Do You Hear What I Hear?

Are you ready for a stranger to western New York to be the next junior U.S. Senator from the Empire State?

Caroline Kennedy began meeting with the mayors of upstate Wednesday. A listening tour, it was called by the Buffalo News. Reported visits planned for Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo means she's at least making symbolic visits to... how did Eliot Spitzer put it... Appalachia, before accepting what appears to be a pending appointment from Governor David Paterson.

Should this region have taken seriously the gov's consideration of upstate candidates when he opened the campaign for Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be vacated Senate seat?

Or should it have recalled who was one of the first people to rise before a divided Democratic electorate in the late winter and declare that Barack Obama, not Clinton, should be the party's presidential nominee.? That would be Kennedy. That has to be worth something, right, especially when your choice gets the keys to the White House?

Kennedy's qualifications are sure to be challenged. Some may even come from New York City, where Kennedy's candidacy was born. Will she be able to stand up to it? Or will it arrive in time to give New Yorkers a chance to validate the contempt shown for political dynasties the last eight years?