She's a wealthy lawyer, politically connected and a household name. Her family members held office, but she's never run before. So, is she qualified? Today's story of Caroline Kennedy is similar to that of Hillary Clinton from eight years ago. New Yorkers took a risk on Hillary. Will Governor Paterson take a risk on Caroline? She has the ear of President-elect Barack Obama. That helps her cause. But will it help New Yorkers in the end?

Caroline Kennedy reached out to Governor Paterson this afternoon to express an interest in Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be open Senate seat. Kennedy also contacted Senator Charles Schumer, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Rev. Al Sharpton today to talk about her desire to represent New Yorkers in Washington.

Do you predict Governor Paterson will appoint her? What would it tell you about Paterson if he does? Who is best qualified to take Senator Clinton's place?

Send us your thoughts using the link above.

Paterson in an effort to please the president-elect will probably give her the seat. Andrew Cuomo should get the seat instead. If Paterson folds to please Obama, I will not vote for him when he runs for governor.

Denise
Flatbush, Brooklyn

Obviously, Caroline Kennedy is not the most qualified candidate to take over Senator Clinton's senate seat. However, it is all about money. If it is about putting in a woman, Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez is more than qualified, but her name hasn't really been a part of the discussion. Why? She lacks the financial backing.

Ruth
Brooklyn

I am sorry did I miss something? What office government or not has she ever held? She isn't even a council member or congressperson! I dont think that an official of our state (that wasn't even voted in himself) should be allowed to appoint a senator. Especially a Kennedy. Her Uncle that we just renamed the Tri-Borough after, what did he really do? It should be put to a special vote and the public should decide

Jim
Washington Heights

SWEET CAROLINE DIDN'T JUST FALL OFF A TURNIP TRUCK. SHE HAS THE BRAINS AND SAVVY TO BE SENATOR. HER EXPERIENCE IS WELL KNOWN IN THE ARENA FOR THE UNDERDOG. I SURE HOPE SHE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR OUR STATE. I AM ROOTING FOR HER.

JOE
BAY TERRACE

Hi John,

First of all she has no right to as anyone already in NY politics, especially this god forsaken motley bunch. We should have a special election and vote on whom ever we want no matter what their party might be. Why does she think we want her to represent us all she is doing is joining the club and we all know that none of them ever do anything for us at all., It's the same old same old.

How much time did the last senator spend on her job? I don't know how you can say you will represent us and then run for another job and campaign for 2 years or more and that also goes for the other people that had jobs in the senate and didn't show up for the same amount of time.

What gives?

Maxxiee
MP

I'm still reeling about patterson's corpulent taxation. He will do what hes told by Obama and the kennedy bootleggers. if im given a choice between him and the scurrilous Giuliani, I will pull a lever for the son of Basil, unless machiavellian Rudy lifts the soda tax. (first we declared our liberty with tax on tea, now coke and pepsi) Hey, tax the commuter/ millionaires

John
Kissena Park

Caroline Kennedy is as good as any and she's got the name and lots of money. Experience means nothing. Bush had experience and look what happened?

Rich
Midtown East

And why not? You are speaking of the latest candidate to obtain office at this time with the name of Kennedy attached to it!

CARMELITA
HARLEM USA

Patterson will appointment her. He is not qualified, she is a Kennedy, in NY it only matters if you have a name and that name happens to be CLINTON. CUOMO, or Kennedy..

Tom
Richmondtown

As we all know in government it's not what you know,it's who you know.The Kennedy's know a lot of important and powerful people in Washington D.C. that will help NY in these tough times. So i am all for Kennedy for senator.

Miguel from Flushing

John.

We want the Nanny, Fran Dresher for Senator. She is an activist on behalf of the unprivileged and has a winning laugh.

Eric and Michele from Queens

good evening john, i think gov paterson should pick Andre Cuomo for hilarys seat.he has the experience and his dad former gov mario cuomo.

joe
glendale, queens.

I like Buffalo Mayor, and former Queens resident Byron W. Brown, but he has little name recognition outside Western New York. Perhaps instead of valuing name recognition and deep pockets, we need to place more value on leadership.

Bodacious

It would be interesting if this senate seat went to the....... Most Qualified who Does Not Want It...Not Interested In It....there is very hard work ahead for this inherited government.

DMD in Wash. Hgts.

I believe in intelligence over so-called experience. The experienced have ruined just about everything they've ever been involved with: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the economy. In other words, experience in politics is over-rated.

Antonio from the Bronx

I think Carolyn Kennedy will be the best person for the Senate because of her work in education.

I don't think experience has anything to do with it. How many people have we sent to the Senate without experience.

Dealice

Caroline Kennedy deserve to be appointed by Gov. Patterson to keep the flame of Kennedy's legacy burning. Those whom the hat fits must wear it. Sen. Clinton big shoes can be filled by an affable Caroline Kennedy. She is a woman with grace and gravitas.

GEORGE
Lefrak

Carolyn Maloney. She has been in the trenches for years representing us very capably. This Senate seat is not an internship for the privileged. She needs to pay her dues...like run as a representative.

Carolyn

Appointing Kennedy would show a tremendous lack of imagination, but on the other hand, it is somewhat fitting. We'd be replacing one inexperienced political celebrity with another.

With a "czar" for every hassle, the same three families (Bush, Clinton, Kennedy) holding decades of political power, and a security camera on every corner, I really do wonder sometimes why we rebeled from the British. It wasn't for love of liberty, I can tell you that much.

Jordan
Flushing

Teddy Kennedy is twisting Paterson's arm into appointing Caroline. He probably knows the skeleton's in Paterson's closet.
As Cornelius Vanderbilt said, "the public be damned".

Rhonda
Upper East Side

The very last thing that New York needs is another totally unqualified self-serving ultra-rich politician with a highly inflated and arrogant sense of entitlement. Caroline Kennedy has never taken a public position on a political issue in her entire life - giving moral and physical support to her ailing uncle Ted at the Democratic convention just doesn't count. Just like her mother, she has aggressively and assiduously avoided publicity and by choice lived an intensely private life of leisure as a patron of the arts.

What is her position on America's interest in the India-Pakistan conflict over Kashmir? Getting a fair share of federal funding for public Housing in New York City? The Employee Free Choice Act? Re-vitalizing the upstate economy? We don't know, and most likely she doesn't either because she has never ever taken any interest whatsoever in public policy of any kind. All she can do is trade on her family name, and hope that memories of her martyred father will make ordinary folk forget that in America, we have a meritocracy and not a royal family.

Any of the many other candidates under consideration, Tom Suozzi, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jerry Nadler, Byron Brown and so many others would be preferable and infinitely more deserving. All come from working-class roots and have worked hard every day of their life to get where they are today. They deserve a fair evaluation by the governor, and not to have their achievements belittled and opportunity stolen by a poor, bored little rich girl who awoke this week and decided she'd like to be a United States Senator.

Governor Patterson must not spit in the face of working and middle class New Yorkers by jumping the line with Caroline, solely because her last name is Kennedy. If he does, he will embarrass himself and our state. He will never be able to speak to a class of schoolchildren and tell them that in America, you can be anything you want if you just work hard enough. That is, unless a Kennedy decides they want what you've worked for, for themselves!

Charles in Canarsie

Dear John;

In regard to Caroline Kennedy reaching out to the Governor and wanting to be in the senate. I can only say one thing and that is," You go girl." For I think she has what it takes to help New York.

Freddy
Glen Oaks Village.

How 'm I doin' ? What happened to him? I think Kennedy might get it . Can you do a snap poll of top three choices? Might be interesting. I think a top three snap poll would be : Cuomo Suozzi Kennedy But i think it comes down to who can raise money. And that mite be Miss kennedy.

Brian
Bronx

Caroline Kennedy's tossing her hat into the ring as a possible replacement for Sen. Clinton would if she were appointed and were elected when the term is up place Ms. Kennedy into a position as a candidate for the presidency. The Kennedy family does not look at the short term, they look at the long term and Ms. Kennedy has the best background to be the next female candidate for president for the democratic party.

Pat

The Kennedy holds no longer magic for me, she is a socialite with zero qualification for this position! Then again our 2 years absenthy senator Hillary has not done anything for the state of New York, the other senior shoe salesman Shumer a Wall Street advocate is of same cloth. I don't know maybe Souze should be the choice. Politics as usual.

Joseph from Sunnyside

It make's me no never-mind what or who gets the seat solong
as the process it fair!, And not like the process that almost happened in Ill!!.

Ray
Bklyn N,Y

heck, we elected clinton, and she had no ties to new york. clinton was famous for being married to a president. this is new york; we do weird things. there is no way that caroline could do some of the stupid things uncle teddy did; or could she?

lenny staten island

DO I LIVE IN A REPUBLIC OR IS THIS A MONARCHY?????
IF PATTERSON APPOINTS KENNADY HE CAN FORGET ABOUT RUNNING FOR GOVENOR!

DAVID C.