Gov. Patterson of New York treated Caroline Kennedy inappropriately.
The Kennedy’s are a powerful and tight knit family and if you mess with one you mess with all and that is definitely understandable. Most families exhibit the same characteristic.
If Patterson knew she didn’t have a shot at the appointment he should have been upfront with her and her staff from the jump. I’m sure she would have appreciated Patterson’s honesty and candor in the initial stages. He could have spared her the embarassing, ensuing, events. Of course she would’ve been diappointed who wouldn’t? But to disrespect her so publicly by delaying appointment of his choice, after many prominent New York officials and indeed the general public had conceeded that Kennedy was clearly not ready to become a Senator, was simply unnecessary.
This was a crucial mistake by Patterson and it showed poor poltical judgment. Patterson may have just dug his own political grave.
