Caroline Kennedy Seeks Clinton's Senate Seat
After a lifetime avoiding public office, Caroline Kennedy has announced her intention to seek Sen. Hillary Clinton's Senate seat. Reports the Wall Street Journal: "Ms. Kennedy entered the political fray nearly a year ago when she gave a strong endorsement to Barack Obama, whom she compared to her father, in the closely fought Democratic primary. She was a major draw on the campaign trail and in June was named to Mr. Obama's vice-presidential search committee, where she emerged as a crucial member of the vetting team." Yet Kennedy's credentials are being widely debated. Reports the New York Times,
Aside from a 22-month, three-day-a-week stint as director of strategic partnerships for the New York City schools, her commitments generally involve nonprofit boards: the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., the American Ballet Theater, the Commission on Presidential Debates and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
But friends and associates say that Ms. Kennedy, 51, is no dilettante, and that her career is replete with examples of the kind of hands-on policy work and behind-the-scenes maneuvering that could serve her well.
Would Caroline Kennedy be the women's rights leader in the Senate Hillary Clinton was? The Times notes that she "has promoted such noncontroversial causes as patriotism, poetry and public service." If she is to be a worthy successor to Sen. Clinton, her appetite for controversy - over issues that should be common sense! - may have to increase considerably.
As Governor, Napolitano Vetoed Anti-Choice Bills; What Now?
As Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano vetoed eight anti-choice bills, reports the Arizona Capital-Times, including a bill to ban certain forms of late-term abortion (a so-called "partial birth" abortion ban), a parental consent bill, and a bill that would require doctors to tell women more than 20 weeks pregnant that the fetus has the capacity to feel pain. But now that she is headed for Washington as President-Elect Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security, anti-choice State Rep. Andy Tobin says he hopes to introduce some of this legislation a second time, when Secretary of State Jan Brewer, a Republican who will replace Napolitano, may not veto. The Capital-Times reports that the local Planned Parenthood is gearing up for the shift:
Michelle Steinberg, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood of Arizona, said members of her organization are sad to see Napolitano poised to leave.
"Governor Napolitano was a tremendous supporter, and it is hard to say what will happen when she leaves," Steinberg said. "We hope Brewer comes in with an open mind and we can find common ground."
Medication Abortion Likely to Be Approved in Italy, Over Vatican's Protests
Despite protests from the Catholic Church, including the Church's recently-released statement on bioethics, Italy is likely to see legal RU-486, medication abortion, accessible to women next month, reports the Times-Online. "RU486 would be available only in hospitals, and doctors who disapproved had the option of conscientious objection," the Times-Online reports. Silvio Viale, a gynecologist, told the newspaper: "Worries about the dangers are baseless: studies have proved it is safe."
Birth Control to Be Available Over-the-Counter in London
Pilot projects in London will attempt over-the-counter hormonal birth control access. Reports the BBC:
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "We want to improve women's access to contraception and help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies without undermining patient safety.
"Pilots like these will help to show whether supplying contraception through pharmacies is effective in reducing unintended pregnancies."
