Drunk, Mentally Ill, Or Otherwise Unqualified For Public Office?
Please be named Kennedy, or be closely related. Compelling piece on the American royalty Joe Kennedy bought, by Daniel J. Flynn on City Journal:
What 30-year-old not named Kennedy, and known primarily for womanizing, reckless driving, and getting kicked out of Harvard for cheating, could have won a Senate seat without ever having held a regular paying job save a two-year stint in the army? But it was the era of Camelot, and as one Bay State politico put it, "Running against a Kennedy is almost like running against the Church."So powerful was the Kennedy name in postwar Massachusetts that a South Boston High School dropout fortuitously named John Francis Kennedy, unrelated to the clan, traded in a job at a Gillette stockroom for three terms as state treasurer. Nepotism made Robert F. Kennedy--a lawyer who had never tried a case before a judge--attorney general of the United States. The Kennedy brand inspired Massachusetts voters to reelect Ted Kennedy seven times after he drunkenly got into the car crash that killed Mary Jo Kopechne 40 summers ago at Chappaquiddick. A district in Rhode Island continues to send Patrick Kennedy to Congress, despite his bipolar mental illness, candid 2003 boast that he'd never worked a day in his life, and rehab stints for OxyContin, alcohol, and cocaine abuse.
"I spent a lot of money for that Senate seat," patriarch Joe Kennedy said prior to Ted's initial run. "It belongs in the family." Now, as Ted fights brain cancer, reports have his wife, Vicki, and nephew Joe angling for the job. Will the Kennedys need to hold an internecine primary to keep the seat--held by a Kennedy for 55 of the last 57 years--in the family? Such a display would be a symbolic reversal of the kind of political shenanigans that the Kennedys once unleashed upon opponents. When Jack Kennedy first ran for Congress in 1946, for instance, the family recruited an unknown Joseph Russo to put his name on the ballot and siphon votes from Kennedy rival Joseph Russo. The skullduggery helped Jack win a commanding plurality in the ten-person primary.
So looking forward to a Brown win in this seat. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I don't go head over heals for too many Republicans, but this Scott dude with the Southie accent, and down to earth persona is pretty hard not to like.
Royalty doesn't belong in America. I believe we fought one pretty important war challenging it's validity in this country. It would be nice to end this dynasty. They brought us Jack and Robert, who with all their faults, we can look back at as good Americans (overall). Their father Joe, was a different story...and so was Edward.
It's time for them to retire their name. We don't need Camalot, we need a functioning, legitimate democracy that works *for* the people.
Good luck to Sen. Brown on Tuesday!
Feebie at January 17, 2010 11:14 PM
I donated to the Brown campaign last night. Here's to high hopes!
momof4 at January 18, 2010 5:05 AM
I can't wait to vote for Scott tomorrow.
That dimwit Martha will win Suffolk county but the rest of the state should push Scott into the US Senate.
Southie accent though? What's that? He's no knucklehead which is the only way I could tell someone from Southie from some other native of Boston.
And there is a Kennedy on the ballot but he shouldn't have any effect. We've been carpet bombed in the Boston media with Coakley + Brown ads and the Kennedy guy has been invisible.
sean at January 18, 2010 7:24 AM
Brown is supposed to be shaking hands in front of The Garden before the Bruins game at noon. I think I'll head over there to check it out.
sean at January 18, 2010 7:27 AM
I have been greatly amused by the Brown vs Coakley race. Whenever Coakley comes out with a new attack ad, Brown supporters gleefully link to it on their blogs. President Obama and President Clinton have both helped Brown by making foot-in-mouth comments on Coakley's behalf.
Will Brown win? Who knows; some say it will depend on the weather.
Pseudonym at January 18, 2010 8:54 AM
If the initial returns are within 5%, Coakley will "win".
brian at January 18, 2010 9:42 AM
Posted this downstairs by accident:
Sean - not sure if southie was the right term,just remember it from a few movies (Good Will Hunting?) - ahh well, that's whatcha get for being a west coaster. Anyways - I love MA accents.
Go Brown!
Feebie at January 18, 2010 9:54 AM
Feebie, I'll excuse that since you noted one of the few movies with authentic Boston accents. (And 1 of the worst - Robin Williams)
I just got my pic taken with Scott. He's verry tired.
sean at January 18, 2010 10:42 AM
I work in Southie so I need to be careful in saying this: I WILL BE VOTING FOR BROWN TOMORROW!!!!
I have hated Coakley since I was about 14 - her voice never really worked for me. She sounds like an old man from Wisconsin.
Brown wants to stop all of Kennedy's hard work on the health care bill. Whoopie!!
Gretchen at January 18, 2010 11:03 AM
Oh, oh. I just saw myself on the Fox News Channel. I'm the good looking one.
sean at January 18, 2010 12:24 PM
If you need another reason to vote against Coakley, her actions in the Amirault case should do it.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575003341640657862.html
Conan the Grammarian at January 18, 2010 2:42 PM
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