt. Governor. ---
**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 16, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/38 "2008-12-16T22:14:20Z")
Heard said by some talking head - one of the requirements for the appointed Senator is the ability to raise big money quickly for the next election. She can do that. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/39 "2008-12-16T22:15:03Z")
Frankly, I just wish he’d appoint the position already and end the speculation. If Caroline gets it, I think New Yorkers will be pleased by the job she does and she will easily win re-election. If they’re not, they can just throw her ass out in two years. That’s what would happen with anyone else he appoints. If she does a great job she could easily run for president in 8-12 years. Maybe that’s what the freepers are scared of. In intelligence, grace, knowledge and about a million other things, she sure shows up Palin. Edit to add, it just came to me that maybe he _can’t_ appoint the position until Hillary formally resigns. Anyone know if that’s true? 2nd edit to add, yep, her ability to raise money would be second to none. Another thing the freepers should be freaked out about. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623/40 "2008-12-16T22:38:11Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Frankly, I just wish he’d appoint the position already and end the speculation. He would accomplish nothing positive by doing so. I believe he’s promised to consider minority group members and people with a connection to upstate New York in filling the post, and if the names Kennedy as soon as she tosses her hat in the ring, the message would be, “Hey, I didn’t mean it.” (Further, I think his ‘minority’ consideration is particularly expected to focus on a Latin candidate- given the highly publicized murder of an immigrant over the weekend, he’d really be playing with fire if he didn’t appear to at least give a Latino some real consideration.) > [@](#): > > If they’re not, they can just throw her ass out in two years. Which would not be what Paterson or the NY Democrats want. > [@](#): > > Edit to add, it just came to me that maybe he _can’t_ appoint the position until Hillary formally resigns. Anyone know if that’s true? Paterson can verbally promise the job to anybody he wants, in public if he likes. But there’s nothing to appoint anybody to until she quits, which she won’t do until she’s confirmed, which won’t be for more than a month. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-nominated-to-new-yorks-junior-senate-seat/476623.md?page=3)