Ted Kennedy: Hey, how about giving my senate seat to my wife?
posted at 12:35 pm on May 22, 2008 by Allahpundit
Why not? Why not just go the whole nine yards and convert it into a peerage? They’ve held the seat for 55 years, except for a brief period in the early 60s when JFK’s college roommate held it. Give it to Ted’s wife, then Caroline can have it after she establishes Massachusetts residency, and then Patches will get it provided he doesn’t crash any more cars in the meantime. Although, of course, that never hurt Teddy, did it?
One nice thing about this idea: It adds a rich, glossy nuance to Obama’s arguments against the Clintons’ dynastic politics.
Ted Kennedy has made clear to confidants that when his time is up, he wants his Senate seat to stay in the family – with his wife, Vicki.
Multiple sources in Massachusetts with close ties to the liberal lion say his wife of 16 years has long been his choice to continue carrying the family flame in the Senate. Kennedy won the seat in 1962; his brother John held it from 1953 to 1960.
“There’s no question that he’d like Vicki to continue in his seat,” said one Massachusetts Democrat with ties to the Camelot clan who spoke to Kennedy recently, before his health crisis.
“She’s smart, and smart politically.”
Exit question: Had he lived, where would JFK Jr. be today? Already a congressman? Preparing to step in here for TK? Or locked in a death struggle with Obama for the Democratic nomination?
Update: No worries. Teddy’s shoes are already being filled.
Blowback
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Bushs. Clintons. Kennedys…
How is this not a defacto arristocracy?
Romeo13 on May 22, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Yes to all of the above.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 22, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Will she approve the wind farm?
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM
What is “locked in a death struggle with Obama for the Democratic nomination” ?
Correct!
Theworldisnotenough on May 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM
This is like Murkowski giving his daughter Lisa the seat.
I HATE nepotism. Why can’t the State have an election while he is still alive!?!?!??!
upinak on May 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM
It’s their right dammit!
Akzed on May 22, 2008 at 12:42 PM
The Mass voters will rubber stamp whoever Teddy selects as his successor. Why even bother with elections?
flenser on May 22, 2008 at 12:43 PM
not give..
if he’s incapable of holding office, shouldn’t there be a special appointment or election for it?
dunno what the Mass. law regarding that.. if it’s a nomination by the Governor to be confirmed by the state congress, then it might not be that small of a step..
if it requires a run off election, then it’s open season..
does having a brain tumor disqualify you from congress? It can be argued that it could impair your judgment..
but then..[do your own joke about congress and impaired judgment here]
would she just be his proxy then?
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 12:45 PM
dunno where that ‘not give’ came from..
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Will his wife pay estate taxes on the seat since it’s being passed down to her? Since it appears they think they own it, let the IRS place a value on it for tax purposes.
Oh, wait, estate and gift taxes are only for us little people.
Sensible Mom on May 22, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Correct. Everything is held in family trust’s.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 22, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Sorry, but you are wrong. Kennedy has stopped up two generations of ambitious politicians; the scurrying and jockeying for his seat will be hot and heavy.
thegreatbeast on May 22, 2008 at 12:48 PM
I still think that this could really piss off an awful lot of dems in Massachusetts. I see it as an opportunity to split the party there and get a moderate GOPer with name recognition and the benefit of comparison to a crappy, currently serving successor (ahem, Romney) elected to the Senate.
Yeah, Romney opposes Roe v Wade, but the MA voters know that that wouldn’t change anything in their state as the legislature is quite liberal. Romney is OK with civil unions as I recall.
Imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth in 2009 if we have a President John McCain and a Senator Mitt Romney.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Perfect example on why we need term limits in Congress.
Rick on May 22, 2008 at 12:53 PM
They wisely put it in a trust as part of strategic tax planning. Thank you for your concern.
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 12:53 PM
yeah, high chance for dem fratricide if the wife tries for the seat, IMHO.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 12:53 PM
John-John would not be locked in a death struggle with Obama for the Dem nom. He’d already have it hands down. He would have had it locked up the day he agreed to even consider it. It was his from the day he was born, if he wanted it. He was a Kennedy, and he was handsome. It would have been his DUE.
Of course, young John always seemed completely uninterested in politics. Perhaps he was smarter than the rest of the men in his family. I wonder if he was so smart that he was a closet Republican? Now, wouldn’t THAT have been interesting? His dad would almost be considered a Republican today with all that “ask not what your country can do for you” businesss.
aero on May 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Nothing like maintaining the “Kennedy States of America” . . . this is pure BS, and if the good residents of Massachusetts allow it then they are as warped as that Kennedy gaggle. When they start treating Constitutional positions as private property then this poor sick Republic will be on its way out.
rplat on May 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Ah yes, the Royal Family of Massachusetts.
CP on May 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Why put things in the headlines at all?
Even when he’s dying, its all about power?
its vintage duh on May 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
sorry doc. I spoke too quickly.
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
C’mon guys….it would be beautiful.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 12:55 PM
JFK Jr was a decent person, and really doesn’t deserve to be tarred with his degenerate uncle’s legacy.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Chelsea has to start somewhere. I’m sure her Mom and Dad can arrange for her to be a retroactive MA resident.
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Mass. law calls for a special election, the beautiful irony is that this law was changed by the Democrats in order to prevent then Gov. Romney from appointing a Republican if Lurch Kerry won back in 2004.
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Like my dad always said…”Let’s don’t and say we did.”
I still say Arrogance, thy name is Kennedy.
CynicalOptimist on May 22, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Hey Ted, I guess Vicky has that whole nobility thing down, that Hillary lacked, right?
I hadn’t even thought about that….
C’mon Mitt. You would be an awesome Senator…get in there and slap some sense into those porkmeisters who have brought shame to the GOP.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Is this true? How would anyone really know? Someone just wrote a really scathing view of him as a lazy Senator who was rarely there, and just waiting for his Dad to buy him the Presidency. As a family man, he was reportedly terrible.
Is it time for the Camelot myth to dissolve? Prob. not yet.
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Senator Mitt Romney
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:00 PM
:)
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 1:00 PM
There would be a special election for the seat. Massachusetts changed it from a Governor appointment in 2004 when Kerry was running for President. They were afraid that Romney would appoint a Republican if Kerry was elected President.
A brain tumor would not cause a Democrat to resign. Tim Johnson (D-SD) kept his seat after emergency brain surgery in 2006.
TritonTR on May 22, 2008 at 1:00 PM
That’s just dead wrong.
These Kennedy’s have been a cancer on American politics.
I hope Mass. can finally get their tumor excised.
omnipotent on May 22, 2008 at 1:02 PM
President Kennedy’s son, JFK Jr. He was a decent person.
Jr.
John F Kennedy JR.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:02 PM
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:00 PM
He has my vote!
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Hey I thought were were new politics Im sure Obama is against kennedys holding the seat like he is against Clinton getting the presidency again.
William Amos on May 22, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Pass the torch to Joan!
Dudley Smith on May 22, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Oh jeez. Sorry for not paying attention.
(As for Jr. I was living in Manhattan at the same time as he was. He was constantly in the society pages. Seemed like a complete lightweight to me in every way, but who knows.)
JiangxiDad on May 22, 2008 at 1:04 PM
FC was referring to young John, JFK’s son, as a decent person.
But no one has yet tarred-and-feathered him here, have they, FC? Just the implication that he might have succumbed to entering politics doesn’t mean he would have turned into his uncle. I pointed out that he seemed smarter than the other men in his family by seeming uninterested in politics at the time he died. I merely implied that the Dems and the rest of the country would have rolled out the red carpet to the Oval Office for John-John had he ever expressed an interest in having it.
It’s a criticism of the almost-holy, dynastic attitude voters take when it comes to Kennedys. Especially MA voters. They’ll dutifully vote Vicki into office for Teddy, and she’ll hold the seat until she dies. MA voters have not showed great judgment for the last half-century or so. Why would they change?
aero on May 22, 2008 at 1:05 PM
I wonder if the family of MJK have sent the POS a get-well card?
LimeyGeek on May 22, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Dudley Smith on May 22, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Snot worthy!!!!
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 1:06 PM
What is this the stock exchange? This is solely what our founding fathers didn’t want!
xler8bmw on May 22, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Hopefully, you meant “Snort worthy!!!!”
(Disclaimer: I have nothing personally against snot, I am not a snotist!)
omnipotent on May 22, 2008 at 1:10 PM
I can already picture the scene…Senator Norm Coleman (re-elected because Ventura and Franken split the dem/lunatic vote) and Senator Mitt Romney (elected because Vicky Kennedy and some other old time MA dem split the dems) relaxing with President McCain in the WH Rose Garden….
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:10 PM
How about having Teddy The K do something really different for a change?
Like letting the people of his state decide who they want to fill his seat?
This dynasty stuff has gone on just a bit too long now. What’s next, just changing the name of the whole damned state to KENNEDYACHUETTS?
pilamaye on May 22, 2008 at 1:11 PM
True, and the dem party would have been better off, and the country would have been better off facing a possible JFK Jr. presidency than a possible Obamassiah presidency. That was my only point.
I do think Jr was a decent human being, which is probably why Joe, Michael, RFK Jr and Uncle Ted didn’t seem to care for him much.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:13 PM
quick, call in a special session.. change it back… :)
is Patrick Kennedy is in a Rhode Island representative to the house, right?
any chance a RI resident can run for Mass. senate?
or does Barny Frank has his eyes on that seat :)
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 1:13 PM
For me, the Kennedys after JFk are like the New York Times, irrelevant, they are like Jerry Springer’s “Final Thought.”
Indy Conservative on May 22, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Lightweight perhaps. America hating loon who hangs out with folks like Ayers and Dohrn for years and thinks that’s normal? No….
amazing what comparison to Obama can do, huh? :-)
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Barny Frank and the missus can bitch fight over the seat and let Mitt slide right in..
that works for me :)
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 1:15 PM
funny.. I said something about Barny Frank and Teddy’s wife getting into a bitch-slap fight over the seat and it didn’t show up..
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 1:19 PM
it would be fun to watch Barny Frank and Teddy’s wife get into a 8!tch fight over the seat..
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 1:20 PM
end of an “errah”
max1 on May 22, 2008 at 1:20 PM
JFKJr always struck me as being smart enough to realize he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. I agree that he may not have been anywhere near this fight right now.
crazy_legs on May 22, 2008 at 1:20 PM
The Pharaohs would be proud.
franksalterego on May 22, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Happened here when Mel Carnahan died. Although I think the Senate had the final say on whether or not his wife got the seat.
Tanya on May 22, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Wait, did we give Taxachusetts back to Great Britain? Wouldn’t that give only 49 states (or is it 56 states?)
I bet the men who fell at Lexington and Concorde are spinning in their graves.
rbj on May 22, 2008 at 1:28 PM
I say Obama offers the VP position to Ted. Kind of a “Make a Wish” donation.
That way Teddy can have a piece of the White House, which he always wanted, Obama gets the sympathy vote and the white blue collar vote (don’t ask me why, but they think Teddy is one of them), and allow Ted to select his replacement.
Everybody wins…
right2bright on May 22, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Tanya, there are differences in the Carnahan/Kennedy elections though. Mel Carnahan died in a plane crash when the campaign was close to over, right? Jean (Jeanne?) stepped in to fill the slot because the dems wouldn’t have time to do a primary.
Also, Mrs, Carnahan was Mel’s long time wife, right? Not a recent, much younger woman from out of state.
That doesn’t mean that the MA dem party and MA voters won’t behave like Ted’s sheep….
But there is a chance that trying to coronate his trophy wife (?) could cause big enough problems to get somebody like Romney the seat.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Even in California we have special elections for this sort of thing. As expected, the wife usually wins in a landslide.
NTWR on May 22, 2008 at 1:33 PM
omnipotent on May 22, 2008 at 1:10 PM
No..I meant boogers! An aside if you will, in my profile I mention the band that Michael Savage referenced, I’m debating whether to remove it or not.
Proud conservative citizen trapped in the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts the only good Kennedy is a (insert bands name). ;->
offworlder (nightshift) technical professional, 2 daughters in college
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Why not. The Senate is becoming more and more like a House of Lords anyway.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 1:33 PM
If I remember correctly, in honor of Mel the republican (Ashcroft?) didn’t campaign. And his wife (Jeanie?) won by a slim margin. His plane crashed just weeks before the hotly contested race.
Then she got beat in the next election.
I can’t remember, but she graciously took Ashcrofts courtesy and promised support for a favored bill, then, and I don’t remember what bill, stabbed him and the GOP in the back when in office…typical.
Please, someone fill in the blanks.
right2bright on May 22, 2008 at 1:35 PM
In the Senate they don’t wear those big white hair things and powder on their faces like in the British House of Lords of olde. That’s the main difference I can think of.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Hey, Ted? How about taking a long drive off a short bridge.
MrC_5150 on May 22, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Okay, Mel’s wife was Jean and it was Ashcroft in a very close race. Ashcroft did suspend his campaigning the final two weeks (immediately after the plane crash) and she barely won (under 2%).
But I don’t know the “back stabbing” bill.
right2bright on May 22, 2008 at 1:42 PM
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 1:36 PM
and there’s less of that silly background chatter!
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Does that mean enough time has passed that I can finally link to this without being called a “shameless dirtbag?”
NTWR on May 22, 2008 at 1:43 PM
So you don’t think he is worthy of a VP?
right2bright on May 22, 2008 at 1:44 PM
It was actually a combination of two weird things.
(1) He died about a month before the election, but still won the election. And (2) there was/is a law on the MO books, specifically saying that a wife could take the seat, because of another, previous senator who died and whose wife was given the seat.
“Not enough time” is BS, anyway. Paul Wellstone died 11 days before his election, and Mondale managed to step in.
Tanya on May 22, 2008 at 1:45 PM
NTWR on May 22, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Most excellent dude…I love thepeoplescube!! Ya know in some circles “shameless dirtbag” is a badge of honor!
dmann on May 22, 2008 at 1:46 PM
and lost…
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Sure he is, but there are several folks (Sanford, Pawlenty, Palin, Jindal, my gov. Bob Riley of AL, and others) who could be VP. None of them has MA residency or name recognition.
Deval Patrick is such an idiot that he really has made Romney smell like a rose. Strike while the iron is hot!
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Hee. Yeah, but it was Mondale.
Tanya on May 22, 2008 at 1:50 PM
And our GOP delegation in the Senate is desperately in need of a high profile kick in the ass, and I think Romney has what it takes to deliver it.
Never pass up a golden opportunity.
funky chicken on May 22, 2008 at 1:53 PM
This was appropriate the day of the announcement.
I say give it to his wife, who cares? If not her, some other liberal that will follow the party line lock step.
Give the dying man his wish, at least this time he is asking, rather then for the decades he stole from us.
In fact he should ask for this favor from:
Clarence Thomas
Bork
Souter
General Petraeus
Oil execs
Major corp execs.
All the women he groped
All the women he killed
right2bright on May 22, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Ms. Reggie-Kennedy is not so recent; she’s been married to Ted Kennedy for 16 years.
I just don’t like the idea of widows getting their husband’s political offices just because people feel sorry for them. Remember when Sonny Bono’s wife got his seat in Congress? IIRC, her only prior work experience was as a waitress. Not to diss waitresses, but I doubt voters would have considered her qualified for the seat if she had run on her own merits, rather than as Sonny Bono’s widow.
Ted Kennedy’s wife is a lawyer, but as far as I know she has never held any political office. But if she wants the seat and decides to run for it, I doubt if that will make any difference to the voters of Massachusetts.
AZCoyote on May 22, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Kerry’s recommendation for his replacement ……. Manny Ortiz.
fogw on May 22, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Get bent Teddy!
Didn’t you guys have some kind of a dust up to get rid of the monarchy and it’s hereditary succession?
And now one of your “fine” senators wants to bring it back?
Huh??
G-man on May 22, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Caligula made his horse a Roman Senator. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that Ted’s limiting the bequest of his senate seat to human members of his family.
Cicero43 on May 22, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Hey, the Kennedys have gerrymandered their a$$es off and paid damn good money for that seat, its not nepotism, that seat belongs to them, lock. stock. and barrel.
Speakup on May 22, 2008 at 2:13 PM
No kids available to succeed him, and hold the seat for the next 50 years?
infidelpride on May 22, 2008 at 2:36 PM
AZCoyote on May 22, 2008 at 1:58 PM
I could be wrong, but I don’t see MA voters getting behind the idea of Vicky in Ted’s seat, even as a parting “thank you” to Ted for all those years of dedicated service. She has a southern accent, for heavens sake. And I don’t see Barney Frank as liking the idea too much, either.
Infidoll on May 22, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Time for a Constitutional amendment against nepotism on Congressional or Senate seats.
newton on May 22, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Hey, the Kennedys have gerrymandered their a$$es off and paid damn good money for that seat, its not nepotism, that seat belongs to them, lock. stock. and barrel.
Speakup on May 22, 2008 at 2:13 PM
The Senate isn’t the stock exchange. May I suggest less posting here more time reading the constitution!
xler8bmw on May 22, 2008 at 2:57 PM
Well, I went home with the waitress
The way I always do
How was I to know
She was with the Russians, too
I was eating at La Brasserie
I took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns and money
Dodd, get us out of this!
/Warren Zevon
LegendHasIt on May 22, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Just as many are tired of Bush/Clinton/Bush, I imagine there are many in Mass. who are tired of the Kennedys. There are probably career legislators who have been patiently waiting for TK to step down so that they could have a shot at his Senate seat.
By the bye-I do this from time to time on these posts:
Term Limits! We need Term Limits for Congress!
If it’s good enough for the President, it’s good enough for the dinosaurs in the Senate and House.
Doug on May 22, 2008 at 3:03 PM
What about KKT?? I hear she isn’t doing too much these days. Maybe she can move up to Mass!
resqgal on May 22, 2008 at 3:50 PM
funky, some of my red pills are missing…did you take some?
:-)
I’m just playing…I actually agree with you that Romney would be an excellent Senator and wonderful replacement for Ted Kennedy. Romney would win. In all honesty, it’s practically Mitt’s duty to run for that seat, since he’s the only Republican who could win it.
Red Pill on May 22, 2008 at 3:56 PM
As a side note, one thing the Politico conveniently forgot to mention is that all the publicity about Teddy having gone bar cruising with his nephew the evening of that date rape accusation occurred during the Clarence Thomas hearings with the sideshow of Anita Hill making spurious accusations of Thomas.
The timing was probably the ONLY thing that could have caused even Teddy to keep his mouth shut at that time.
From the NYT no less and, believe it or not, by Anna Quindlen, who actually had no blinders on regarding the hypocrisy of Ted Kennedy:
Public & Private; Trouble With Teddy
Now, THAT was political drama that hadn’t been seen since the days of Watergate.
I still remember Lewis Grizzard writing that Ted Kennedy should have come to the Thomas confirmation hearings with a bag over his head.
INC on May 22, 2008 at 4:01 PM
For those in doubt, I don’t really take any red pills…this is how I self-medicate.
Red Pill on May 22, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Romney should definitely run for Kennedy’s Senate seat next time it comes up.
But if Romney had won re-election as Governor of Massachusetts, instead of running for President, he could have appointed a Republican Senator if Kennedy stepped down for health reasons. Of course, nobody could have predicted last year that Kennedy would have health problems now.
Steve Z on May 22, 2008 at 4:03 PM
Let’s not forget that Chappaquidick Fats’ wife Vickie is the daughter of a major Democrat Louisiana politician. Her dad, Edmund, is a former judge down there. He came from the same town as Edwin Edwards, namely Crowley, “the rice capitol of the world”. In fact, he was one of Edwards’ best friends.
Yep, she would be right at home in Masshole politics.
Del Dolemonte on May 22, 2008 at 4:40 PM
With every passing year the US government resembles that document less and less.
May I suggest every congressman read that document every day before voting.
Corsair on May 22, 2008 at 5:00 PM
The Kennedy’s version of the death tax.
Wade on May 22, 2008 at 5:01 PM
What about the voters?????
Seven Percent Solution on May 22, 2008 at 5:02 PM
You mean the same people who voted in Kennedy, Kerry, Barney Frank and Gerry Studds?
Wade on May 22, 2008 at 5:06 PM
You need to set yourself down and take a fresh humor pill, yours has an expired best by date.
Speakup on May 22, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Your seat Teddy? Aw come on–give someone else a crack at it.
dragondrop on May 22, 2008 at 5:29 PM
it’s been more than 25 years since it’s happened.. it is funny now..
DaveC on May 22, 2008 at 5:46 PM
YAY!
I guess…
WE can FINALLY say “F” YOU T.K.” and not be excoriated by so called conservative folks that are holier than thou.
I held my peace to be reverent in a time of mourning, (IE I made none of the comments I wanted to.) but hell, if everyone else is flipping back to the Kennedy Bashing (Which I believe is appropriate for the man-slaughtering, seditious, old drunk.)
…then rock on my brethren! ROCK ON!
-Wasteland Man.
WastelandMan on May 22, 2008 at 6:34 PM
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