A friend e-mails: "How many more days of refusing interviews until she's Sarah Palin? Nicolle Wallace is clearly running her media..."
Hah! It's like Caroline's handlers have decided the reason the Palin playbook didn't work is that Palin was overqualified. They seem to think it'll work much better with a less qualified candidate...
For what it's worth, here's the question I'd ask Caroline: If you don't get the appointment, but the person who does decides against running for re-election, can we count on you to run in 2010--your newfound passion for public service and all? (I'd probably leave out the "and all" part, which she might find a little sarcastic...)
Update: Consistent with the aforementioned Palin strategy, Kennedy blithely stiff-armed the press today in Syracuse. Via Ben Smith, the local Post-Standard has the details:
"What do you say to New Yorkers who think you're not qualified?" a newspaper reporter asked.
She ignored the question and started to leave.
"Are you ready for this, Ms. Kennedy? You're not going to answer questions at all?" reporters yelled.
"Where are you heading next?" a television reporter asked.
"To the car," Kennedy said.
"What do you say to New Yorkers who think you're not ready or qualified for this job?"
"Have you ever been to Syracuse before?"
"Hopefully I can come back and answer all your questions," Kennedy said as reporters followed her outside.
"What do you think your greatest qualification is to be senator?" a reporter persisted.
"You're seeking public office and you don't want to answer questions from reporters, Ma'am? When can we expect you to answer questions?" another reporter asked as Kennedy got into the passenger seat of a black GMC Denali.
She closed the vehicle's door and it pulled away.
Update II: Again via Ben, The Daily News says Kennedy actually took one question from reporters in Rochester (about whether she'd ever been there before). She also had this to say for herself:
“It’s not a campaign, but I have had a lifelong commitment to public service,” Kennedy said. “I’ve written books on the Constitution and the importance of indivdiual participation.”
“I’ve raised my family, (have made a) commitment to education in New York City, training principals, working for kids, and I think I really could help bring change to Washington.”
Could someone--I'm talking to you, handlers--please tell the Kennedys to stop touting her as a constitutional scholar. Please. It's painful to listen to.
--Noam Scheiber