At least she's a Kennedy

The New York Times has an article by Nicholas Confessore about the latest Senate opening:

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of an American political dynasty, has decided to pursue the United States Senate seat being vacated by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. The decision came after a series of deeply personal and political conversations, in which Ms. Kennedy, whom friends describe as unflashy but determined, wrestled with whether to give up what has been a lifetime of avoiding the spotlight.
Ms. Kennedy will ask Governor David Paterson of New York to consider her for the appointment. If appointed, Ms. Kennedy would fill the seat once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. Ms. Kennedy’s decision is likely to have a major impact on the governor’s considerations, as he mulls who should succeed Mrs. Clinton. Already, some other Democrats have pointedly questioned her credentials for the job. Others, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have praised her abilities.
Ms. Kennedy first telephoned the governor on 3 December to inquire about the job, but Mr. Paterson described that conversation as “informational” and said it was clear that Ms. Kennedy had not decided whether she wanted to pursue the position. But, since then, she has begun reaching out to key political figures in New York, including Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the State Assembly, and Thomas DiNapoli, the state comptroller. She has also hired Knickerbocker SKD, a prominent political consulting firm headed by Josh Isay, a former chief of staff to Senator Charles E. Schumer, to advise her.
Ms. Kennedy’s family members, especially her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have urged her to seek the post. Mrs. Clinton has said that she would not vacate the Senate seat until she was confirmed as President-elect Barack Obama’s secretary of state, which is expected to occur in January or February, and the governor has said that he would wait until then to make the appointment. But he has also said that he might make his selection known before then, to allow whomever is chosen to prepare for the new role.
Ms. Kennedy, 51, a resident of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, took an unusually public role in Mr. Obama’s campaign, and the two became friends. Mr. Obama appointed Ms. Kennedy to the panel that vetted potential vice-presidential candidates for him. Before that, Ms. Kennedy had devoted much of her time to charitable works and institutions linked to her family, like the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, of which she is president.
Others likely to be considered for the Senate seat are members of Congress including Kirsten Gillibrand, a rising star in the Democratic party who represents an upstate district; Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County chief executive and a former candidate for governor; and the New York State attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo.

Rico says she's smarter than all those other guys, and a lot nicer than the woman she'd replace...