Is Caroline Kennedy Qualified to Serve in the Senate?

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Agreed, she has her name only for recommendation.
Which can be compared to entrusting Chuch Yeagars daughters Susan or Sharon as pilots...based on his superior performance with jet aircraft...
Not for me!

sparkyrn of MA 9:19AM December 31, 2008

There is a reason why we have campaigns - it takes a lot to run and win. If we just appointed the front-runner with name recognigtion or "star power" (you liberals focused on celebutantes make me ill) then Hillary would have been your nominee. Campaigns tell you a lot about the person. Didn't you learn that with Barack and McCain? There are plenty of New Yorkers about whom we can tell much more that is substantive. The adjectives used to describe Kennedy could be used to describe any number of people you would never agree are qualified. You are all being led by your noses, your parochial politics, your tabloid grasp of the issues, and your fantasies about how the world works. May you get what you deserve!

dog of MT 8:09PM December 24, 2008

A person with no elected political experience has filled a vacated seat in the Senate.
In he last 50 years there was William Blakley, appointed TWICE to the senate when the seat was vacated.
Pierre Salinger. a White House Press Secretary was appointed to fill a vacated Senate seat.
In the 92nd Congress the spouse of the governor of Louisiana, Elaine Edwards, was chosen to fill a vacant seat.
Muriel Humphrey was chose to fill the seat vacated by her husband,Hubert, when he passed away.
Maryon Allen of Alabama was chosen to replaced her husband when he passed away.
David Karnes was chosen to replace Edward Zorinsky. His only previous experience was as head of the Federal Home Loan Bank.
Jocelyn Burdick replaced her husband Quentin as Senator from North Dakota. Finally the last time someone who had no previous experience as an elected official was just a few years ago, when
Jean Carnahan was chosen to fill her husband, Mel Carnahan's Senate seat when he passed away.
There is nothing exceptional about someone who has never been elected to political office being selected to fill a vacated seat in the Senate.
Caroline Kennedy certainly has spent more time around politics and politicians as any of the people noted above, and at least she has a law degree, which gives her some knowledge of legislation, which is a primary concern to a legislator
Historically,at least recently, it has been the tradition for the spouse of the departing member to fill the vacated Senate seat...
I wonder if President Clinton is busy...

Nicholas J. of GA 12:18PM December 18, 2008

I've known Kennedy's for years and Caroline uses her married name of Schlossberg. Why dosent the media acknowledge this. Whats wrong with you people? Is there something wrong with the name Schlossberg? Get over it, already.
Caroline would be a perfectly fine appointed senator. I'm not so sure she could stand up to the rigors of a NEW YORK political campaign though. She is way to nice and generaly a good hearted person.
With her connection to Obama, Caroline would be good for NY. She could bring it home. Also, if appointed, she can stick it to that no good ex brother in-law of hers: NY-Attorney General, Andrew (sleaze) Cuomo.
For all you readers who want a People Magazine senator, why dont you write Oprah or Tom Cruise and try and convince them to move to NY.

Michael Cur of NY 7:50AM December 17, 2008

In reviewing the 29 members of the New York contingent of the House of Representatives, five of them are female. Why not promote one of them to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate, and appoint Caroline Kennedy to the House of Representatives? Or is she too good for the "House of Commons"--has to be in the "House of Lords"?

MontanaMountainWoman of MT 12:34AM December 17, 2008

Well, Caroline Kennedy is a lawyer.

J of CA 8:22PM December 16, 2008

I feel that a good Senator is one that has some experience in politics at a state level, yet has worked in the private sector having a career. Caroline, though no doubt one of the less flamboyant of the Kennedys, has only her name to recommend her as a politician. She has no actual experience in either law or government. She has an education, has written some books on civil liberties, has done charity work, and she has represented the Kennedy family on some boards that honor her father.
What is it that we want royalty? The rest of the world is slowly eliminating royal families with actual government power--we are creating them. I would love to see a woman in this Senate seat, but more I want to see women who have been working on a career further that career as a Senator. Not another bleeding popularity contest!
Lastly, it is up to the people of New York who they want to be their Senator and not the rest of the country. I voted for the one from my region this fall--I've had my say on who represents me.

MontanaMountainWoman of MT 8:18PM December 16, 2008

Earlier posts informed us that she meets the minimum requirements, but the real issue is this: is Caroline Kennedy's personality suited to the rigors of being a Senator?
I'm going to sugggest that her reclusive personality is perhaps more suited to another line of work. I don't believe everyone in the Senator should be an extrovert, but this is not the arena for the timid.
My wish for Ms. Kennedy is that she find work that suits her. This may not necessarily be what her family and friends want for her.

Dan Ballard of 6:33PM December 16, 2008

Yes. She is qualifiedto serve. First, simply on the basis of Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution which sets these as the requirements for senators: 1) each senator must be at least 30 years old, 2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past nine years, and 3) must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they seek to represent. Thus, there are millions of us who are qualified. The uproar from the established politicians is that their greatest fear has come to pass. As long as Caroline was off stage, working on education and other issues of civic engagement, they did not have to face the tremendous popularity that the Kennedy name carries, or the popularity that she has garnered by staying out of the limelight to pursue more humanitarian pursuits. For one, I think the fact that she has not participated in the back room deal making that has so characterized all too many elections is a plus. That she has not allowed herself to be encumbered by a burden of political IOUs either at the local, State or Federal levels, makes her that much more attractive and appealing to many voters. Then too, when I look at many of our current elected officials, perhaps we will be better off selecting Caroline. She is capable of bringing us a new tune to to an old song: government for, of, and by the people!

Dan Durett of NY 5:50PM December 16, 2008

No she is not qualified.
This is part of the problem today. Surely,jjody Social life,name and money does not qualify you to be a Senator. This is the problem today with our leadership.

of IN 3:54PM December 16, 2008