Of course: Deval Patrick may appoint Ted Kennedy's widow to Kerry's Senate seat

The President has not made a choice on his next nominee for Secretary of State yet, but Governor Deval Patrick is already making plans to fill presumptive SecState nominee John Kerry’s Senate seat. Knowledgeable sources tell me Governor Patrick has already had a discussion with one potential replacement for Senator Kerry: Vicki Kennedy. The sources say the governor talked to Kennedy, the widow of Senator Ted Kennedy, about the possibility of replacing Kerry in the Senate and that she did not rule it out. But don’t count on seeing another Senator Kennedy from Massachusetts any time soon: a source close to Vicki Kennedy says she would be unlikely to accept the appointment. But again, she has not ruled it out. If Kerry is nominated and confirmed as Secretary of State, Governor Patrick would appoint somebody to replace Kerry and, under Massachusetts law, a special election would be held no later than 180 days (and no earlier than 160 days) after Kerry leaves the Senate.