NY Post: Kennedy Withdrew After Being Nixed
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 7:53 PM
Caroline Kennedy withdrew her bid to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate after learning that Gov. David Paterson wasn't going to appoint her, The New York Post reported Wednesday night.
However, a Kennedy family source told NBC's David Gregory that Caroline Kennedy has not withdrawn. Two sources hinted to NBC News that there may have been a miscommunication between Kennedy and Gov. David Paterson's office and that initial reports of her withdrawing are incorrect.
"I have spoken to a source in the Kennedy family and theyhave told me that, in actuality, [Caroline Kennedy] is not withdrawing from consideration to become the next senatorfrom New York," NBC's Meet The Press moderator David Gregory said on The Rachel Maddow Show Tuesday evening. "But what is happening beyond that is not entirely clear."
"She did have some concerns about the way the process was going," Gregory said. "And she was a bit spooked by what happened to her uncle on inauguration day.
"Nevertheless, the expectation was that she would be chosen, perhaps as early as tomorrow," he said. "The last I heard and saw, the governor's office is not confrming or denying any of this, so it is still a murky situation."
But Kennedy apparently had her advisers tell reporters that she was ending her bid because of her concerns about the health of her uncle, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, according to accounts in The New York Times and other papers. The senator was hospitalized after suffering a seizure during President Obama’s inaugural lunch on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after Paterson himself said Tuesday that he was considering state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for the slot.
Cuomo has soared in public polls over Kennedy in the past two weeks in popularity for the seat, but he has not said whether he's interested in the job. Paterson may announce his choice as soon as this weekend, according to several reports.
The reason Paterson had decided not to tap the daughter of John F. Kennedy, according to The Post, was her poor performances in media interviews and in private sessions with various officials.
Kennedy was reportedly being backed by President Barack Obama, and her entrance was supposed to clear the field. Kennedy was a strong and early supporter of Obama during the campaign, which reportedly angered U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.
But from the very beginning, Kennedy’s reclusive nature and reluctance to engage in interviews crippled here.
Kennedy also had no constituency outside of Manhattan. Her ventures into upstate New York didn’t impress key members of the New York state legislature, which also may have been a factor in Paterson’s decision. Paterson is likely to run for higher office and a stumble in picking a candidate who wouldn't be formidable in the 2010 elections would hurt his reputation.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg privately backed Kennedy and publicly praised her abilities, and his top deputy, Kevin Sheekey, worked the phones aggressively on Kennedy's behalf. He also hooked her up with the powerhouse consulting firm Knickerbocker SKD.
The surprise decision leaves a crowded field of about 15 people, mostly elected officials, vying to replace Clinton - including Long Island Rep. Steve Israel, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Carolyn Maloney and teachers union head Randi Weingarten.
Kennedy's brief foray into politics lasted just under a month, from the time she roiled New York politics shortly before Christmas to say she was interested in being picked for the seat to today.
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