Bloomberg: Um, Lay Off Caroline, You Know?

Interview stumbles raise flags about Kennedy's political speaking skills

(NEWSER) - Caroline Kennedy needs to, you know, work on her speaking skills if she is to have a future in politics, experts tell the New York Daily News. In a recent half-hour interview with the News, Kennedy said "you know" over 200 times. Other interviews also contained scores of "you knows" and a liberal sprinkling of "ums." More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama has had to change his tune a few times since he took office, but the content of his speech to Congress tonight will be no surprise, Michael Scherer writes in Time. Talking points have been consistent for long enough to predict 5 key features:

• I'm not Bush: In case Congress didn't notice, Obama will emphasize particularly his break from the former president's "deception" as regards the budget—and the helicopters.

Admission is first that AG is even a candidate

(NEWSER) - Continuing his elusive dance around Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat, New York Gov. David Paterson said yesterday that state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo “is someone I’m considering,” the Buffalo News reports. Paterson also seemed unafraid of a possible Cuomo challenge in 2010 if he isn’t seated in the Senate. “He told me that he doesn’t want to run against me,” the governor said. More»

NY governor playing 'mind games' with media in delaying announcement

(NEWSER) - Her rivals for Hillary Clinton’s senate seat believe Caroline Kennedy is “certain” to succeed her, sources close to several contenders tell the New York Post. Gov. David Paterson thinks dissing Kennedy at this point would “greatly embarrass” and “entirely humiliate” her and her family—and potentially displease President-elect Obama, a clan ally. More»

Senate would be lucky to have her 'smart, cultivated' voice: Dowd

(NEWSER) - When John F Kennedy Jr founded George magazine, many upbraided him for not trading more valuably on his clan’s mystique. But when sister Caroline aims for a Senate seat, Maureen Dowd writes in the New York Times, she’s “blasted by a howl of ‘How dare she?’” The Senate is already a den of patronage, Dowd notes—and the Kennedy scion is a better choice than most. More»