womzilla | Senator CK?

One of my non-New York friends asked me how I felt about the possibility of Caroline Kennedy becoming the Class I Senator from New York state (which is now apparently a done deal, but maybe not). Here's my response, just in case any of you care.

I think that she could be a perfectly acceptable senator. She's very smart, has a strong sense of social responsibility, and understands the political world about as well as an outsider can. Also, celebrity is actually a virtue for a senator--one way to get clout in the Senate is to get press, and she can get that. (It's one of the reasons I was happy to see Hillary Rodham get elected in 2000.)

That said, I'm pretty sure I hate the idea of the political aristocracy. On a more practical, but intertwined, issue, I have no idea how good a campaigner Ms. Kennedy-Schlossberg-Kennedy is; even though NY is a strongly blue state, NY senate races can be brutal, and the Republicans would make it a high priority to bump her off (electorally, I hasten to add). Better to promote a proven politician.

So now you know.