I see a lot of people upset about the fact that the Kennedy name has propelled Caroline into the position of being a big player for Hillary's old Senate seat without any prior elected experience.
I understand where people are coming from. It's sad that big names and other superficial stuff matters in politics. But it does. Period. The "best" person is never chosen for the job because it's impossible for the "best" person to appeal to enough people to get the necessary votes. Electoral politics is based upon popularity, and big names are very much a part of popularity.
But with Caroline Kennedy, the power of the name means more.
Yes, the Kennedy name carried enough of an aura to give her easier access to certain positions than most others would have. But there is something else that the Kennedy name carries along with it that we Democrats can and should take advantage of:
Immunity.
Caroline will not be beholden to the special interests that most politicians have to sell their souls to in order to claw their way to the top. And the Kennedy name will allow her to do what she thinks is right. She will not have to take the mainstream, politically popular stance, fearing backlash in an upcoming election. The power of the Kennedy name will be enough to shield her.
(Yeah, I know some Kennedys have lost elections in recent years, but this is Caroline we are talking about. No scandals to speak of. And she is, rightly or wrongly, the most celebrated member of her generation of Kennedys as JFK's only surviving child.)
Why do you think Ted Kennedy has been able to be as liberal as he has been and get away with it? Do you guys think anyone but a Kennedy could have, like Bobby, campaigned in the ghettos and been as forceful and upfront about the radical change that was needed and still be a viable candidate? Otherwise noble liberals such as HHH had to be much more cautious and in bed with the establishment in many ways just to have the same viability as an RFK.
I don't know about you, but I'd love to have a senator who is not afraid to come out for gay marriage, or against the recent violations of civil liberties, or against an unnecessary war. I've had enough of centrists using triangulation to hold onto their seats instead of do what's best for the country. With Caroline, we have someone who can do what's best AND keep her seat.
Say what you will about the Kennedys. Yes, they are all children of privilege. Yes, the personal conduct of many of them (not Caroline) has been less than exemplary and hurt the overall image of liberals. Ted Kennedy has had his personal issues, and I really did not like the way he did Jimmy Carter (a noble man of progressive ideals). But I have always taken comfort that no matter how scary and extreme the Republicans become, no matter how stupid the current president is, and no matter how spineless the Democrats are, there has always been a Ted Kennedy in the senate who was going to be a strong, unapologetically progressive voice who spoke for people like us.
That is why Caroline Kennedy should be in the senate.