Um, you know, Ms Kennedy is a turn-off for TV viewers

THE political ambitions of Caroline Kennedy have been dealt a crippling blow after a mauling at the hands of the New York press.

Her chances of keeping alive the Kennedy family tradition of serving America seemed remote after she was virtually written off.

With one Democrat even comparing her to Sarah Palin over her gaffe-prone election interviews, the only surviving child of President John F Kennedy faces an uphill battle to win the vacant New York Senate seat. A TV interview with a New York cable station has become a YouTube hit, not for its political content but the sound of Kennedy, 51, using the phrase "you know" 30 times.

In an interview with the New York Times she used the same phrase 142 times, leading to one political commentator urging her to seek elocution lessons. Other interviews contained a high number of "ums".

Commentators pointed out her lack of speaking skills while one said she had used her married name of Schlossberg until recently.

Until announcing her Senate bid, Ms Kennedy, a mother of three, has shunned the limelight, preferring to concentrate on her charity work.

She had been accused of ducking interviews to talk about why she wanted Hillary Clinton's vacant Senate seat.

Ms Kennedy agreed to a round of interviews with the New York press but instead of getting their support found them to be extremely hostile.

The New York Daily News had the headline "Say Goodnight, Caroline" while the New York Times said she "seemed less like a candidate than an idea of one".

Ms Kennedy, who has no political experience, had hoped to take over from her uncle Edward Kennedy who is expected to step down from the Senate in the New Year. The veteran politician has brain cancer and is thought to have encouraged his niece to run for office to keep alive the Kennedy name in US politics.

In her media interviews she offered explanations for running that included the 9/11 attacks on Manhattan, where she has lived since the Sixties, Barack Obama's encouragement, and her father's commitment to public service.

But she also admitted that if she is not selected by New York Governor David Patterson she will not run when the seat is next up for grabs in 2010.