Forget Caroline Kennedy. I want Nanny Fine for Senator.

Forget Illinois and its Senategate. If you live in the Northeast the real Senate action and oddsmaking is on who will be appointed to replace New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton when (if?) she is confirmed as Secretary of State next year. And right now (i.e., as of this morning, if the morning talk shows and cable news shows are any indication) the odds-on favorite for replacing Senator Clinton is Caroline Kennedy, whose chief qualifications appear to be her last name (her uncle Robert held the exact same seat!) and friendship and support of President-Elect Barack Obama.

Not that being a fundraiser and editing several books don't count, but I've given away and raised big bucks for charities and edited over a dozen books and you don't see me jockeying for a Senate seat, even though I have a Master's degree in international relations, follow politics closely, and grew up in and have ties to New York. Though now that I think about it.... (Nah. Not interested. Though I would be very happy to serve the Obama-Biden Administration in some other, paid, way. Hint. Hint. In case anyone from the Transition Team is reading this.)

But Ms. Kennedy (who mysteriously dropped her married name some time in the last few years) is far from being alone in wanting that New York Senate seat. According to New York Senior Senator Chuck Schumer, there are at least 12 individuals vying for the plum post, including New York Attorney General Andrew "Hey, MY father was GOVERNOR of New York!" Cuomo and Fran Drescher, who most of you probably recall as Nanny Fine from "The Nanny," who officially announced her interest in the New York Senate seat on "Larry King Live" last night.

I like Fran Drescher, and loved "The Nanny," but I had to change the channel after just a few minutes as there is only so much of Drescher's signature nasal twang I can take. But think how much she could get done in the Senate with that voice?! The Senators would pass her motions in record time, just to get her to shut up.

Still, if it were between Kennedy, Cuomo, and Drescher, my vote would go to Fran (who in addition to being an actress and comedienne also created a charity called the Cancer Schmancer Movement and is an envoy for the U.S. State Department, advocating on behalf of women's health issues around the world). Hey if Sonny Bono and Gopher (aka Fred Grandy) from the "Love Boat" could be U.S. Congressmen, Fred Thompson (aka Foghorn Leghorn) a U.S. Senator, Arnold Schwarzenegger a Governor, and Ronald Reagan President, why couldn't Nanny Fine become a Senator? Lord knows the Senate could use a little comic relief.

Speaking of which...



UPDATED 1/23/09: Caroline Kennedy has officially withdrawn her name from consideration for the New York Senate seat left vacant by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. However, despite my best efforts, the new junior Senator from New York will not be Fran Drescher but Rep. Kirsten "I [heart] David Paterson!" Gillibrand. Sorry Fran. Oh, and for all of you who hit this blog looking to find out if Caroline Kennedy was still married to Edwin Schlossberg, she is.