Lady Kennedy

Dan, I could not be more with you on Caroline Kennedy. Some of the "arguments" in favor of her accession (what else should we call it now?) are so unbelievably, laughably, cluelessly puffed up. My particular favorite of the ones you point out is that it is now considered a qualification to pull strings to get friends admitted to institutions of learning. Funny, I used to think that kind of patronage was actually a disqualification.

That particular bit just brought to mind the kind of person who says things like, "I mean, absolutely no one stays in New York during August." Such a person just might find the writing of one letter of recommendation to be a history of public service.

The most infuriating defense of raising Kennedy to the peerage is that she is qualified. Frankly, I don't care if she's qualified. I'm sure she's not Sarah Palin-unqualified. What Kennedy clearly isn't, however, is the most qualified person. That's what matters.

I would like the record to reflect that I have written some pretty snazzy letters of recommendation over the years, if anyone knows of any open political office. My family is also in danger of remaining unrepresented in the Senate.