A photo of a young Caroline Kennedy with Macaroni, her pony, inspired singer-songwriter Neil Diamond to write his hit song "Sweet Caroline," a fact he revealed only when performing it for her 50th birthday, in November 2007.
Rich little girl, Caroline Kennedy, was never a poor little rich girl,even though we thought that, when her father was assassinated.
We have the Bush Dynasty brewing, stewing, and reminding us they are there -- ready, willing and able to run the county. We had the Kennedys -- Caroline and John, Jr. -- brought up carefully, not to be brewing, stewing, or reminding us of their marvelous, perfect heritage, but that's how we thought of both these two children.
All the right, good, important things were done for Caroline to connect her to the Kennedy family and its traditions -- the good manners and graceful ways, as she learned to play in the sand and on the lawns with her cousins -- all the right games, and all the right schools -- Brearley (private grade school), Sacred Heart Convent School, Radcliffe, Harvard, and Columbia. Grandma Rose Kennedy, summing up Caroline's growing up years said, "She probably thought it was natural for children to go off in their own airplanes. But she was with her cousins, and some of them dance and swim better than she. They did not allow her to take special precedence. Little children accept things."
As Caroline got her BA and JD degrees, she had her first jobs, on the Daily News, at the Metropolitan Museum, where met Edwin Scholossberg, whom she married -- with whom she has had three children, and lived a good life, while participating with and helping many, many charities and not-for-profit foundations that are doing good things for the country -- for the poor and for the under-privileged. She also has co-authored, and authored three books, and almost ran for senator of New York -- backed out -- it wasn't clear why -- perhaps because her uncle Ted was dying.
Yes, Caroline has been in the news -- at her mother Jackie's funeral, at brother John, Jr.'s funeral, and Uncle Ted's funeral -- in the news when she supported Obama running for president in 2008. And she herself, is a remarkably rich, important woman -- she owns her mother's 375-acre farm on the island of Martha's Vineyard; her fortune's estimated at more than $100 million. Now Caroline is 55. Obama has put forth her name as the country's ambassador to Japan. What will this mean to Edwin, and to her kids, to the various posts that she currently holds?
It means, I think, that Caroline Kennedy is now truly entering the arena of public office and politics -- the Kennedy Dynasty hopefully -- like the other dynasty, is going to be part of our lives in the future.
Golly I hope so.
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7 comments:
Of course I have always been very fond of her, but I saw her on Jon Stewart recently and she was wonderful! Witty, Sensible, gracious.
It will be very interesting to see what she chooses and what happens.
A woman of grace and dignity, Caroline has always been charismatic and interesting, a true Kennedy!
I greatly admire Caroline. She has so much poise and dignity. I hope you are right Em!
Great article Em....an era I won't soon forget. Perhaps the last chance in our country for humaneness.
I've always felt a kinship with Caroline, since we're nearly the same age, and I was also raised a Liberal Democrat. One of my daughters is even named Caroline, partly for her and partly for the song, (which now, I know, is also about her).
We do need voices like hers in this country!
I need to disclose this fascinating story with names removed. I have a very dear friend who happened to have enjoyed lunch with Ms. Kennedy. While this was not a planned event, he was lunching in another friend's home with Ms. Kennedy as a guest of the homeowner. This friend of mine has been in the company of very famous people. The only time in his life where he became star struck was when he met Ms. Kennedy. Her presence was incredible. He was more than over the moon and found her enchanting, intelligent, and just as you say...from perfect heritage and very well mannered. I would have loved to have met her mother. There is no other like Jackie O. A true woman, wife, and mother.
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