Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Caroline Scrutinized: The More 'You Know,' The Worse?


By

Billy Parker

Published Dec 29, 2008

Modified Dec 29, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Billy Parker

Published Dec 29, 2008

Modified Dec 29, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Copyright Zina Saunders 2008

No one is exactly racing to put the stamp on Caroline Kennedy as our next senator following her recent series of interviews with local media. Veteran New York politics journalist Andrew Kirtzman says thinks her roll-out has been disastrous, telling Politicker NY, "The interviews were catastrophic to her cause. They totally undermined one's faith in her. It's becoming clear why the roll-out has been so tentative and low-key: Her communications skills could take months to improve, and she doesn't have that kind of time." Ouch.

Those communication skills have been coming under the microscope, specifically with her frequent usage of the phrase "you know," wherein many media outlets have jumped on the bandwagon started by Gawker over the weekend, calling out Caroline for dropping 12 "you knows" in a minute, 138 times total during her NY Times interview. The LA Times calls her the new Sarah Palin "by golly." And FishbowlNY almost suggests we could have a "you know" gate on our hands in noting that as opposed to the other new outlets who published interviews with her, the AP chose to edit out the phrase.

A nationwide CNN poll showed that over 40% of Americans thought that Kennedy was unqualified for the senatebefore her media blitz. But maybe that's fitting considering the lack of experience in office by those who have held the seat she's vying for.

To add to her woes, Sheldon Silver sure still sounds less than convinced that he can count Kennedy as an ally of local Democrats despite meeting with her for 45 minutes Friday. He told the Post that he still has all the same concerns, specifically, "it's clear to me that she is sponsored by the mayor or by [Deputy Mayor] Kevin Sheekey."

That certainly seems to be the stance taken in the cartoon above by artist Zina Saunders, which we believe is an imagining. While we think the mayor certainly looks adorable taking care of the new queen of Camelot, Kirtzman's advice is "I'd get her working the phones, and have the mayor's people get off of them."

Tagged

andrew kirtzman

caroline kennedy

hillary clinton

mayor bloomberg

senate seat

sheldon silver

you know

zina saunders


Billy Parker

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn

Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.

By

Rosemary Misdary

Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET


Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say

A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.

By

Samantha Max

News

Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say

A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.

By

Samantha Max


Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time

By

David Brand

School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year

By

Jessica Gould

NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them

By

Clayton Guse


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .