Kennedy withdraws senate bid over ‘personal matter’

CAROLINE KENNEDY withdrew her senate bid because of a personal matter unrelated to her ill uncle, rejecting the governor’s attempt to get her to reconsider, a person who worked closely with her said yesterday.

Kennedy discussed withdrawing from the race with governor David Paterson on Wednesday, and Paterson asked her to reconsider for 24 hours, the person said. But by 11pm on Wednesday, the associate said, Kennedy decided she couldn’t take the job if appointed and she issued a statement shortly after midnight saying she was withdrawing.

Kennedy did not decide to bow out because her uncle, Senator Edward Kennedy, suffered a seizure during an inaugural luncheon on Tuesday, the person said. The 76-year-old Massachusetts senator was diagnosed in May with an aggressive type of brain tumour. The person wasn’t authorised to disclose the conversation between Kennedy and the governor, and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person would give no other details about the personal matter.