New York, Jan. 23 : Members of the Kennedy family have expressed their disappointment over Caroline Kennedy opting out of the race for the next New York senator

Robert Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that his family is "disappointed" that his cousin Caroline will not be filling Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's vacant New York Senate seat.

"There was strong support within the family, from Teddy, from all the Robert Kennedys. My sister Kerry was working very hard for Caroline, as was I. So I think everybody is disappointed," Kennedy said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"I think she would have made a great senator," Politico quoted Kennedy, as saying further.

Caroline Kennedy announced Wednesday night that she "informed Gov. Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate."

Robert Kennedy Jr. said his cousin was "very affected" by the apparent seizure her uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), suffered during the inauguration, but didn't list the incident as the reason she decided to stop pursuing the seat.

Kennedy said his cousin was plagued by the tough press treatment, but pointed out that "she was walking right onto Broadway without having, you know, done a debut in a smaller venue." (ANI)