Another Senator Kennedy from New York?

There was a lot of talk yesterday surrounding Caroline Kennedy's interest in talking to Governor Paterson about that open position in the United States Senate. Paterson said he would not be making his decision until Senator Clinton is confirmed as Secretary of State early next year, but the speculation is in high gear here for a Kennedy in early December.

From Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON – Caroline Kennedy has spoken to New York's governor about the Senate seat that will come open when Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes secretary of state, and Kennedy and the governor are expected to meet as early as Saturday to discuss it further, according to people familiar with the conversation.

Kennedy reached out to Gov. David Paterson, who will pick someone to fill the seat for two years, according to a Democratic source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversation was private.

Two New York Democrats told The Associated Press that Kennedy and the governor are expected to meet privately to discuss the matter Saturday, when Paterson travels to Washington, D.C., for a dinner.

Kennedy is interested in the Senate appointment, said a person close to the Kennedy family.

She of course would be the second Kennedy to represent New York in the Senate, being that her Uncle Robert had the seat from 1965 until his death in 1968. Caroline isn't really that much of a politician, so that does make her interest a bit different from the host of New York politicians that have been thought of for the seat. And of course, she is a Kennedy, which presents both good and bad aspects.

The good thing about appointing her is that she is a big name that can fill a big seat. She has star power and used it for the incoming President nearly a year ago when his nomination was still far from being locked up. On the downside, it raises the legacy question and furthers that American dynasty we are all supposed to be wary of, or so said our founding fathers.

And then there's the issue of internal New York Democratic politics. Upstate vs. Downstate, the Governor's own competition in 2010 (e.g. Cuomo) and other considerations that make the choice of the Senate seat so vitally important. Now I like Caroline Kennedy and all, and she could probably do a lot of good but maybe the fact that the Governor is waiting until January is a good thing, so we can take a good, long look at everyone that is interested in the job.