CBS' Schieffer advances baseless suggestion of Clinton retribution against Caroline Kennedy

CBS' Bob Schieffer baselessly suggested that Hillary Clinton may “try to block” Caroline Kennedy's possible appointment to replace her as U.S. senator from New York, adding that there is "[n]o love lost with the Kennedy family after they endorsed [President-elect Barack] Obama early on." But Clinton has reportedly “told her supporters not to involve her in their efforts to stop Caroline Kennedy's path to the U.S. Senate” and that their comments critical of Kennedy “weren't appreciated.”

On the December 21 edition of CBS' Face the Nation, host Bob Schieffer asked of Caroline Kennedy's possible appointment to replace Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton as U.S. senator from New York,: "[W]hat about Hillary Clinton? Will she try to block this?" He then asserted that there is "[n]o love lost with the Kennedy family after they endorsed [President-elect Barack] Obama early on." However, Schieffer provided no evidence for his suggestion that Clinton may “try to block” a Kennedy appointment. He also failed to note a December 16 Politico report, noted on CBS News' Political Hotsheet blog, that Clinton “has told her supporters not to involve her in their efforts to stop Caroline Kennedy's path to the U.S. Senate, a person familiar with replacement discussions said.”

In the December 16 Politico blog post, senior political writer Ben Smith reported that three Clinton supporters who have publicly criticized Kennedy's potential appointment " 'were told that their comments weren't appreciated, and that if they have a candidate they prefer that is motivating their comments and actions, they need to make that crystal clear so that nobody thinks we're behind it,' said a person close to the replacement talks."

From the December 21 edition of CBS' Face the Nation:

SCHIEFFER: We're almost out of time here -- but what about Hillary Clinton? Will she try to block this? No love lost with the Kennedy family after they endorsed Obama early on.

DOMINIC CARTER (NY1 anchor): She has told her people to back off. She is moving ahead in terms of becoming secretary of state. And you know, of all the criticism we've heard of Caroline Kennedy, we've been there before in terms of hearing the same exact thing about Hillary Clinton, Bob. And Happy Holidays to you.

SCHIEFFER: All right. Thank you very much, Dominic. And we'll be back in just a moment.