in the Seventies. That's the type of place where a hideously ugly picture of a sunflower is sold for a king's ransom to someone with more money and sense - possibly to a scion of the American banking system. I suppose, after that, she embarked on the seemingly obligatory legal studies but so what? The USA is teeming with lawyers of various kinds. Now at 51, with her family grown, a Senate seat would be nice to while away the time. What was all that about Hillary "coat-tailing"? What was all that sneering about Hillary and "women of a certain age"?

Glenn Greenwald recently wrote of his dislike of nepotism in the political system and, for a country that rejected the British monarchy and the tradition of hereditary privilege, the USA seems strangely comfortable with such anachronistic practices. Famous men and women don't often produce children similarly talented; Winston Churchill's sons and daughters did nothing impressive although his actress daughter, Sara, gained a lot of publicity, for all the wrong reasons. At this time in history, America needs to re-invent itself and the Camelot story is from medieval Celtic legend, not at all relevant in a world turned upside-down.

"with more money than sense".

She has the same qualifications as Clinton and Palin, a famous name and good looks.

Pus she was born in the USA.

She has the same qualifications as Clinton and Palin, a famous name and good looks.

Plus she was born in the USA.

New Yorkers would do well to spend less time thinking about what a potential Senator HAS done (otherwise known as "experience") and think about what a potential Senator CAN do. I have no doubt that Caroline Kennedy would walk into the Senate on the first day with a hell of a lot more clout than just about anyone else you could name. And she'd have Uncle Teddy to mentor her through the first couple of years -- can you think of a more experienced mentor? Or one with more clout? If politics is about commitment to principles and about power, Caroline Kennedy's got both in abundance.

And of course, appointing her to finish Hillary Clinton's seat is not a life-long appointment. She'll have to prove herself and then run for election like anyone else, and if she hasn't served to the satisfaction of New Yorkers, they can vote her out.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

traditional way in slipping from the patrilineal name to the one of the men they married. It's much more convenientt anyway as you can write your signature more quickly and children called by the surname Kennedy-Schlossberg may find it's quite a mouthful. Where does this all end? If one of the Kennedy-Schlossberg girls has a daughter who marries someone called Tchaikovsky, will their offspring revel in a treble-barreled name and will the ostentation continue? Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin didn't have to assert their individuality with all this jiggery-pokery about surnames. Caroline's motives are all too clear.

She was born in the US so I suppose that means she now has the Presidency in her sights. Good-looking? Quite ordinary really, with that gummy smile and the kind of looks that wouldn't provoke a second glance in Ballyjamesduff.

I have an idea for you Caroline! You want a Senate seat? RUN FOR IT, like a non-Kennedy would have to!

What on earth is wrong with this woman's personality that she thinks wealth and name-recognition (and maybe twenty intelligent words about issues) aren't enough to win her 51 percent of the vote... and she has to be 'installed' like a fucking Bush cronie? As with Barbara and Laura Bush, Caroline's apparent authenticity and/or likeability were directly related to the length of time she stayed out of the media. And the first things they deigned to express, proved they were sheltered, overpriveleged, contemptible a-holes. I liked Caroline K, through last month, but it turns out I liked a media fabrication.

Please go away Caroline, you're a disgusting opportunist who should switch to the other side, where you'd be more at home. Any remaining sympathy I had for the surviving Kennedy is gone.

A lot of people seem to have very short memories. Before being elected to her first term of office, what exactly were Hillary Clinton's qualifications to run for Senator of New York? Oh yeah, she used to live in the White House. Other than that, what else did she do....oh yeah, not much of anything. How many lifelong NY Democratic politicians, and furthermore, lifelong NEW YORKERS stepped aside when Mrs. Clinton (who met the MINIMUM requirements for state residency) decided she wanted a Senate Seat? If we all really were to go back, we would realize that Mrs. Clinton was even less qualified to represent NY in the Senate then, than Caroline Kennedy is now. At least Caroline Kennedy spent a substantial part of her life in New York, and didn't just become a citizen of the state to advance her own personal agenda. Let's be honest, Mrs. Clinton has her Senate seat because of her name, too. I say, if her current Senate seat is going to be the "Name Seat", then at least upgrade from the Clinton Brand to the Kennedy Brand.

I would be delighted to see Caroline in that seat. She will vote liberal, pro-choice, pro-woman, and anti-war, exactly what our country needs. What I am not sure of is whether she has the stomach for battle necessary to hang on to it once she's in it. The appointee will have to run in a 2010 special election and again in 2012 for the regular Senate Class I term. This means two statewide campaigns in two years. The Republicans would like nothing more than to slide in another D'Amato and will be gunning for it both times. Whomever Paterson appoints must be willing to bloody some noses. I know as a Kennedy that Caroline has the pedigree to go tête-à-tête with any Republican alive. She has the name recognition to put the fear of god into Albany Republicans, certainly. Her name alone could be enough to win so long as she is willing to get her hands dirty and fight tooth and nail to hold the seat. What I am afraid of is that she will find she doesn't have the heart for the tenor of battle she faces. Time will tell in any case, but personally, I will be pulling for her.