JUICY

Posted at 6:59 a.m. ET

Do you love political intrigue?  Then you have to love what's going on in New York, where Governor David Paterson, son of a powerful New York politician, must fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, wife of a powerful Arkansas and Washington politician, and has been considering Caroline Kennedy, daughter of a powerful Massachusetts and Washington politician.  Now Caroline has pulled out of the race, and the frontrunner is New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, son of a powerful New York politician and former governor, Mario Cuomo.  And Andrew Cuomo used to be married to Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Robert Kennedy, a powerful New York and Washington politician.  But the marriage broke up when Kerry Kennedy fell in love with Andrew Cuomo's friend.  Oh, and Kerry Kennedy is the niece of Caroline Kennedy, mentioned above.

Procter & Gamble is negotiating for the rights to this story, and plans to put it on CBS every afternoon at three, with organ music. 

Welcome to public responsibility, at a time of economic peril.

So, Caroline has now pulled out.  Fred Dicker, of the New York Post, one of the best political reporters around, was on TV this morning, having broken the story.  He reinforced our doubts, expressed here late last night, that Caroline's sudden withdrawal, citing "personal reasons," had anything to do with Uncle Ted's collapse at an inaugural luncheon Tuesday.  He made the point that Teddy has been seriously ill for some time.  He speculated - stress speculated - that the withdrawal may have had something to do with the background check on Caroline, conducted for New York Governor David Paterson.

Andrew Cuomo is now considered frontrunner for the post, something that might enrage the Kennedys because of his difficult split from Kerry Kennedy.  However, don't be shocked if the governor names a woman, possibly a congresswoman. 

Great political story.

January 22, 2009.