Caroline Kennedy is facing a first test as a politician in her own right from Hillary Clinton's supporters who are opposed to a privileged member of America's foremost political dynasty filling the shoes of the former First Lady in the Senate.

The daughter of President Kennedy, who has led a fiercely protected private life, has declared her interest this week in the New York seat being made vacant by Mrs Clinton's nomination as Secretary of State.

“She told me she was interested in the position,” said David Paterson, the New York Governor, who must appoint the successor to Mrs Clinton for a two-year term before an election is held in 2010. “She'd like at some point to sit down and let me know what her qualifications are.”

Those qualifications are being scorned openly by leading figures from Mrs Clinton's camp, however. Anthony Weiner, a congressman, Stuart Applebaum, a union leader, and Robert Zimmerman, a fundraiser, have all voiced scepticism about Ms Kennedy's candidacy recently. Some have suggested that appointing her would be a slight to Mrs Clinton, who was dismayed by the high-profile endorsement given to Barack Obama by Ms Kennedy, 51, and her uncle, Senator Edward Kennedy, at a crucial stage of the Democratic primary.

Times Archive, 1963: President Kennedy assassinated

Three shots were fired. The President was wounded and collapsed into the arms of his wife. She was heard to cry, ‘Oh, no’ as she cradled his head in her lap

• Archive Topic: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

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As the daughter of an assassinated president, as well as the niece of Senator Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy, who held the New York seat before, she has unparalleled star power. Neil Diamond even composed a hit record, Sweet Caroline, in her honour during the 1960s.

Critics point out that most of her career has been spent in the type of philanthropic work for education and the arts that might be associated with a minor member of the British Royal Family. Gary Ackerman, a congressman, said that he did not know what credentials Ms Kennedy had for the job “except that she has name recognition - but so does J-Lo.”

The supporters of Ms Kennedy, including the Rev Al Sharpton, the New York civil rights leader, have pointed out that such barbs might have also attached to Mrs Clinton when she stood for the Senate in 2000 on the back of her husband's presidency.

A friend of Mrs Clinton told The Times: “That was entirely different. Hillary did not ask to be appointed, she ran for election and allowed herself to be excoriated by political opponents. Hillary is known as a fighter. What has Caroline Kennedy ever fought for?

“New York is in crisis with its finances collapsing, joblessness soaring and the upstate facing economic catastrophe. It needs representation rather than an episode of Dancing with the Stars.”

Mrs Clinton is understood to be keen to avoid widening the rift with the Kennedys or any suggestion of meddling with the Senate appointment. Aides said that she was focusing on the State Department and did not welcome the remarks being made by her supporters.

Ms Kennedy has reacted to the criticism by lobbying New York power brokers and appointing the Demo-

cratic fixer Josh Isay to guide her through the process. Friends have lined up to vouch for her instinctively political and hardworking qualities.

Joel Klein, the New York schools chancellor, who worked with her on raising money for public education, said that her name alone would open doors. “Everybody knows who Caroline Kennedy is,” he said.

Potential rivals for the seat are Andrew Cuomo, the New York attorney-general, and Tom Suozzi, a Nassau County executive, and members of Congress such as Joseph Crowley, Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Kirsten Gillibrand and Brian Higgins.

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