Was she pushed or did she jump? The reported decision of Caroline Kennedy to drop out of contention for the US Senate seat from New York only adds further mystery to this guessing game of the past several weeks. Certainly, Kennedy's performance in public was, well, you know, less than stellar. But there's no doubt in my mind that she could have easily handled the job. Whether she deserved it is another matter. But Gov. Patterson's role in this guessing game has not exactly been beyond reproach, leaving lots of New Yorkers dangling. The delays probably soured Ms. Kennedy's chances with Patterson, if he ever really wanted her. All along, the most obvious choice for Patterson was to select NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, a man who would be likely interested in Patterson's job if he doesn't go to Washington. But given the murky events of the past few weeks, it's not even certain that Cuomo would be his choice over Kennedy. Anyway, I bet President Obama may be thinking of the Court of St. James or some other type job for Caroline Kennedy, a key supporter in the 2008 campaign.
