Politics on the Hudson

Caroline Kennedy vowed Saturday that upstate New York would not be shortchanged if she’s picked as the state’s next U.S. senator, saying she would promote renewable-energy initiatives, look to rebuild the infrastructure and bolster education.

“If I am lucky enough to be selected, I absolutely would take this commitment seriously to represent all of New York state,” she said in an interview with Gannett News Service.

“There are a lot of opportunities with the new alternative-energy jobs and green jobs upstate that may provide the kind of opportunity that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

Under criticism for her lack of experience and openness about her candidacy, Kennedy agreed to some media interviews in recent days to try to better explain her credentials and why she’s interested in succeeding Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

She has talked about following her family legacy of public service and being inspired by her father, the late President John F. Kennedy.

She said in interviews she doesn’t feel a sense of entitlement to the position, which was once held by her uncle Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, telling NY1 television Friday that “I can tell you in our family, in particular, there is a sense we have to work twice as hard.”

Kennedy, 51, of Manhattan, said she’s been a wife, a mother of three, an author and an education advocate and now feels it’s the right time to seek public office. She said she has connections in Washington—particularly with her uncle Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and President-elect Barack Obama—that could help New York.

Some other points:
—When asked about the future of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County—which Schumer and her environmental activist cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has wanted closed—Kennedy said she also thinks it should be shut down.

“We have an opportunity now,” she said, “to really invest in alterative energy … I think we need to develop alternatives to Indian Point in particular.”
—Kennedy said she’s up for the rigors of running in both elections if picked by Paterson. In fact, she said she would almost prefer a traditional campaign, saying that would make it easier for her to talk to voters and get her message out.

She said she doesn’t plan to travel the state again before Paterson makes his decision, saying the “governor’s made it clear that he doesn’t want a campaign.”

Kennedy said she would back whoever the Democratic governor picks.
—Kennedy beat back criticism, particularly from Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-Queens, that she has been handled by aides in the same manner as former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who was initially held back from media interviews.

“People like to say all kinds of things in politics. I’m used to that. I grew up with that,” she said. “When I look in the mirror I don’t see Sarah Palin, so that’s for everybody else to decide.”
—Kennedy said she doesn’t have “the traditional kind of experience in elected office. But I think that in our country today people are looking for new kinds of voices.”
—As for Paterson’s recent state budget proposal, she called his plan to slap taxes on soda “an interesting approach” to deal with childhood obesity problems, but didn’t fully endorse it.

She said raising income taxes on the wealthy—which Paterson has so far ruled out—may need to be an option in the future.

“In principle I think that everybody has to pay their fair share and those with more should have to step up as well. But I think people seem to agree that now maybe is not the time with the economy (struggling). So I think that’s obviously down the road and requires a lot more study.”

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