What exactly is the experience needed to be a senator by the way ??

She is not running in an election , its going to be an appointed position , calling the elites is probably a wise course  of action.

Those questioning her capabilities , achievement in education and experience like those unnamed rep members in the NY delegation should spell out what qualifications is needed...

While I agree that Kennedy is not a great choice, Zimmerman and Applebaum can GO F THEMSELVES.  WHO THE F CARES IF CLINTON SUPPORTERS FEEL SLIGHTED BY KENNEDY BEING CHOSEN.   IF THEY ARE THAT F-ING PETTY THEN  PLEASE LEAVE THE PARTY.  NO ONE GIVES A RAT'S ASS.  ELECTION IS OVER.   OBAMA IS PRESIDENT.. HILLARY HELPED... HILLARY IS THE 5th HIGHEST RANKING PERSON IN GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW.  
WTF MORE DO THOSE JACKASSES WANT!

That being said, I'm with Bowers on Slaughter for the seat... even if she supports Kennedy for it.  

It's neither unusual nor unsavory for an extreme party loyalist, big fancy name or not, to be given a congressional appointment that they might not initially seek for themselves by election.

In a few years, the voters can decide whether they want to keep her there or not.  This is how Democracy works.

It's odd that all these Clinton supporters came home for the election but are now doubting his (perfectly normal) agenda item.

I oppose it, although i can see why Hillary isn't taking a stand. She looks ahead to what can be accomplished and she sees no reason to weigh in on matters that don't effect her. It's up to the governor.

but, I think Teddy is a fathead, I'll never get over the way he behaved after driving a young woman off a bridge.  that was too cowardly and self-serving for me to grasp, and he paid no price.

It seems that his family is against Andrew, for reasons similar to Sarah Palin's desire to get her ex-brother-in-law fired.  

If Caroline wants to go into politics, she should do it by running for office.

If Hillary's supporters are angry that there is no media backlash against picking a Kennedy, it has to do with the legacy argument that was leveled at her.  It's that double standard, we want women to run for office, but qualified ones, not those who only have famous names, or who have powerful senate uncles who are willing to promise to work only with her.  

ROCKS!

I'm not from NY, so my opinion, like that of all others not from NY is worth diddly squat, but since we are all chiming in, I want to be on the record as being 100% in favor of putting this wonderful woman in the Senate immediately.

Corruption out of Chicago, nepotism out of New York... wow, we appear off to a great start at blowing it.

The Kennedy's are untouchable in both New York and Massachussetts and we would not have to worry about defending a House seat.  If someone like Gillibrand was appointed, we would surely lose her House seat by double digits in a special election.  Is this what you want?

It seems like a done-deal at this point.

I live in Brooklyn and we own property upstate, so I see both worlds.

I was really gunning for Kirsten Gillibrand... a Democrat who actually knows upstate, has won tough races, defended her seat in the House and has paid her dues.

I'm so sick of media politics and celebrity promotions. Next we're going to see Oprah take Obama's seat... it seriously could happen at this rate.

As an aside, I think this has implications outside of NY. I really think Democrats have to acknowledge that Caroline Kennedy is most likely positioning herself to run for President in 2016. Is that what we want?

Look - you better believe that CK has decided to go after the seat and plans on getting it either now by appointment or in 2010. She is putting NY on notice that whomever the Gov. picks they will be in for a steep fight to keep it.

Caroline is not going to slink away because she didn't get the initial nod. She has decided that she wants to be a Senator and in public politics - and a silly little appointment by an "elevated" Governor is not going to stop her from going after it.

It would be a mistake to underestimate her.  

as my Rep.  I can assure you that if she were to leave NY-20, a Republican would probably win this seat with about 60% of the vote in a special election.  I dont want a Republican representing me again.  

It seems like the pushback is very useful, to the extent it requires Kennedy to actually go on record about her positions and fight for the job a little bit.

I mean, here we have someone who the media is treating as the frontrunner for the job, yet she apparently hasn't even told the person in charge of making the decision "what she thinks her qualifications are."  Come on.  Let's at least pretend for a few minutes that merit plays a part.

"TPM reports that Kennedy has Sen. Harry Reid in her corner. Maybe she's better at this politics thing than we gave her credit for."

Look, there's little doubt she has the seat. She'd be a fool to put it out there if she didn't.

As for opposition, I don't really feel any toward it. And with Blagojevich, disgust.

Both of these stories are big negatives for Democrats at a time when we should be positioning to big legislative victories, not giving repubs talking points to drive up opposition.

Nepotism, just pure nepotism. What political has Caroline Kennedy done in her life other than be a Kennedy? This IS an insult to the Clintons, as first, Kennedy wanted Clinton to stay in the Senate, by endorsing her opponent, now she wants her seat. Make up your mind. She is nowhere near as qualified as Cuomo or Suozzi. There are also other women who are qualified for the seat. When Reid says we've had "rockstars," how dare he compare Caroline Kennedy to Hillary or RFK. Both of them worked in government before the seat, RFK as AG, Hillary as the head of the health care operation in 1994 in the WEST WING of the White House and chair of the Arkansas education reform in the 1980s.

from the Upper East Side wants to be handed one of 100 US Senate seats.

I've kept my comments about the issue on the positive side up till now, but have to say it bothers me to learn that Caroline is hiring people to essentially pressure for her appointment. The only reason she's in that highly select line in the first place is because of her maiden name. Her apparent unwillingness to stand in that line just like everyone else now and wait her turn, is off putting quite frankly.

I don't particularly relish Kennedy for the seat - in my mind, it would be a legacy appointment and I'm sure that there are more deserving politicians.  That said, the idea that her appointment would be a "slight" annoys me.  I thought that we had moved past all of that.

breaking, vilsack gets agriculture.  also, on NY-sen, this is going to sound crazy, but how about ferraro as a placeholder?  hillary supporter, NY roots, qualified, not likely to run fora full term, and it will mend fences between the two camps.  in all honesty after what happened during the primary, she should get something.  if obama does well as prez, she will most likely go down in history as the woman mentioned in obama's race speech.  

At this point, the governor of NY has to decide whether he wants NY to become a laughing joke like Illinois. Nominating Kennedy would seal that title. Is she the only qualified woman in NY with qualifications? HELL NO! There are so many more young qualified women or men with more experience, who deserve this and have better experience in upstate NY. Nobody had even mentioned Caroline before the 2008 campaign. There are literally so many more qualified people, this is just sad.

very highly regarded, smart, teleginic, extremely hard working and was relected in this heavily repubican district with 62% ov the vote.  Her opponent spent millions but he lost big.  She's highly qualified to be Senator and has earned her place in Congress.  If it isn't Gillibrand, Patterson should pick another upstater.  We've been really neglected up here and although Caroline Kennedy is obviously an intelligent woman, she doesn't know beans about the concerns of the farmers and other interests upstate.  The area is trending democratic but it could easily reverse if upstate concerns aren't addressed.  Let's hope she's a quick study.

very highly regarded, smart, teleginic, extremely hard working and was relected in this heavily repubican district with 62% of the vote.  Her opponent spent millions but he lost big.  She's highly qualified to be Senator and has earned her place in Congress.  If it isn't Gillibrand, Patterson should pick another upstater.  We've been really neglected up here and although Caroline Kennedy is obviously an intelligent woman, she doesn't know beans about the concerns of the farmers and other interests upstate.  The area is trending democratic but it could easily reverse if upstate concerns aren't addressed.  Let's hope she's a quick study.

"She reportedly intends to "demonstrate that she has both the ability and the stomach to perform the job, with plans to visit parts of the upstate region,"

Great, it's probably here first time there. I would bet she hasn't even made it out to Brooklyn yet.

As grubby and obnoxious as elections are, they are trying and exhastive experiances that let politicians know who they are supposed to represent. Mark Warner was a ultra-rich bussinessman in NoVA, but he spent years building contacts with voters in pretty remote and rural parts of the state years before he ran for office.

Let Patterson appoint a caretaker. If Caroline Kennedy wants the seat so bad, there's an election in two years. Let's see her shaking hands in front of plant gates in Buffalo at 5 in the morning for the next two years, smoozing with precient captains in Utica and do all nasty dirty work that takes to run for office. If she can pull it off, then I'll say she's ready for the office.

That fact that her move is to pick some right-creep publicist dosen't make me trust her judgement all that much.  

There seems to be excitement in the air that one of America's princesses, a political family's princess, that is, has decided at the age of 51 to go into the family business. Of course when you're a princess, only the best will do. And if you've got your eye on a Senate seat, why not as a Senator from one of the more populous states? In fact, why bother with elections when you can be appointed?

Caroline Kennedy, born of a privileged family, seems to be a very nice woman who's managed to reach middle age without having any substantial career outside the family except for some writing and lots of charity work. And, yes, even her stint with the public schools was more of that fundraising and charitable work. She's really good at raising money. Now, as to substance. It's true that she went to Radcliffe and Columbia Law, but that's not a great achievement for someone with her money and family connections. I'd be more impressed with that were she from Anywhere USA with no money or pedigree.

Interestingly, she neither distinguished herself academically nor took on noteworthy work after graduation. Rather she wrote two legal books with a law school friend, who most likely did the writing and was happy to share authorship with a name that would sell. Fair contribution, but not a true achievement. But more to the point, does she have what it takes to fight for New York?

Hillary Clinton did indeed work and distinguish herself even before becoming First Lady. As the junior senator from New York, she became known as a very hardworking senator. A highly intelligent overachiever. A role model whose shoes I don't believe Caroline Kennedy could ever fill. The populous State of New York needs more than a dilettante sitting in the Senate, charming as she may be. We've learned that Hillary knows policy and the ins and outs of complicated issues.

Let Caroline, if she's interested in politics, begin working her way up. At least a little. Maybe she could begin by campaigning publicly rather than privately, and going through an election process. There is no reason to start at the top by getting the spot with an appointment. New York deserves better. Anyway, isn't this the year we were discouraging women who didn't have real qualifications?  http://barbaraspen.blogspot.com/

If there's opposition, let them put forth an alternative candidate.  Pick one, get that person on talk shows, we'll see who's better. Caroline's doing all the correct aristocratic things to aristocratically take daddy's old seat. If the small-d democrats what to stop her, they should start getting democratic. Someone challenge her to a debate or something.