Caroline Kennedy has written two books about aspects of the U.S. Constitution. Ms. Kennedy has studied the Constitution. wOw. Studied the founding document of our country... has a law degree and been an advocate for public (PUBLIC) education and the arts and has served the public to champion these causes.
She believes in political courage.
These are serious times. Ms. Kennedy is a serious person. Not an ideologue. I think she feels called to the service of her country. Not to attain power. But to serve. Now, what more do you people want?
Caroline Kennedy had me at In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights In Action and
The Right to Privacy, two books she co-authored with Ellen Alderman. These books are about civil liberties and the stresses of modern life on our liberty and privacy. Is it surprising that an American so concerned about civil liberty would decide it might be time to bring that passion to Washington?
Not qualified? As opposed to whom? Nancy Pelosi? Who said of protesters "squatting" in front of her home ...if they were poor, and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they'd be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment. A better Democrat? Really? Take-impeachment-off-the-table-and-capitulate (every time)-to-Republicans-Pelosi? A better Democrat? Is that what we mean?
Perhaps we mean New York's own Chuck Schumer is a model "better" democrat. You remember him, the better democrat who endorsed Michael B. Mukasey for AG? The same Senator Schumer who ... traded telephone calls with bankers, then became one of the first officials to promote a Wall Street bailout and as . . .
a member of the Banking and Finance Committees, repeatedly took other steps to protect industry players from government oversight and tougher rules, a review of his record shows. Over the years, he has also helped save financial institutions billions of dollars in higher taxes or fees.
He succeeded in limiting efforts to regulate credit-rating agencies, for example, sponsored legislation that cut fees paid by Wall Street firms to finance government oversight, pushed to allow banks to have lower capital reserves and called for the revision of regulations to make corporations’ balance sheets more transparent.
Or maybe we mean someone more qualified, like Alan Greenspan. Heck, Dick Cheney has been in politics for decades. Bush 41 was the head of the CIA... certainly that qualified him to become president (although I would have a rule that a CIA head could NEVER EVER become president). Yeah. What we need is more and better masters of the universe. Now those are the kinds of people who can solve our problems.
From what I've read and gleaned about Caroline Kennedy over decades, she is studied, quiet, careful, and certainly not glitzy or an attention-seeker. And this is something I really admire... she truly seems to believe in political courage... acts that benefit society despite the interests of the powerful and narrow few.
President Kennedy believed that one man of courage makes a majority. Viktor Yushchenko embodies that belief for a new generation. In the face of corruption, intimidation and life threatening danger, he remained true to the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
I'm just guessing now, but perhaps after these eight horrible lawless years overwhelmed by corruption, someone of Caroline Kennedy's ilk, with a commitment to the law and ideals expressed in our Constitution, might just be one of the those BETTER DEMOCRATS for whom we've been looking.
She has a strong sense of personal responsibility," says historian David McCullough, who sits with Caroline on the panel that hands out the Kennedy Library's annual Profile in Courage Awards. "She knows she has serious work to do."