Caroline Kennedy was in town for a visit with our mayor yesterday. A possible choice to succeed US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Kennedy’s name has been mentioned along with that of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo) and our own Byron Brown, among others.
Certainly, Kennedy has “been around politics” all of her life, which is to say she was born into a family of politicos and lived in the White House–neither of which would necessarily factor in to her ability to legislate.
Still, she has been active in politics recently, and much more visible in that vein, having worked on President-Elect Barack Obama’s campaign. Her willingness to step out of a rather quiet existence and into that of politics shouldn’t surprise anyone at this stage of her life, and once again, it wouldn’t hurt New York State and Buffalo to have a high-profile personality filling our US Senate seat.
As for Cuomo – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He’s doing a great job where he is, with a high approval rating, so why change?
It’s all up to Governor David Paterson now. He’ll appoint whomever he appoints, even joking about it on an NPR interview last week. Speaking to his NPR host, Paterson said something to the effect that he was happy to announce first on NPR that “the next New York Senator will be (long pause) a highly qualified individual.” Well, then.
Finally, we’re left with an odd feeling from the Kennedy visit, but not because of her presence. One local television news reporter put a microphone in Mayor Brown’s face and asked him if Kennedy’s visit made him “uncomfortable.” Say what?
Of all the possible appointees, Brown has made it clear that he wasn’t seeking the job, and he answered politely that he’d spoken to many of those who are being looked at by Paterson as possible Clinton replacements.
Uncomfortable? Is there anything to lose by having Mrs. Schlossberg (her married name) represent us, and like Clinton before her, aren’t we happy she knows where Buffalo is?
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