Sometimes, bestowing power on a family name makes sense
Caroline Kennedy won't be a senator from New York, but absent a few dozen "y'know"s, she very well could have gotten the nod -- and perhaps deservedly so. I don't say this because I think Kennedy some political savant; she clearly wasn't. Nor do I pretend she had the credentials (experience, political activism, public-policy wonkishness) we claim to want in our leaders. Indeed, Caroline Kennedy's qualification for the job was solely -- merely -- that she had the right parents. In our meritocratic world, it may seem outrageous to pick our leaders based
on some accident of birth. But rather than dismiss those who do it as deluded fools, consider this: They might be right. Maybe choosing someone because of who they are really is the smart thing to do.
We do it all the time. Senator Ted Kennedy -- who got his job because of his last name -- will at some point be vacating his seat, and there is a long list of those salivating to succeed him. But should someone named Kennedy -- Joe, Victoria, or even Caroline herself (residency in these cases being a meaningless formality) -- want the job, that person would instantly rise to the status of front-runner. Just ask the many candidates who saw their hopes upended when Joe Kennedy decided to enter the 1986 race for the Eighth Congressional District seat to succeed Tip O'Neill.
This isn't just about the Kennedys. There are family dynasties all across America -- they're our home-grown version of the aristocracy. Prescott Bush begat George Herbert Walker who begat George W. and -- a likely future presidential nominee if he wants it -- Florida's Jeb. Bill Clinton gave us Hillary. Add to that list Udalls, Bayhs, and Daleys or, here in Boston, Flahertys, Connollys, and Hennigans.
Much of this has to do with celebrity. Becoming a credible candidate requires name recognition, and even with money in hand, that's a hard thing to achieve. The celebrity that comes from sports and media is one way of breaking through the clutter (although these days, Al Franken notwithstanding, such fame seems to translate less well to the political stage). Another, better way is to be part of a well-known political family.
Here's why. The most difficult challenge every voter faces is taking a risk on an unknown. Position papers, debates, or experiences in another field are all well and good, but at the end of most campaigns, much about the candidates is still a mystery. Questions remain about their character, about how deeply felt are their positions, about how they will perform in office, or about how they might react when facing complex new problems.
Families help answer those questions. As standoffish as she was during her short-lived "campaign," Caroline Kennedy didn't need to issue any position papers for us to already know the kind of liberalism she would offer -- the same kind we've gotten from her uncles and cousins. To a degree, that's true of all the other family brand names out there. We already have experience dealing with their predecessors, which makes our decisions about their sons, daughters, spouses, or cousins far, far easier. Moreover, we have some assurance that the family will make any newly elected member toe the line, delivering as anticipated and not veering too far away from the family's (and hence our) expectations.
On top of that, in the same way we figure that the son of a carpenter knows his way around a workshop, we believe -- and, I think, quite accurately -- that the members of political families have been raised steeped in discussions of public policy, are familiar with the tactics of legislating and governing, and are imbued with the ethos of public service.
To be sure, family names don't guarantee electoral success (Patricia White, daughter of longtime Boston mayor Kevin White, failed twice in her quest to become a city councilor). And voters sometimes do take chances on the unknown (Barack Obama is proof of that).
But, in general, we voters will -- quite sensibly -- give an edge to even neophyte wannabe pols if they bear the right family names. I choke a bit to realize this, but I know I behave this way, too. If the last names are familiar, I'll pay extra attention. I may not vote for them, but I'll at least hear them out.
Originally published in The Boston Globe Magazine, March 1, 2009.