Monday, December 29, 2008
London Calling?
My friend Steve Clemons suggested last Friday -- appropos of the UK's Boxing Day -- the idea of Caroline Kennedy for US ambassador to the Court of St. James instead of being appointed New York's next senator to replace Secretary of State in waiting Hillary Rodham Clinton. Given how she's suddenly become a media punching bag now, that's not a bad idea.
Jonah Goldberg noted the -- until this weekend -- incredibly favorable coverage Kennedy's Senate "campaign" was receiving compared to Sarah Palin's vice presidential run. Maybe Jonah should have just waited a couple days
The Daily News began by zeroing in on a certain Kennedy, ahem, verbal tic, if, um, you know, um, what I mean. Now, as someone who's done his fair share of TV and radio -- and had a more pronunced stutter doing public speaking than I do now -- I think it's a little unfair to print a raw transcript of an interview in this manner. Most transcripts are "cleaned up" before being published. Of course, with YouTube now, more people can actually see and hear someone's extended comments, so perhaps it's more honest to print something exactly as it is said. Regardless, a Daily News editor -- not the reporter -- had to make that judgment on whether to run that interview with all the "you knows" left in. The fact that that editor chose to do so suggests that the New York media is turning against Kennedy.
Then, Kennedy did something that's a big no-no for a New York liberal -- getting on the bad side of the New York Times:
Hmm...insulting the political reporters for the paper that every liberal worth his or her salt in New York reads and breathes on a daily basis isn't such a good idea. Another not good idea?
Blithely denigrating women's magazines! Memo to Caroline: There are a lot of women's groups that are pushing to have a woman fill Hillary Clinton's seat. Oh, and you're not necessarily their pick!
As an aside, Mayor Bloomberg's entrance into the issue -- having a key adviser lobby on Kennedy's behalf while urging Gov. Paterson to make a decision on the appointment "quickly" -- may have done more harm than good.
And, no, Sen. Clinton hasn't left the stage yet. Hillary supporters had been sniping behind the scenes that picking Kennedy would be a slap in the face to Hillary -- given Kennedy's support of Obama in the primary. Then the word went out that Sen. Clinton wanted her friends to calm down. Oops! Someone forgot to tell Hillary fundraiser Robert Zimmerman -- who also demonstrates some of the increasing disdain for Bloomberg among some New York Democrats.
So, the media is ganging up on her, the Clintons may still be doing some classing backbiting -- and she may be the cause of a war between Gov. David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Maybe representing US interests to the UK might not be such a bad idea?
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Jonah Goldberg noted the -- until this weekend -- incredibly favorable coverage Kennedy's Senate "campaign" was receiving compared to Sarah Palin's vice presidential run. Maybe Jonah should have just waited a couple days
The Daily News began by zeroing in on a certain Kennedy, ahem, verbal tic, if, um, you know, um, what I mean. Now, as someone who's done his fair share of TV and radio -- and had a more pronunced stutter doing public speaking than I do now -- I think it's a little unfair to print a raw transcript of an interview in this manner. Most transcripts are "cleaned up" before being published. Of course, with YouTube now, more people can actually see and hear someone's extended comments, so perhaps it's more honest to print something exactly as it is said. Regardless, a Daily News editor -- not the reporter -- had to make that judgment on whether to run that interview with all the "you knows" left in. The fact that that editor chose to do so suggests that the New York media is turning against Kennedy.
Then, Kennedy did something that's a big no-no for a New York liberal -- getting on the bad side of the New York Times:
With several weeks to go before Mr. Paterson makes his decision, she is doling
out glimpses of her political beliefs and private life. But when asked Saturday
morning to describe the moment she decided to seek the Senate seat, Ms. Kennedy
seemed irritated by the question and said she couldn’t recall.
“Have you guys ever thought about writing for, like, a woman’s magazine or something?” she asked the reporters. “I thought you were the crack political team.”
Hmm...insulting the political reporters for the paper that every liberal worth his or her salt in New York reads and breathes on a daily basis isn't such a good idea. Another not good idea?
Blithely denigrating women's magazines! Memo to Caroline: There are a lot of women's groups that are pushing to have a woman fill Hillary Clinton's seat. Oh, and you're not necessarily their pick!
As an aside, Mayor Bloomberg's entrance into the issue -- having a key adviser lobby on Kennedy's behalf while urging Gov. Paterson to make a decision on the appointment "quickly" -- may have done more harm than good.
And, no, Sen. Clinton hasn't left the stage yet. Hillary supporters had been sniping behind the scenes that picking Kennedy would be a slap in the face to Hillary -- given Kennedy's support of Obama in the primary. Then the word went out that Sen. Clinton wanted her friends to calm down. Oops! Someone forgot to tell Hillary fundraiser Robert Zimmerman -- who also demonstrates some of the increasing disdain for Bloomberg among some New York Democrats.
So, the media is ganging up on her, the Clintons may still be doing some classing backbiting -- and she may be the cause of a war between Gov. David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Maybe representing US interests to the UK might not be such a bad idea?
Labels: Caroline Kennedy
