You have to feel sympathy for Caroline Kennedy. The press is slaughtering her for the way she speaks. She used an awful lot of “ums” and “you knows” in the course of many interviews with print and TV reporters.
Indeed, during a 40-minute interview with the New York Post, she said “you know” 200 times. That's a lot of “you knows” and no one can deny it.
But are we being a little unfair to someone who talks like many people do? I've been hearing sentences punctuated with “you knows” all my life and the hesitation of many people who aren't used to ad lib speaking is not uncommon either.
So what's the big deal? She is not the orator her father, President John Kennedy, was. Nor does she speak as well as her uncle Robert did. I know. I covered both of them during their brief careers. They had fantastic public speaking skills and spoke passionately for what they believed in. Her style is decidedly different.
No one can deny that this lady has done good work in the educational field and she has helped raise millions of dollars for the Democratic Party. She has written books too. She has some talents and she is intelligent, gracious and kind.
Her sudden decision to seek Hillary Clinton’s soon to be vacated U.S. Senate seat may seem unfair others who, on the basis of their records, are more deserving of consideration by Gov. David Paterson for the Senate seat.
But, for Pete's sake, even journalists mangle the English language on occasion. Why condemn the daughter of a president because of her mangled speech or syntax?
Perhaps she should be judged, along with other would-be senators, on the basis of what they stand for. Is her position on the issues better than her competitors? That would be a novel way to judge her in this climate.
If Gov. Paterson fails to appoint her and she really wants the job, I hope she seeks it by running for the office in 2010, when a special election will be held. It's unfair to count her out because she gets a flunking grade in Giving Interviews 101.
It is true that Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey went too far in trying to get the job for Caroline. He managed to alienate the powers that be in state government, including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. That ignited -- or re-ignited -- a feud between Silver and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Kennedy must have felt like the shuttlecock in a badminton game between Albany and City Hall.
Let's give her a break. As a headline in the New York Times notes: “For Kennedy, Self-Promotion Is An Unfamiliar Challenge.”
Let's give her a chance to meet that challenge or fail. To pile on because she says “you know” too many times is not the way to judge a potential senator.
