The International Herald Tribune works had to put the best face on a story that should be headlined “The Princess Who Won’t,” but we nevertheless learn a few things by picking through the story as well as noting what it leaves out.
According to the ITH - - -
… If she were applying to be, say, an undersecretary of education in Barack Obama's new administration, Caroline Kennedy would have to fill out a 63-item confidential questionnaire disclosing potentially embarrassing text messages and diary entries, the immigration status of her household staff, even copies of every résumé she used in the last 10 years.
If she were running for election to the Senate, Kennedy would have to file a 10-part, publicly available report disclosing her financial assets, credit card debts, mortgages, book deals and the sources of any payments greater than $5,000 in the last three years.
But Kennedy, who has asked Governor David Paterson to appoint her to succeed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton — and who helped oversee the vetting process for Obama's possible running mates — is declining to provide a variety of basic data, including companies she has a stake in and whether she has ever been charged with a crime.
Kennedy declined on Monday to reply to those and other questions posed by The New York Times about any potential ethical, legal and financial entanglements.
Through a spokesman, she said she would not disclose that kind of information unless and until she becomes a senator.
"If Governor Paterson were to choose Caroline, she would, of course, comply with all disclosure requirements," said the spokesman, Stefan Friedman. …
The rest of the story’s here.
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Comments:
She’ll disclose on the eve of her appointment.
How gracious!
But why not now so people can take a long look and investigative reporters can – if any of them dare – investigate whatever Senator-presumptive Caroline Kennedy finally releases.
Closing thought: Kennedy owes the IHT a Thank You note for not mentioning that she’s refusing to release her recent tax returns.
Ah, Camelot!
2 comments:
Just as in Animal Farm, there are those among us more equal than the others.
Tarheel Hawkeye
Since Ms. Kennedy has not been appointed, I do not think that she is under any obligation to release either her income tax statements or any other personal information of that sort. What she does, however, have an obligation to do is to answer questions personally (not through a spokesman and in written form where questions can be vetted) about her views on the issues of the day that the voters of New York can expect her to deal with as their potential senator.
I do not see the fact that she is JFK's daughter and the niece of Edward Kennedy either a qualification for her to be a senator or a disqualification just as the fact that I teach school makes my children more qualified or less qualified to be employed as educators.
It must come as a shock to some in the Kennedy ambit that her potential nomination is not receiving adulatory exclaim from all quarters - and in fact that some questions (legitimate) are being voiced. I guess the real question for Ms. Kennedy is what does she believe that she can really contribute (and that others cannot who have been active politically and governmentally for so long) and why at this particular juncture. A special relationship with the Obamas and a belief that Mr. Obama is some reincarnation fo the spirit of her father is a rather flimsy standard by which New York's governor should make his selection.
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