Paterson Statement On Kennedy and More
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- January
- 22
Governor Paterson’s office offered this statement on the Caroline Kennedy situation and speculation about who is going to pick.
“Last night Caroline Kennedy informed the governor that she was withdrawing her name from consideration for an appointment to the United States Senate for personal reasons. This decision was hers alone.
“The Governor had a private conversation with Ms. Kennedy yesterday afternoon. Out of respect for her decision making process, the Governor’s Office did not respond to any inquiries in order to allow her time to deliberate. The Governor considers Caroline a friend and knows she will continue to serve New York well inside or outside of government. We wish her well in all her future endeavors.
“The Governor is now entering the final phase of his selection process. He has not informed any Senate candidates that they have not been selected, nor has any information gathered during this selection process created a necessity for any candidate to withdraw. Any speculation to the contrary is both inaccurate and inappropriate.”
A source close to Paterson, though, said the way she handled yesterday’s decision was illustrative of why Paterson didn’t want to pick her.
“The events of the past day illustrated again why the governor had come to the decision that he would not pick her because it appeared from very early in her bid that she was not ready for the public stage,” the source said.
“She doesn’t have policy experience, her rollout was mangled. It was pretty clear that she couldn’t handle the pressure of all the publicity that surrounded her bid.”
Then, of course, there are the personal issues that may have led to Kennedy’s withdrawal, particularly family, nanny and tax problems.
One person who spoke to Kennedy today, as she made calls to supporters, said her aides believed that Paterson was ready to pick her but she pulled out because of a major “personal problem.”
Several officials said that Paterson and his top aide Bill Cunningham were indicating to officials in Washington this week during the presidential inauguration that Kennedy would be their selection.
“Everything (yesterday) was fine at noon and at 12:30 she brought (her aides) in with an ashen face and said I have to pull out,” a source said.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm by Joseph Spector.
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The sixth paragraph (from the bottom up) tells us two things: One – The Governor’s spokesperson and whoever is “the source close to Paterson,” are public relations idiots; and, Two – The Governor, though understandably exasperated by Caroline, would have been well-advised not to throw the limp body under the Greyhound. He will pay and pay dearly for his clumsiness.