...or is America desperate for some royalty? Any royalty?

As of today, the Governor of New York, David Paterson, is still weighing his options with regard to the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Unless you have been living in Dick Cheney's undisclosed location, you probably know the leading candidate for the job is Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg, daughter of the sainted John Fitzgerald Kennedy...the Lord have mercy on his soul. This decision has created an interesting quandary, not just for Governor Paterson but for thinking liberals everywhere. (Yes, Virginia, liberals do think occasionally. The term "knee-jerk" is a major overstatement.) On the one hand Caroline is a bright, educated, well-spoken women who has devoted much of her energies to worthy causes. She attended Columbia Law and has raised three children. Her choice to avoid the spotlight has been just that - a choice. She has not spent the last thirty or so years clipping coupons in Hyannis Port and Palm Beach.

Unfortunately, Caroline's longtime low profile is working against her. Prior to her public support of Barak Obama, Ms. Kennedy-Schlossberg confined her civic activities to educational causes and work with the Kennedy Foundation. Her relatively recent appearance on the national political stage and subsequent role as maybe senator-to-be has the look of a coronation. Have we all been standing around waiting for a new Kennedy to lead us? Critics argue that a pretty face and a star spangled name does not a legislator make. Fortunately for Ms. Kennedy-Schlossberg, many of those critics thought Sarah Palin would be a peachy vice president and George W. Bush would rival Lincoln as a chief executive.

Several facts are clear. It certainly doesn't take a Rhodes scholar to be a Senator. As proof I offer Larry "wide stance" Craig and Ted "the furniture storage man" Stevens. If you can manage to get yourself elected, the job is yours. The key point, however, is "get yourself elected." Being appointed is a different situation.

In Illinois, this decision was easier. The more zeros on the check, the more likely you are to hear "right this way, Senator." Governor Paterson has it tougher. He can't look like he's just making the easy choice. He also can't appear to be pandering to Barak Obama or his henchmen. The appointment can't look like a quid pro quo payoff for Caroline's support in the primaries. What to do? What to do?

The Governor could "go maverick" (don't you hope you never hear that term ever again?) and chose a total unknown. After all, that's what Paterson was before his predecessor, Governor Eliot "Client #9" Spitzer pulled him from the legislature in Albany to be his running mate in 2006. As such, Paterson is certainly no stranger to the concept of being plucked from obscurity. Given his current dilemma, he probably wishes that Spitzer had chosen some other guy.

It's not like Paterson is swimming in options. He could name Andrew Cuomo, New York's current Attorney General, but Cuomo's star power is, like Kennedy-Schlossberg's, derived primarily from his name. (Cuomo could gain valuable support from his current girl friend, Food Channel star Sandra Lee. After all nobody doesn't like Sandra Lee.) Beyond Cuomo and Kennedy-Schlossberg the pickings are a bit sparse. (Chelsea Clinton has thus far expressed no interest in replacing her mother in the Senate.)

Governor Paterson still has a few options. He could use a lifeline and call a friend; my advice would be to contact the Governor of Delaware. Paterson could contact Fred Armison of Saturday Night Live to see which choice will garner the least ridicule. He could call Rahm Emanuel, although I doubt old Rahm is anxious to discuss Senate seats with any governor without benefit of council. Lastly, Paterson could try the old Sarah Palin switcheroo and name himself. At least that way he wouldn't be accused of picking a well known superstar. Paterson is easily the most obscure man in New York.

Happy New Year!