Heart-ache: Sweet Caroline withdraws; Update: She’s still in it, claims AP; Update: And out again.
posted at 7:20 pm on January 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
So says the New York Post. Why? The always-reliable “personal reasons.” Anyone want to bet that Caroline Kennedy has a “personal reason” to end the embarrassing spectacle of her courtship of David Paterson?
Caroline Kennedy has told Gov. David Paterson that she is withdrawing her name from consideration to replace outgoing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate, The Post has learned.
Kennedy cited “personal reasons,” according to sources.
Her stunning move comes as sources revealed that Paterson had intended to appoint her to the now-vacant seat today.
The 51-year-old Camelot daughter’s decision removes the highest-profile name in the ring to step into Clinton’s seat, as she departs after getting confirmed as President Obama’s Secretary of State today.
Actually, the trigger may have been Paterson’s statement Tuesday that Andrew Cuomo was under consideration for the slot. The specter of losing after making such a public bid for Hillary Clinton’s seat may have been too much for the Kennedy mystique, or at least the Kennedy ego.
Now that Kennedy has backed out, though, is Cuomo a shoo-in for the slot? Are New Yorkers soured on dynasty politics after Sweet Caroline’s performance over the past few weeks? The Post reports that at leat 15 people might be on Paterson’s list, but none with a name like Cuomo’s. I’d bet that Cuomo gets the call by tomorrow.
Update (AP): I come home from a meeting with the boss, see the headlines about Caroline, pop a bottle of champagne — and now this at 10:38 p.m.:
Source: Caroline Kennedy remains in contest to fill Hillary Clinton’s NY Senate seat.
The Post claimed earlier that she backed out after Paterson decided not to pick her. Did The One ring him up and urge him to reconsider?
Update (MM): OK, now it’s safe to pop the bubbly back open. She’s truly, really, out now. For now.
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MELTING BUNNY NOW!
Weight of Glory on January 21, 2009 at 7:22 PM
There is a god.
KSgop on January 21, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Oh no! Does this mean no unicorns too?
rbj on January 21, 2009 at 7:23 PM
She finally realized that a senator has to, you know, work.
Sometimes eight or more hours a day (instead of two), maybe five days a week sometimes (instead of one).
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:24 PM
bye
argos on January 21, 2009 at 7:24 PM
How did something sane happen here in Bizarro world?
trubble on January 21, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Why not Rudy? Isn`t he socially liberal enough?
ThePrez on January 21, 2009 at 7:24 PM
But whatever will the
House of LordsSenate do without a representative from the Kennedy line?!aero on January 21, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Buh bye, ya know.
Hog Wild on January 21, 2009 at 7:25 PM
She probably also realized that she’d have to campaign, i.e, travel upstate, rub elbows with the common rabble, and may even debate to hold the seat in 2010.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:26 PM
How did something sane happen here in Bizarro world?
trubble on January 21, 2009 at 7:24 PM
You’re right to be suspicious. This doesn’t seem right at all.
Dorvillian on January 21, 2009 at 7:26 PM
finally….something, anything goes in favor of this great country!
ONE IN A ROW! The tide has turned…now if Norm Coleman….
SDarchitect on January 21, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Teddy’s current wife is waiting in the wings to replace him.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:27 PM
The right call I think. My take is that she wasn’t really cut out for the job in any event (qualified or not). Cuomo’s gotta be the choice. Good res, obvious name recognition and competent (politics aside).
dakine on January 21, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Ya know,I’m cool with that, as ya know we all should be.
shooter on January 21, 2009 at 7:28 PM
ya know….I am findin’ it…ya know…..HARD TO GIVE A DAMN….ya know.
seejanemom on January 21, 2009 at 7:28 PM
If I lived in New York, I could not kill myself enough times.
wccawa on January 21, 2009 at 7:28 PM
She probably didn’t want to have to disclose how much money she really has — her buddy Obama might hit her up for a loan to bailout the national treasury. (Wonder if she’s been doing her taxes on Turbo Tax too?)
Whatever the reason, I’m glad to see her go.
AZCoyote on January 21, 2009 at 7:29 PM
What are the personal reasons? She has opened the political Pandora’s box in her senatorial quest, she may be back, so…what gives?
Mason on January 21, 2009 at 7:29 PM
IS TEDDY DEADDY YETTY?
seejanemom on January 21, 2009 at 7:29 PM
New York Times says her decision was prompted by “worries over her uncle’s health”. not so sure about that.
WhoKnew on January 21, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I’ve had a hunch the past several days it could be Carolyn Maloney.
JammieWearingFool on January 21, 2009 at 7:31 PM
That is bad news for Republicans because she would have been beatable in 2010. Another Democrat like Cuomo will be much tougher to beat. Republicans cannot catch a break…
RedSoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Maybe the Obama Administration leaked Justice Department information that she was caught on tape telling the Governor that if she got the Senate seat, the Kennedy family would bank roll his re-election………………
…………………. what?
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 7:33 PM
They are saving her up for something big. Maybe Biden´s aneurysm´s gotten worse.
el gordo on January 21, 2009 at 7:33 PM
That’s exactly right RedSoxNation. Great handle BTW. My family’s from Rockport, Mass.
dakine on January 21, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Cold feet. And the fact that real work is involved.
Although President Present skated through his tenure without breaking a sweat, and look where he is today.
tru2tx on January 21, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Perhaps she decided she’d rather be ambassador to England, like Old Joe. Lots of parties and let the staff do the real work.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:36 PM
small victory, you know, but like victory.
rob verdi on January 21, 2009 at 7:37 PM
What, not enough Gambino’s in prison?
Speakup on January 21, 2009 at 7:37 PM
The fact that they would even consider her says volumes about the brain dead liberals.
rplat on January 21, 2009 at 7:40 PM
I”d guess the Dems were looking to 2010 and trying to decide if she could campaign and hold the seat, especially against someone like Pete King. Uncle Ted might actually have been realistic enough to see she’d be a lousy campaigner, even with Obama’s help. With someone as lame as Paterson on the ticket, too, they’d have a pair of incompetents at the top of the ticket.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Bingo.
That, and the fact that Cuomo is preferred, by far, to Caroline in the polls. She probably expected a lot of public support, given her last name and all.
JetBoy on January 21, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Fixed.
And Senators have to sometimes at least try to answer questions from the press. That’s the one I think she liked least.
MrScribbler on January 21, 2009 at 7:42 PM
She shouldn’t have to beg for something she’s obviously entitled to, no questions asked.
Groveling to Sharpton and kissing his fat black ass must have nauseated her to no end.
Besides, we wouldn’t want another Kennedy taking any attention from the America hating First Lady or her thighness, Madame Hillary.
roninacreage on January 21, 2009 at 7:42 PM
how about bringing back al d’amato!
reliapundit on January 21, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Jackie breaths a sigh of relief.
Wade on January 21, 2009 at 7:43 PM
I was looking forward to Sen. Giuliani and Gov. Cuomo (again) in 2010. Looks like Patterson will appoint his most likely challenger in 2010, something Blago and anyone else would do in his position, and therefore a fight the Obama administration can’t afford. Because that’s all this was and Sweet Caroline knew it. Bye, sweetie.
chunderroad on January 21, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Haaaaa haaaa haa ha…. ha.
-
Buy daddy, I wanted a spotted pony…
RalphyBoy on January 21, 2009 at 7:45 PM
“Effective now I withdraw, you know, my utmost desire to, you know, serve the country, you know, I mean, the great state of New York. It’s difficult to be a mother, you know”
~~ Caroline
Entelechy on January 21, 2009 at 7:45 PM
thank f*kn goodness.
johnnyU on January 21, 2009 at 7:46 PM
But… sheez
RalphyBoy on January 21, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Nice job, “conservatives”. Now we’ll get cuomo, another pitbull nazi, in the senate for the rest of his life. No matter how bad things get no republican, not even rudy, will be able to throw that name out of office in a new york election.
peacenprosperity on January 21, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Let’s spin the price wheel for 500 Alex.
I wonder who the hell could possibly get that? hmmmm. Billy Boy?
johnnyU on January 21, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Did the Democrats find someone even less qualified?
Chuck Schick on January 21, 2009 at 7:49 PM
BBBBBBBBBWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
mindhacker on January 21, 2009 at 7:49 PM
But is a Long Islander going to be seen as a good Senator for all NY? (Wasn’t she the one who’s husband was killed in that train shooting?)
I wouldn’t be surprised if Patterson was on the phone with Cuomo right now.
I mean, Kennedy, Cuomo, whomever…it’s gonna be a Democrat anyway.
JetBoy on January 21, 2009 at 7:50 PM
For a woman who has spent her entire life dreaming of serving the American people, Cary sure gave up easily.
Bishop on January 21, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Probably needs some time to get through some of those…you know…. books she wrote….
I don’t see this as any kind of victory for anyone…Except her and Paterson..oh, and the people of NY..He still gets to maintain that she was gonna get it…She gets to keep the family name from going down in absolute embarrassment…..like they have..you know…so much humility..and stuff.
Ted pretty much burned that bridge down a long time ago as far as you, me, and every one you know is concerned…People like Noneya, Drywall and IMaHack would probably disagree, but they’re alot smarter than your average Joe Six Pack.
She can go back to doing…what ever it was she did before…
BigWyo on January 21, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Bubba taking Hlllary’s seat? I don’t think being junior senator from NY would be enough for his ego. Even she had a hard time jumping the line in the seniority racket.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Unicorns ‘a comin’, Princess.
seejanemom on January 21, 2009 at 7:52 PM
She figured that Paterson was about to find out that she could only feel a pea under thirty-nine mattresses and so would no longer believe that she was a real princess and the jig would be up.
Cheshire Cat on January 21, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Suppose Patterson digs up General Dinkins?
Percy_Peabody on January 21, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Sorry, but I won’t believe this until someone else is actually sworn in. This could just be more Kennedy theatrics for all I know.
Larry L. Sharp on January 21, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Be careful there seejane. There are some people here that are mighty touchy about the swimmer. oh, and the klansman too.
R D on January 21, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Andrew Cuomo? This Andrew Cuomo ?
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1M1T2Y314
gumble on January 21, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Heh. I was waiting for the HotAir headline: A Vacant Seat for a Vacant Brain. I suspect that the most recent poll showing her to be disregarded even by nitwit New York liberals made Paterson’s inevitable selection of Kennedy problematic, so someone with a brain told her to take a powder.
Jaibones on January 21, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Breaking…Obama retakes the oath of office at the White House via MSNBC.com.
milwife88 on January 21, 2009 at 7:57 PM
A big victory in the war on politcal royalty in America.
flyoverland on January 21, 2009 at 7:58 PM
You just watch. She will take uncle Teddy’s spot soon.
R D on January 21, 2009 at 7:58 PM
OT: Obama blows off Medal of Honor recipients.
MadisonConservative on January 21, 2009 at 8:01 PM
peacenprosperity,
I have been thinking the same thing. Why are conservatives concerned that Democrats will end up with a weak candidate? What is it to us?
el gordo on January 21, 2009 at 8:02 PM
a princess has a right to change her mind!
Noneya on January 21, 2009 at 8:02 PM
RedSoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 7:32 PM
I see you are the one that stole my full name… ;)
…..oh and buh bye princess
SoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 8:02 PM
So … what sort of personal reason would cause the grand daughter of a scotch smuggler back off? No guts I betcha.
Onager on January 21, 2009 at 8:02 PM
MELTING BUNNY NOW!
Weight of Glory on January 21, 2009 at 7:22 PM
+1
Spirit of 1776 on January 21, 2009 at 8:02 PM
OT: Brietbart. Obama to sign order tommorrow ordering Gitmo closed within a year.
Wethal on January 21, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Can she run Turbo Tax?
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 8:04 PM
She doesn’t want to risk giving Uncle Teddy another seizure.
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 8:06 PM
I’m wondering if Caroline will become a Mass. resident just in time to take over uncle Teddy’s seat.
RJL on January 21, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Y’all are missing it. She’s withdrawing for Hillary’s seat because she’s waiting for Teddy boy to either A) die so she can be his replacement or B) have Teddy boy name her himself before he keels over.
SouthernGent on January 21, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Great news. Given the recent speculation that Paterson would appoint her because it would be embarrassing to the Kennedy’s if she didn’t get it, it makes sense that she was “asked” to withdraw for personal reasons so as to avoid this embarrassment.
tneloms on January 21, 2009 at 8:09 PM
According to the New York Post:
“Caroline Kennedy tonight withdrew her name from consideration to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate after learning that Gov. David Paterson wasn’t going to choose her, The Post has learned.”
Alana on January 21, 2009 at 8:10 PM
You’re such a meanie, Ed!
She said her “personal reasons” was that she was worried about her uncle’s health. You know there is no way someone could serve as a US Senator while worried about an uncle.
eeyore on January 21, 2009 at 8:10 PM
This is New York, she probably got an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Bishop on January 21, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Caroline Kennedy = Light Weight!
Dr Evil on January 21, 2009 at 8:13 PM
You can count on it.
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 8:15 PM
I was thinking it’s robot time.
Gee… aren’t we supposed to be better than Kos?
Esthier on January 21, 2009 at 8:17 PM
As a member of the unwashed upstate NY masses, I thought Sweet Caroline was going to be a soft target for the 2010 election. Despite her withdrawal, I still think if Rudy runs he could beat Cuomo. It’ll be a harder fight, but I’m cautiously optimistic for 2010…
VoxRobotica on January 21, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Giuliani wants to be governor though and Patterson is a soft target.
Illinidiva on January 21, 2009 at 8:19 PM
You might be on to something there…I can see it now..
Princess Caroline Forced to take Senate seat!!!
In a classic show of selflessness, this courageous woman, who by the way, has overcome every horrendous obstacle that life has thrown her way, grudgingly accepts the post to all of Washington’s swankiest parties…wait….pledges to sever the will of the people of New York.
Yeah..I said sever…
BigWyo on January 21, 2009 at 8:19 PM
Awww..Too bad, it would have been fun to see yet another inept democrat try to play senate.
HornetSting on January 21, 2009 at 8:19 PM
YES!!!
VolMagic on January 21, 2009 at 8:20 PM
Apparently the rappers were more important.
sherry on January 21, 2009 at 8:27 PM
I think she thought it was a shoe-in and found out it was going to be a little more work than she expected and she doesn’t work.
sherry on January 21, 2009 at 8:29 PM
I think you’ve probably hit on the big reason. It’s one thing to be appointed and sit in the Senate or like Uncle Teddy having been in the office so long it’s his until he dies. It’s another thing to show up and have to WORK for the job. That isn’t in the Kennedy make-up. Never has been. If they can’t buy the seat outright or get it by default of their name they aren’t interested.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Ahhhh, the monitor shows up just as I predicted.
R D on January 21, 2009 at 8:33 PM
Who?
HornetSting on January 21, 2009 at 8:35 PM
On a serious note about Teddy, it is possible his latest seizure could have played a role in Caroline’s decision. Having her uncle in the Senate would have been a quick way to move comfortably into some sort of position of influence, since to cross Caroline (i.e. — to basically treat her with the respect she deserves for someone who cut in line to get her Senate seat) would create problems with Ted. Now, with his future looking more in doubt than ever, Caroline would be more likely to be treated in the upper chamber as just a show horse and Chuckie Schumer’s flunky.
If she not only wanted the skids greased getting into the Senate, but to have things made easy for her once she’s there, than the loss of Teddy would mean she might actually have to, you know, work to advance in power there, other than by the use of her maiden name every time the DNC wants to hold a fundraiser. To be the second least-senior member of the Democratic caucus (Caroline could still boss Al Franken around) and with the strong possibility of her uncle not being there to use his influence may have made playing in the Senate a lot less desirable.
jon1979 on January 21, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Same as yesterday. Looks like we have hall monitors to let us know what is OK to say.
R D on January 21, 2009 at 8:40 PM
We already are. :-)
SouthernGent on January 21, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Or, maybe not…
David Gregory is saying the reports of her withdrawing are untrue.
SnarkVader on January 21, 2009 at 8:52 PM
i guess working a few days a year was more than Fairytale Princess could bear…
work? That’s for…you know…serfs.
wildweasel on January 21, 2009 at 8:53 PM
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