There is a place in this world for Caroline Kennedy to do good work; it just isn’t the U.S. Senate. The Republic is better off for her withdrawal from consideration for Hillary Clinton’s seat.
Since her name was mentioned for the job, the evidence that she wouldn’t fit well piled up again and again. The entire concept smacked of monarchy. She refused to disclose basic financial information. The case for her alternated between her status as “a princess,” some sort of inherent governing ability locked within her genes, and constant invocations of the pleasure it would bring to ghosts and spirits. The fact that she used “you know” with great frequency while speaking wasn’t inherently disqualifying, but it grated that her speech quirks were considered no big deal, while “you betcha” and a wink were considered ipso facto evidence of mental retardation.
Today brings one final bit of evidence:
Some New York media had begun reporting her withdrawal earlier in the evening, but Kennedy family confidants angrily dismissed the reports as smears aimed at undermining her chances.
When you’re surrounded by sycophantic friends whose first instinct, when you make a decision that surprises them, is to tell reporters that it must be a lie and point fingers at your enemies, you’re not likely to make a positive impact on our political process. Washington has seen enough blind loyalty and vindictiveness.
The next senator from New York will probably have been elected to some office at some point, and that is a good thing.