Caroline Kennedy and the puritanism of modern journalism

While not regretting the possible collapse of Caroline Kennedy's senatorial campaign, or dissenting from the emerging consensus that she is out of her depth, there are a couple of things to be said in her defense. She was, you know, joking with those New York Times reporters when she said their crack political team was asking questions that sounded like they came from a women's magazine. Taking umbrage just shows that thin-skinned, self-important media types can't take a joke. And speaking of that annoying "you know" verbal tic, which Caroline shares with many other people, it would not have appeared in print back in the day. Now, journalistic puritans decry cleaning up quotes as a cardinal sin. There is something to be said for letting the valley girl delivery shine through her Harvard and Columbia education in all its inarticulate glory. But, as the Sarah Palin saga demonstrated, journalists can be overly eager to pin on the bimbo label.
My Democratic wife was quick to pick up on Caroline's "you know" problem, and also mentioned something else I haven't seen commented on, about how she was wearing a hip-hugger, very low-cut style of pants popular with young teenage girls, not with women in their 50s. I don't think it puritanical to point that out. Nor do I think it sexist for me to naturally write "Caroline" as opposed to Kennedy or Schlossberg or whatever her last name is. Only a puritan could demand solemnity when discussing the aspirations of this would-be senator.

Comments

[Brian]

Unfortunately, all newbie female candidates are subjected to this sort of superficial nonsense in a way that male candidates almost never are. Sarah Palin's wardrobe. Hillary Clinton's hairdo. I remember a few years ago someone commenting on challenger Kirsten Gillibrand's squeaky voice. This year, running as incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand, at least criticism of her tended to focus on less superficial crap. It's not puritanical but it is pointless.

It's as though all women candidates have to jump through the "I'm not a bimbo hoop" in their first run but once established, they're usually ok. Too bad GW wasn't subjected to this test.