Published: January 03, 2009 11:21 pm      

LUCINSKI: Sweet Caroline: Senator from New York?

“Oh, sweet Caroline,

Good times never seem so good.”

– Neil Diamond,

“Sweet Caroline,” 1969

In a 2007 interview, Neil Diamond revealed that the inspiration for his hit song was Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

Never mind that the song’s lyrics don’t make a lot of sense and that it is one my least-favorite songs by one of my least-favorite singer-songwriters. It’s part of what has become known as the Kennedy mystique, which continues to this day.

I don’t know what else could explain the move to appoint Sweet Caroline as the next U.S. Senator from New York to replace the soon-to-be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Perhaps it’s the lining up of a pair of phenomena; the aforementioned Kennedy thing and the penchant for New York to elevate style over substance, especially when it comes to one of its Senate seats.

After all, it’s the same seat claimed by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy in the ‘60s. Later, Hillary swooped in, fresh from Bill’s tenure in the White House, carrying all those jobs she promised us in her carpetbag if only we’d elect her to the Senate. We delivered; she didn’t. Now she’s about to take a job in the Obama administration.

Enter Sweet Caroline. The problem is, she hasn’t done anything, at least nothing to speak of. Sure, she spent six years as a volunteer fundraiser for the New York City school system and she has done scholarly research on constitutional law. And, unlike the current occupant of the seat, she does not have to move into the state to claim the office; she already lives here.

Her main qualification appears to be her last name. But does that hold water anymore; is the political magic that was the Kennedy name still potent 45-plus years after that tragic day in Dallas?

Gov. David Paterson says he’ll make his decision on who to appoint when the Senate seat officially becomes vacant. That will be when Clinton is confirmed to her cabinet post. The latest political scuttlebutt is that Paterson is leaning toward naming Kennedy. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who had expressed reservations about her candidacy, now says he’ll support her and will back Paterson should Kennedy be the choice.

Much of the clamor for Kennedy surrounds her perceived ability to use her name to raise political campaign money. It’s estimated that it will take as much as $100 million to run for the seat in a special election in 2010 and again in 2012 when the term expires. Being an incumbent Senator Sweet Caroline would make fundraising just that much easier.

But a number of politicians, to their credit, think that a Senate seat from New York, or anywhere else for that matter, should be something for the people to decide and not an instance of political razzle-dazzle or divine right. That’s why the concept of a caretaker senator has taken root. Here’s an excerpt from an Associated Press story written last week:

Sen. Bill Clinton? Sen. Mario Cuomo? Don’t completely rule it out.

The former president and the former New York governor are among several boldface names being touted as possible “caretakers” for New York’s Senate seat — people who would serve until the 2010 elections but wouldn’t be interested in running to keep the job. As the process of picking Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s replacement gets messier, the option may become increasingly attractive to Gov. David Paterson, who has sole authority to name a successor.

While those two names might be questionable, the concept is intriguing. Put a big name in the chair, keep it warm for whomever would win the special election next year. The big name would promise not to run in that election, giving everyone interested a level playing field in which to operate.

Sounds right. Sounds like democracy in action. This, however, is New York state. Which means the likelihood of it happening is about as realistic as me becoming a Neil Diamond fan.

Dick Lucinski is the managing editor or the Niagara Gazette. He can be e-mailed at dick.lucinski@niagara-gazette.com.