Kennedy's and Palin's Credentials

When it comes to education and professional background, she [Caroline Kennedy] has a résumé that puts Sarah Palin's to shame ["Caroline Kennedy and the Sarah Palin Qualifications Test," usnews.com]. I have no doubt that Caroline is intellectually able to do the job. What I really want to know is: Where does she stand on the hard issues? That is the elephant in the room in my opinion. As far as comparing her to Palin, I think that's a real lame duck. There is no comparison. Palin managed to become the governor of a state that has a population that is half that of the city in which I was born. Call me erudite, but I am hardly impressed by someone who governs a state that has more caribou in it than actual human beings. Caroline Kennedy at least has an Ivy League education and a law degree from a reputable institution.

Comment by M. Fuller of WA

Governor Palin has the ability to win office in a free election. She has proved that. She has a good track record as an administrator, and while her weakness in international affairs was evident, she still was a good candidate for vice president. She has that undefinable "it" that is important in politics. Caroline Kennedy has a name. That is it. There are a lot of better candidates to fill the vacant Senate seat.

Comment by G. Macquire of TN

Nobody questions a businessman's competence when he decides to run for a Senate seat. No one questions the competence of a trial lawyer when he runs for a Senate seat. Why such shock and awe about Caroline Kennedy's readiness to become a senator? She has a long history of running charitable programs and organizations.

Comment by Meredith Sayre of NY

Did you catch the transcript of Caroline Kennedy's interview with the New York Times? Did that demonstrate her ability to "articulate ideas or even simple thoughts?" She must have said the phrase "you know" about 140 times! Clearly, this explains why she never became a practicing lawyer—she can't express herself in a cogent manner. And it also explains why she wants to be appointed senator rather than express herself to voters through an election process. It also doesn't say much about getting a B.A. from Harvard and a J.D. from Columbia, especially if you have the right last name when you apply to those places.

Comment by Annie of NY

America needs more leaders who are educated and have experienced economic hardship at some time in their lives. How can the people be represented by a candidate who has always known material comfort? Sure, Kennedy has experienced plenty of death and tragedy in her life, but so have many poor people. The difference is that when you're poor and something awful happens, you still have to show up to work the next day or the next week.

Comment by Hilary Smith of CA

It's time for us Democrats to face the music, as we so often demand of our Republican counterparts. Sarah Palin is a painfully appropriate comparison. True, the vice president's job is more important than senator—but being the senator from New York puts Kennedy in the top 100 most influential politicians in the country. It's nice that she can relive her family's distinguished heritage, but she needs to get out in the real world and earn her Senate seat. Otherwise, she will go down to defeat sooner or later, just like Palin did.

Comment by Geoff Brown of MN

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