President Joe Biden has nominated Caroline Kennedy, former Ambassador to Japan and daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, as the next United States Ambassador to Australia. Recent headlines regarding Ambassador Kennedy’s appointment have fixated on her status as a member of the infamous Kennedy family, with many failing to consider her position within the Democratic Party establishment along with her education and experience. This nomination serves as a salient symbol regarding the importance of American-Australian relations during such precarious times.
Who is Caroline Kennedy?
Caroline Kennedy is the eldest child of President Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy (later Onassis). At the age of three, Kennedy moved into the White House when her father ascended to the presidency in 1961. She grew up in the public spotlight due to her position in the First Family, with this attention continuing even after her father’s assassination in 1963.
Kennedy was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Radcliffe College, Harvard University. She worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York before graduating with a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. She passed the bar exam in 1989 and commenced research for her first book, Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action. This was followed by a second book, The Right to Privacy, published in 1995. Kennedy subsequently published another nine books. During this time, she married Edwin Schlossberg and gave birth to three children.
After her mother’s death in 1994, Kennedy succeeded to the presidency of the Kennedy Library Foundation, along with becoming Chair of the American Ballet Theater and joining the Board of the Citizens Committee for New York City. This filled the void her mother left in New York’s cultural scene. Her brother, John Jr, died in 1999 in a plane crash, leaving her the only surviving child of President Kennedy.
Kennedy became increasingly involved in public affairs and politics in the 1990s. In 2000, she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Al Gore. She served as Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships for New York City from 2002 to 2004 and also worked for the Fund for Public Schools.
At the 2008 election, Kennedy endorsed Senator Obama. She also served as Co-Chair of his Vice Presidential Search Committee, resulting in the selection of Senator Biden as the running mate. Kennedy continued to support President Obama and worked on his 2012 re-election campaign. After the appointment of Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Kennedy was considered to fill the vacant Senate seat from New York, a seat once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. While considered the front-runner, she withdrew from consideration.
Kennedy was President Obama’s nominee for Ambassador to Japan, receiving unanimous consent from the U.S. Senate. She held this role from 19 November 2013 until 18 January 2017, resigning a few days before the inauguration of President Trump.
Symbolic choice during unprecedented times
Kennedy’s appointment to Canberra is an attempt by the Biden Administration to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening relations with Australia and its strategic position in the Asia-Pacific. This is due to the strong relationship Kennedy enjoys with many members of the White House and other powerful officials in Washington.
Her previous work for the Democratic Party, along with her status as a former First Daughter, places her in a position of great influence. This means Kennedy has open communication channels that other diplomats could only dream of attaining. While this does not mean she will have a free-hand in the management of U.S.-Australian relations, it does place her in a stronger position to execute projects and initiatives of strategic importance.
While we should look beyond her status as a Kennedy, the celebrity invoked by her famous name evokes nostalgia for millions of Australians. Kennedy has often joked that her connections have been the cause for many of her private and public successes, coming to the Japanese ambassadorial role with little diplomatic experience. Yet, her star power means that she and U.S. officials will be welcome at various high-level events.
What to expect
Kennedy’s previous tenure as Ambassador to Japan gives us some guidance regarding her posting to Canberra. During her term she focused on military ties and strategic positioning within the region, trade issues, education, and cultural exchanges. Yet, much has changed regionally since this posting and Kennedy will need to execute key American geopolitical policies in the region that attempt to curtail Chinese aggression.
Following the resignation of Ambassador Culvahouse in January 2020 and the inauguration of President Biden, Australia has sought to entwine itself further with the United States. This includes the creation of the AUKUS security alliance, the sharing of military technology, and the establishment of the Quad with India and Japan.
Next steps
Kennedy’s appointment still needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. This will involve hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and then a vote before the entire Senate. There is currently a backlog of Biden nominees in the Senate due to there being a 50/50 split of seats between Democrats and Republicans.
An agreement reached on Saturday between the Majority Leader and Minority Leader has cleared the way for the confirmation of around three dozen nominees in return for the Senate voting on Senator Ted Cruz’s bill to place sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Other nominations that were confirmed include former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel who will serve as Ambassador to Japan. This means Kennedy’s confirmation may be a foregone conclusion.
Once confirmed, Kennedy will begin her posting in Canberra, taking over from Charge d’Affaires Michael Goldman, a role he held since the resignation of Ambassador Culvahouse. She will also present her credentials to the Governor-General, with her duties officially beginning once it has been accepted. However, Kennedy will be entitled to diplomatic immunity on entry to Australia.
Final thoughts
It needs to be noted that some diplomatic appointments in the United States are heavily politicised. While this article stresses the importance of Kennedy’s appointment for symbolic reasons, it is ultimately a political appointment. Kennedy is not a career diplomat. She has only served in a diplomatic role during her time as Ambassador to Japan. Otherwise, her experience is based in law, public affairs, and partisan politics.
Even so, Kennedy’s nomination underscores the importance of the American-Australian bilateral relationship, which the White House will shine a light on through her star quality. Yet, regardless of her status as American political royalty, Kennedy seems to be a formidable representative for the United States Government who can strengthen and protect its interests during these extraordinary times.
