Wednesday, December 17, 2008

America's Desire for Dynasty

Kathleen Parker, who has gained a certain notoriety as the conservative critic of Sarah Palin, makes sense again in her discussion of the merits of Caroline Kennedy for Hillary Clinton's senate seat. Here's a taste:

We don't do birthright in this country -- except when we do. John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush come to mind. We don't elect people on the basis of a recognizable name -- except when we do. Who, after all, was Hillary Clinton other than the wife of a governor and president before being elected to the U.S. Senate from a state where she established a token residency?

Even so, Clinton has proved herself in the Senate, winning friends and grudging respect across the aisle. She performed admirably as a presidential candidate, despite her murky memories about being under sniper attack in Bosnia.

To the point: She became a senator by being a senator. She became a national figure by being one.

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