Christine M. Flowers: Another Sen. Kennedy?

ABOUT A YEAR AGO, Neil Diamond finally revealed the inspiration for his song "Sweet Caroline." He of the impressive sideburns said that it was while looking at a picture of Caroline Kennedy in the '60s that he was moved to write his signature song.

Aside from the slightly creepy aspect of a grown man taking a prepubescent teen as his muse (although Dante did some mean stuff with his own Beatrice), it reminded all of us just how important the Kennedy family was - and is - to the modern American psyche. While I was never inspired to dedicate anything to Jackie's kid, I was always aware of her presence on the periphery of my consciousness. Unlike Grace Kelly's blue-blooded Caroline, Princess Kennedy seemed to be more approachable, more intelligent, and generally nicer.

Sweet. Yeah, that fit.