Caroline Kennedy's Media Push (With Pauses)

(AP)

Caroline Kennedy is hoping to, you know, be appointed United States senator from, um, New York, so she can take over, you know, Hillary Clinton's seat when Clinton becomes secretary of state.

If only things were – you know – going a bit more smoothly: As numerous commentators have noted, Kennedy used the phrase "you know" about 140 times in a weekend interview with the New York Times.

To be fair, overuse of "you know" is a fairly typical verbal tic. But it's not one that politicians, whose livelihood depends in large part on their verbal dexterity, generally fall back on.

Kennedy is not a seasoned politico, of course, as both her words and her not-always-smooth campaign to convince New York governor David Patterson to name her to Clinton's seat have demonstrated. A supporter might point to the aspiring senator's speaking style as evidence that she represents someone who isn't consumed by the usual Washington rules – someone who, despite her pedigree, represents that elusive quantity known as change. A detractor, meanwhile, might look to it as just the latest piece of evidence that Kennedy is simply not ready for prime time.

There appear to be plenty of folks on both sides of the fence: A nationwide CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out today finds that 52 percent of Americans believe Kennedy is qualified to be senator, while 42 percent believe she is not.

The survey exposes something of a gender gap: Fifty-seven percent of women say Kennedy has what it takes for the job, but just 47 percent of men feel the same.

And speaking of gender, check out this passage from the Times interview, which nicely illustrates Kennedy's conversational style (NC and DH are reporters):

NC: Could you, for the sake of storytelling, could you tell us a little bit about that moment, like, where you were, what you said to him about your decision, how that played out?

CK: Have you guys ever thought about writing for, like, a woman's magazine or something? (Laughter)

DH: What do you have against women's magazines?

CK: Nothing at all, but I thought you were the crack political team here. As I said, it was kind of over a period of time, you know, obviously we talked about politics, we talked about what's going on, we've been watching the team that the president-elect is putting together — Hillary Clinton is going to be a spectacular part of that team, you know, then there was a vacancy here, you know, just like everybody else, you know: who's going to fill it, isn't that interesting, there's a lot of great candidates, you know, obviously I have become much more politically involved than I have in the past, so you know, I figure, why not try, I really think I have something to offer.

The Times interview was one of a number of interviews that Kennedy, who has been criticized for not making her views more widely known, did this weekend. She told the New York Post that Barack Obama was "encouraging" when she spoke to him about Clinton's seat, though he has not been involved in her efforts to be appointed. She shared "misty memories of Camelot" with the New York Daily News, and told NY1 that if her "last name weren't Kennedy, maybe I would have run for office a long time ago."

Kennedy will once again host the Kennedy Center honors this year, which will air tomorrow on CBS. If Patterson selects her for the Senate seat, she will serve two years and then run in a special election in 2010.

[dpinto888]

Look at what we have now, 100 men & women who have us over 10 trillion dollars in debt, who have shredded the Constitution, and pay themselves 165K per year with a retirement plan that is paid by the taxpayer. SHE''S QUALIFIED more than what is there now....
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DANIEL
<a href="http://mls.fastrealestate.net" rel="dofollow">mls</a>

[colonieny]

I recall her mother testifying in congress in the hearings of 1970s re the assasination.

Her mother too used a whole lot of "y''knows" so much that it stuck in my puny brain cells, right next to the name of the chimp on the old Today Show... (who can forget his name ???)
She got the cadence from Mom.
Ergo, don''t blame Carline, y''know. It just makes her real, y'' know.

[hatesthecolt]

Just another liberal that makes my skin crawl. She would make a good replacement for Clinton. 1) Expierience riding someone elses coat tails into office. (Father/Husband) 2)A slimey, false personality. Good luck New York.

Posted by wvu7462

Shows how closed minded you are because there''s a huge difference between Clinton and Kennedy in terms of intellect, experience and savvy. Any Dem is going to bug you because they aren''t some tight-@$$ed social conservative ready to dump cash on Wall Street.

[fredcs25]

To much Kennedy inbreeding.

[endurorob]

There is talk about giving the senate seat to CK because she can raise lots of money for the party. See Illinois isn''''t the only one whose senate seat is going to the highest bidder.


Posted by gschauss

That would be the only reason to appoint her. She sounds like a complete moron. And what the h-e-l-l was that womans magazine comment all about?

[guest173]

and the media does "know-it-all" because of how many people can easily research this stuff, I don''t mean it in a rude sense towards the media, but knowing it all is a good thing and a great way to hold people accountable in public service

[guest173]

one time when I was talking to someone who is a kind of know-it-all, I found myself saying "you know" a lot. It was because #1 I was nervous, and then #2 because I felt this know-it-all would not listen unless I acknowledged they already knew what I was saying, but they weren''t paying attention to it in their actions, so I was just reminding them of common sense or at least what I believed was obvious and made the most sense. It seems to me Caroline Kennedy must not really have new information to give since she keeps reminding us and that we already know everything she is saying, she is just reminding us what is already public record. But not having any new ideas is not a great person to trust if you want real action going on, it seems she is just doing this because some people off the street told her she should get involved in politics and she is just doing it for the glamour of it, and does not seem to have real experience, just being member of boards and a bit of fundraising and having a law degree which was probably easy enough to get with her last name, you know.

[fzy1hc]

Caroline has the money and the last name to be a Senator.
Gee that just shows you don''t need experience just money and the name.
Only in America.
Now for the average person just forget it.
WE have a lot going on and know a person without experience. New York wake up.

[mtminds]

You know, there is a big difference raising money for charities and raising money for a political campaign.

There is a big difference, you know, between a tea party and a business meeting.

There is a big difference between Caroline K abilities and the requirements of a good politician, you know.

[gschauss]

There is talk about giving the senate seat to CK because she can raise lots of money for the party. See Illinois isn''t the only one whose senate seat is going to the highest bidder.