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    She's Not Palin

    Posted Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:52 PM | By Emily Yoffe
    Emily B, great catch on Caroline Kennedy selling her mother's handbags as tag sale dreck. I also agree with you that however admirable her volunteer work is, it's ridiculous to say this qualifies her for appointment to the Senate (even while acknowledging it's hard to fathom what qualifies many senators for the Senate). But I disagree with your Palin analogy. However ill-prepared Palin was for the vice presidency, she was chosen to run because she got elected governor of Alaska. And she did that without money, connections, or a famous name. Melinda eloquently wrote about wanting to see Caroline take up the Kennedy flame. But I would rather to see it doused. This country is ever more becoming a nation of haves and have-nots. By "haves" I don't just mean the rich. If you are lucky to have caring parents who are good role models and nurture good habits in you, you have an advantage in life—but you still have to work to make something of yourself. But there are many kids who have nothing—some of them go to the New York public schools Caroline Kennedy raised money for—who think there's no point making an effort because everything is already wired for the haves. They think that when the haves want something, all they have to do is pick up the phone and life's opportunities are handed to them. So Caroline Kennedy picks up the phone and announces that for her first full-time job, she'd like to be senator from New York, and thus is annointed. That's a bad message to send.
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