Caroline Kennedy offered a first glimpse of her policy beliefs today, revealing she differs with Barack Obama on same-sex marriage and the status of Jerusalem – but she declined to say whether she’d endorse a Democratic nominee against Mayor Bloomberg in 2009.
Kennedy later indicated to The Post she’ll support the most qualified candidate and “assumes” a Democrat will win the next New York City mayoral election.
Kennedy’s spokesman, Stefan Friedman, said the 51-year-old was waiting to see how the race shaped up before committing to a candidate.
“The mayor’s race is a long way away. There are going to be a number of good candidates,” Friedman said.
“Caroline looks forward to watching a vigorous campaign. She will support the person who she believes is best able to lead the city. She assumes, of course, that would be the Democratic nominee.”
Asked if the democratic nominee was not mayor Bloomberg – who sources say is eying an attempt for the democratic ballot line – Friedman added, “She fully expects to support the democratic nominee.”
It’s standard practice for a Democrat to vow to back their party nominees in New York. As The Post first reported, Bloomberg has quietly been supportive of Kennedy’s bid for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate seat – although he has publicly denied it.
The Post also reported that Bloomberg’s deputy mayor Kevin Sheekey had been making calls pressing for Kennedy’s appointment, a decision that falls solely to Gov. David Paterson.
Once Bloomberg’s involvement was reported, many Democrats speculated he was hoping she would support him in his re-election battle.
Bloomberg has changed his affiliation from Democratic to Republican to registered independent in the last seven years. He has yet to say what ballot line he hopes to seek in the next year’s mayoral race. There has been talk that he may try to seek the Democratic nomination.
Responding to a series of written questions today, Kennedy and her aides referred to the Harvard-educated lawyer in the third person and sometimes gave incomplete or general answers.
But Kennedy was clear about two key issues for New Yorkers – and on both, her policies break with the incoming Obama administration.
Asked about Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the response was: “Yes, Caroline believes that an undivided Jerusalem must be the national capital of the state of Israel.”
That stance contradicts the position of Obama.
Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee June 4, Obama went beyond US policy and said Jerusalem must “remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.” He then reversed his position two days later and said Jerusalem is a “final status issue, which means it has to be negotiated between” Israelis and Palestinians.
Kennedy also has a different policy about gay marriage than Obama – she’s for it, and he’s not.
“Caroline supports full equality and marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples,” her aides wrote when asked if Kennedy would support legislation allowing same-sex marriage.
Obama favors civil unions for gay couples, but stops short of endorsing same-sex marriage.
gotis@nypost.com