The Experience of Caroline Kennedy

Throughout the past presidential race we heard on a regular basis how Governor Sarah Palin lacked the experience to be one heart beet from the presidency. Whether or not she had the experience and the qualification to the vice president, Sarah Palin was at least a sitting governor, a former mayor, and had chaired a very important state commission.

The "unqualified" and "inexperienced" criticisms of Sarah Palin are quite ironic in light of the fact that Caroline Kennedy is the favorite to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate.

Until Caroline Kennedy wrote an oped endorsing Barack Obama in late January of 2008 and then actively campaigned for him, she hardly had any involvement in politics. Her professional life has included a number of different jobs as an attorney, writer, editor, and board member for numerous non-profit organizations. She has held many of these positions as a result of her last name and the fact that her father was J.F.K. As a citizen she hasn't even been involved in the political process enough to vote on a regular basis. She has missed multiple primary and general election votes for top of the ticket races. There has also been a lot of talk that Caroline Kennedy just recently renewed her law license in order to have that credential to burnish as she makes the case that she should be New York's next senator.

These are tough times, and whoever is nominated to replace Hillary Clinton will have two years in office before they face reelection. We need someone in that seat who has experience in elected office. Someone who understands how to work with people and get things done. The only thing Caroline Kennedy has going for her is her last name.

For all the criticism of Sarah Palin as unqualified to be vice president. She was atleast a governor, mayor, and chair of a commission about oil companies. Caroline Kennedy hasn't done anything significant as a public servant to have this senate seat simply handed to her.

In all honesty Caroline has held no position that would in anyway qualify her to be nominated senator of New York. In fact she seems to have a sense of entitlement for the seat. Her uncle Robert F. Kenedy occupied the seat till he was tragically assasinated during his 1968 presidential bid. In order to keep the Kennedy image going they need another new younger person in high elected office.

Governor Patterson should find someone who can be a senator from day one to nominate for the position, and then Caroline Kennedy should run for the office later and convince the people of New York to elect her as their senator. She should not be given the senate seat simply because of her last name, or her political connections with the incoming president.