September 24, 2009

Senator Kirk.

Replacing Senator Kennedy.
... Mr. Kennedy’s widow, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, and his sons, Edward M. Kennedy Jr. and Representative Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island, had urged Mr. Patrick to appoint Mr. Kirk, who worked for Senator Kennedy in the 1970s, and later served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee....

Mr. Kirk, 71, is chairman of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston. Several friends and associates described him as low-key and laconic, a shrewd political strategist who could have run for office himself but decided he preferred a behind-the-scenes role.

40 comments:

Rialby said...

What? Roland Burris wasn't available? Or his bid was too low?

traditionalguy said...

Is he allowed to run in the election? Or is he a Place Holder?

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Can you spell "banana republic"?

Original Mike said...

I thought they had to hold an election. Did I miss something?

Bruce Hayden said...

I thought they had to hold an election. Did I miss something?

It looks like they switched it back. As you all may remember, MA changed the law when it looked like Mitt Romney would get to appoint the successor to Kerry if he had won in 2004.

Rich B said...

Election? And take a chance some Republican might get elected? You're new here, aren't you?

Rich B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Surely all the Kennedy heirs aren't still strung out or in rehab.

Unknown said...

That whole "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people" thing is such a pain in an aristocracy.

WV "obensh" Jewish Obama(?)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I’ve always preferred Patrick Stewart for the role ;)

Anonymous said...

I am honestly shocked to find out that Edward Kennedy was married after the stuff I read in Esquire.

TJ said...

If he's seated, Kirk says he won't run in the January election.

Shanna said...

In its motion, party leaders argue that it was unconstitutional for the governor to have put the new law into effect immediately.

I have no idea what the Mass constitution says, but you really shouldn’t be changing the rules and applying them immediately. It’s like changing the monopoly rules in the middle of the game because you are losing. Not to mention that everything would have been fine, if they hadn’t changed it last time around because they were mad there was a republican in the governor’s office.

Was the original law voted on by the people? Because if so, it doesn't seem appropriate to change it without a vote.

kjbe said...

Not to mention that everything would have been fine, if they hadn’t changed it last time around because they were mad there was a republican in the governor’s office.

Kind of ironic, yes.

rhhardin said...

It makes me sorry I didn't follow Star Trek.

Kirk beamed into the Senate.

miller said...

Why not just say "Kirk (D-Ke)"

or rename Massachusetts "Kennedy"

I mean, do the people of Massachusetts really just not care that they are servants to the wishes of the Kennedys?

Joseph said...

Is the measure legal and did the measure pass by a comfortable measure in the duly elected state legislature? If so, I see no problem, especially since there will still be an election in a few months.

Cedarford said...

Another lawyer-drone and faithful Kennedy footman. Definitely a placeholder. I join others in wishing the guy had been an officer in previous military service.
(I had a super enlisted guy named Kirk, briefly, who had decided to get out rather than go OCS. One reason he seriously cited was he didn't want the possible grief of being called Captain Kirk in the future - the military is loaded with Trekkies, or was back in the very early 90s.)

It would have been funny if Deval said he wanted that someone who best understood healthcare, who knew what had to be done to tweak the Massachusetts model and rally the Senate as Teddy planned to give the nation a good bipartisan plan modeled on it..And remembered who worked with Teddy nearly daily on the Mass insurance reforms..

And then appointed Mitt Romney.

Mitt. Who could then praise the Mass Legislature for "repealing their crazy law against Governors appointing replacement Senators.".

Shanna said...

Is the measure legal and did the measure pass by a comfortable measure in the duly elected state legislature?

That's the question isn't it? Does the state legislature have the authority to overturn the present law (was it voted in by them, or the public?) and if it does have the authority, does that mean it is legal to do it for thsi instance, where the vacancy has already happened.

Bob From Ohio said...

Another man of the people.

A board member of a big insurance company and a lifelong lobbyist. Who will get free lifetime access to the Senate to lobby.

Of course, he will be banned from lobbying the Senate for two years so will be a "senior advisor" like Tom Daschle instead.

More change you can believe in!

ricpic said...

Well, now they've got their 60th vote. An earlier than planned death for me.

TheCrankyProfessor said...

Can anyone tell us what kind of time limit residency takes? How soon can Patrick Kennedy run if he moves home right quick?

I'm Full of Soup said...

Folks, read the first 3-4 comments here. Funny stuff!

Letterman could fire his writers and get hie Top Ten material here.

Scott M said...

@Cranky

I suppose we can call Hillary and ask to borrow her Idiots Guide To Carpetbagging. The main problem with that plan is finding her in the first place.

rcocean said...

Once, we got Senator Smalley I knew this was coming.

MadisonMan said...

I think this is a foolish on the part of the Gov of Massachusetts. The beauty of Federalism, however, is that states are free to make foolish mistakes. We'll see who is elected. I hope it's not a Kennedy, but in a nation where the likes of a Santorum or a Kerry can be elected, well, is yet another Kennedy all that bad? It demonstrates how credulous the people of Massachusetts are but I think the nation will survive.

Anonymous said...

Whine away, wingnuts. The Massachusetts consitution plainly says they can do this.

jeff said...

Paul, Nice. I think a number of states and organizations and some courts have identical constitutions.

David said...

Gov. Patrick is looking for a nice appointment in some Kennedy controlled entity--like the JFK school. Nice career move, Governor.

Michael Haz said...

Whut? William Shattner is going to be a senator? Senator Kirk?

Beyond cool.

kimsch said...

Cedarford: Hubby actually saw, listed in a departmental phone directory, Major Disaster. True story.

This Senator Kirk (Massachusetts' Burris) may not be the only one - Mark Kirk (R-IL-8th) will be running to replace Illinois' Burris...

wv: shent "legislatures and governors shent appoint interim senators..."

TheCrankyProfessor said...

Paul Zrimsek -

I'm not whining, I'm amused. The Massachusetts legislature clearly doesn't care much what their constitution does or does not say. They changed the rules a few years ago and now they're changing them back because they find it convenient. Fine for them. I find the baseness of politicians mockable. Fine for me.

So, to go to the point of my comment, which Kennedy family member DO you think Kirk is holding the seat for? Surely you don't believe he's the best candidate to replace the late Senator?

chuckR said...

So, to go to the point of my comment, which Kennedy family member DO you think Kirk is holding the seat for?

I hope its my current Representative, Patches Kennedy. This should give his handlers enough time to do a thorough detoxing. The Senate has higher standards than the House. Or not.

Charlie said...

Of course you realize that not one of the three Kennedys who "urged" Patrick to appoint Kirk actually live in Massachusetts. Now that's funny.

knox said...

Forget an election. Just take some head measurements. The biggest, fattest, most disgusting, giant, potatoey head gets the seat.

knox said...

Oh, and they have to have killed a girl.

Now that was uncalled for.

Anonymous said...

Family of Kennedy is very big in politics.London Escorts

Eric said...

I suppose we can call Hillary and ask to borrow her Idiots Guide To Carpetbagging. The main problem with that plan is finding her in the first place.

I think she's opening a community center in Tanzania this week. Then it's off to Uganda to cut the ribbon on a new Walmart.

MadisonMan said...

I wonder if Senator Kirk will support the $20M earmark Kerry has inserted into a National Defense Bill to fund the Kennedy Institute.

veni vidi vici said...

To the bridgework, Captain!




wv: "chwoott" -- where to begin?