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12/30/2008
Burri: The Bush & Clinton families. LaFollettes. John & John Quincy
It’s a legitimate question to ask: Would the younger generations of those families have won political power, had the older generations not?
(Insert the word “spouse” where appropriate.)
Maybe they would have. Maybe not. You can’t deny that following in Dad’s footsteps makes things easier – it means following an already-blazed trail. Heck, even Governor Jim Doyle had politically-connected relatives, including some – his mother and uncle-in-law – who held political office themselves.
And now Carolyn Kennedy – JFK’s daughter, RFK’s and Teddy’s niece – wants in. She wants to fill the soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat from New York – the one Hillary Clinton is leaving. She wants Governor David Paterson to appoint her to it.
Like the sound of stampeding teenage feet following the sound of a telephone ringing, her “candidacy” has brought talk of dynasties, and why they’re bad. Hey, just because you’re related to somebody who held public office, that doesn’t mean we should put you there.
It’s called “going into the family business.” Hey, most of us might have laughed at the thought of following in our parents’ footsteps – our parents were, after all, the exact opposite of cool. But following a parent into a career can give you a fantastic first step. The elder relative already knows the ins and outs; he already knows all the players. Best of all, the players already know you. You step right into a network that would normally take years to build.
Politics is no different.
Yet, there’s a downside: when you follow Daddy into a job, there’s a sense that you didn’t earn it.
Politics is no different there, either, especially when it’s by appointment, rather than election. And more: in politics, everybody is watching you.
We have an aversion to generational politics in this country. It reminds us of aristocracy. Of power handed down by birthright. There is no birthright here, or there's not supposed to be. You have to earn it, just like everybody else.
We know that’s not really true – not entirely. Some people have advantages others simply don't. Still – political power, at least, isn't supposed to arrive at your bedroom door like a shiny silver dollar the night after losing a tooth.
Anybody-can-do-it-no-matter-who-they-are is our ideal. Any definition of "anybody" does have to include Carolyn Kennedy, but…well, she's hardly the underdog.
Let’s not be unfair: Carolyn Kennedy is surely not the best-qualified candidate for the seat, but…so what? What are the qualifications, exactly? What job skills are required? The ability to read speeches written by media staffers? To appear in public without embarrassing yourself?
If so, heck, even I'm qualified. And if I am, so is she.
And let’s also admit: This aversion we feel toward generational politics has two sides. We shouldn’t let somebody have office just because of family ties, but we shouldn’t reject anyone because of family ties, either. I’m thinking specifically of Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida, who would be on anybody’s short list for president right now, were Dubya not his brother.
In the end, very practical concerns will determine whether Kennedy is appointed or not – concerns that will include her own network, and its influence over Governor Paterson. Concerns that will include replacing Hillary’s fundraising power, if not her gravitas.
And we in Wisconsin will shrug our collective shoulders, and get ready for the next ten-inch snowfall. And we’ll be thankful that, in Wisconsin, Senate vacancies aren’t filled by appointment.
Lance Burri is a contributor to the Badger Blog Alliance and occasionally blogs at his own site as well.
COMMENTS
Lance, please research or pay attention. Caroline Kennedy has been in the news since birth. Spelling her name correctly should be a no-brainer. She isn't fit to fill this seat; but that does not discount the correct spelling requirement if you want to chat about her.
jackie (Tue Dec 30 07:51:24 2008)
Oh my God. What a stupid mistake. Her first name is spelled Caroline, not Carolyn, and there's absolutely no excuse for me to have screwed that up.
If only I could guarantee that that's the worst mistake I'll make for the rest of the year.
Lance Burri (Tue Dec 30 11:37:22 2008)
In fairness, Schlossberg can be a bit tricky to spell.
Well, that was her last name till she convinced herself she deserved a Senate seat and decided daddy's last name is more marketable then her married name.
Skye (Wed Dec 31 16:49:28 2008)
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