There is talk that Caroline Kennedy could well become my next Senator, proving once again it isn’t what you know but what your last name is. PLEASE let this be just some media hype BS thing and not reality.

It isn’t just that Kennedy has absolutely nothing in her career other than trading on her family name to justify being a Senator; she also has absolutely nothing in her history that ties her to the state that exists outside of New York City. (Something I was happy to see even the Liberal Buffalo Pundit agreed on)

Senator Clinton made it a personal mission to embrace Western, New York and Upstate, New York politics when she first ran. Clinton traveled to every county to meet with people and when she got in office at least tried to make it look like she cared the rest of the state. During her first term Clinton continued to travel to our area and get involved with politicians both Democrat & Republican. Regardless of her politics she gained a heck of a lot of respect for her time here.

For those who don’t know much about our state there is a VERY big difference between the big liberal city, which most associate with our state and the rest of our more rural and suburban areas. The rest of the state is going through vast economic collapse, dealing with corruption and we live a much more conservative existence then those in Manhattan.

While it looks like that Gov. Patterson will be appointing a Democrat with little Upstate experience regardless of Kennedy, her involvement is nothing short of a slap in the face. Her country club, blue blood upbringing, involvement with far left politics, complete lack of experience in governance or legislation aside from a law degree which as far as I know she hasn’t used to actually practice law or use to create legislation. She sits on some boards, raises money and goes to a lot of events but that is hardly a list of accomplishments that place her at the top of the list.

Still, her Kennedy name and history growing up in front of the American people would undoubtedly give her a Senate seat for the rest of her life in this state if she chose. Downstate would gladly elect a Kennedy just as Massachusetts has for so many years now. Sadly Democrats continue to show they value celebrity over experience and Kennedy would be just one more example in 2008.