Caroline Kennedy Out! (Update: Maybe Not!) (Update: Out!)

Here's news: the New York Post reports Caroline Kennedy is "withdrawing her name from consideration" for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat. We would speculate that her role in this decision was more passive than portrayed. Other sources say she bowed out because of her Uncle Ted's recent illness, but why would the ailing Senator not want her in the Senate? So who's in -- Carolyn Maloney? Kirsten Gillibrand? (Paterson did say he was picking a woman.) Stay tuned.

Update. The Daily News demurs, somewhat. Maybe Fred Dicker et alia jumped the gun; maybe this is, on the part of the News, an abundance of caution. But if they go with Kennedy after this, it will be really weird.

Update 2. AP says someone says Kennedy has "renewed her determination to win appointment to the U.S. Senate seat." Well, let's sleep on it.

Update 3. 'Round midnight: "I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate."