Will Kennedy Pick His Own Replacement?
by Brian Maloney, May 22nd, 2008 at 04:25pm
Speculation is running rampant today that Ted K will choose his US Senate replacement by royal decree, which has critics comparing the chamber to Britain’s House Of Lords (pre-reform, that is)
With a mere nod, Kennedy may designate a family member as his successor. Do you really believe the Beacon Hill establishment wouldn’t find a legal way to accommodate him?
From former Herald DC Bureau (remember that?) reporter Andrew Miga, now of the AP, here’s an excerpt from the story:
WASHINGTON — People in Massachusetts suddenly are thinking the unthinkable: Who possibly could succeed Sen. Edward Kennedy, patriarch of the famed political family that has dominated the state for more than four decades?
The news about Kennedy’s cancerous brain tumor has led to quiet speculation about whether he may try to handpick a successor, possibly paving the way for a relative to take over his seat.
The prospect of Kennedy’s eventual departure also has touched off a scramble involving Massachusetts congressmen and others.
Kennedy, 76, is not up for re-election until 2012. But his medical condition has people wondering if he might resign before then or decline to run for another term. Given Kennedy’s stature in the Democratic-dominated state, it’s a sensitive topic that few in politics are willing to talk about publicly.
“There will be great respect and delicacy, of course,” said Tufts University political science professor Jeffrey Berry.
Over the years, the Kennedys have not shied away from grooming family members for office.
In 1962, Kennedy won the Senate seat that his brother, John, held before winning the presidency in 1960.
The Kennedys helped arrange the appointment of John’s old roommate, Benjamin A. Smith, to the seat until Edward Kennedy turned 30 and was legally old enough to run for the Senate. Kennedy has held the seat ever since.
With the senator’s health now in question, Kennedy’s nephew, former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, D-Mass., is seen as a possible heir. He is sitting on about $2 million in leftover campaign funds.
But the younger Kennedy, who provides low-cost heating oil to the poor through Boston-based Citizens Energy Corp., has balked at running for governor in recent years and shows scant interest in jumping back into politics.
There is the possibility one of the senator’s sons, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., or Edward Kennedy Jr., could seek their father’s seat. Kennedy’s wife, Vicki, has been mentioned, too. There are other Kennedys, too, who could decide to run.
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13 Comments
1. Celtic Frost | May 22nd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Oy vey I need a little shmeer of cream cheese with my afternoon bagel. Maybe my husband will be home from work soon. I am tired of taking care of his little monsters from the breeder he impregnated in college and had to marry in spite of his, ah, tendencies towards more homosexual pursuits.
2. Karen | May 22nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
One of the New York papers is reporting that Teddy wants his wife to take over the senate seat.
3. JSYK | May 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
LOL…Celtic Frost/Hugh Jass…how SAD are you, loser? No one here likes your non-witty posts and we sure as hell do not care about ANYTHING about you and you spend more time on here having your loser kind of non-funny fun than going out and having a LIFE. You have no partner…you are sick and sad and smelly. Ha-ha…go out and have some fun and try to interact with people…that won’t work either but at least you can say you tried, LOSER! READ ALL YOUR SAD POSTS…YOU ARE ALWAYS HERE AND HAVE NO LIFE, LOL!
4. Celtic Frost | May 22nd, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Why the venom, JSYK, are you an anti-semite or a homophobe? I, for one, would love to see the talented and able Victoria Reggie Kennedy be named the new Senator from MA (after the usual legislative chicanery on Beacon Hill whereby they repeal the law the enacted 5 years ago to protect from Romney appointing a right-wing nutcase).
Yours in butt-hood,
Celtie
5. jason | May 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Hey, once God repeals Teddy (may he have a long time yet, just not as my senator), or Teddy resigns in order to help himself heal, can we start repealing his awful laws? Lets start with the 1965 immigration act.
6. Rich | May 23rd, 2008 at 10:10 am
Too get serious for a moment, I did not think picking a successor was an option. Weren’t the rules changed to thwart Romney from naming a replacement, now requiring a special election within 120-160 days? I’ve never heard of a senator picking his own replacement. That would seem to fly in the face of the peoples’ right to choose their representative.
7. the real Barbara | May 23rd, 2008 at 11:33 am
Rich, the rules were changed, HOWEVER, this is Massachusetts and the rights of the people do NOT exist,,,,look at gay marriage…..did we have a choice, a say, picking a new senator will be no different, the rules will be changed to accommodate the high and mighty.
8. Mary | May 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
Gee, I though VOTERS chose their elected officials???? Stupid me…I forgot that Kennedy owns his seat…and what a large seat it is!!!!
9. Rich | May 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Barbara,
Silly me. What was I thinking…
I can’t wait to someday join the throng of migration southward. Maybe the heating oil prices this winter will be the final ass kick that I need.
10. the real Barbara | May 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Rich,,,,,,,,,,take me with you!
11. Stacy Harris | May 23rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Am I the only one who finds such speculation tasteless? And, as Kathleen Kennedy Townsend might suggest, sexist?
Stacy Harris
Publisher/Editor
Stacy’s Music Row Report
http://www.countrymusicreport.com/Stacyharris.htm
12. medford jim | May 24th, 2008 at 3:41 am
first i heard of vicki as a possible successor was a drudge column in which big ted himself said it. so if its sexist blame ted. if the story is true.
13. medford jim | May 26th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
gee no response to the “sexist” ted kennedy comment? facts are stubborn things.