Well, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has made his announcement. Paul Kirk will serve as Teddy Kennedy’s interim replacement until a January 19th special election. A lot of people, including me, were pulling for Michael Dukakis. I don’t like the sound of this:
Patrick faced lobbying on Dukakis’s behalf from political associates of the onetime presidential candidate, erstwhile members of his inner circle, and party activists, all of whom make up a part of the Democratic Party that was central to Patrick’s 2006 campaign and, according to some analysts, would be very important to his struggling reelection bid.
Patrick “needs to have those people feel enthusiastic about his reelection,’’ said Democratic strategist Dan Payne, who worked for Dukakis campaigns in the 1980s. “If he doesn’t choose Dukakis, they will sit on their hands, and he can’t afford that.’’
Some Kennedy insiders who support Kirk’s appointment, though, have argued that Dukakis is too outspoken on health care issues, espousing liberal positions that could complicate Democrats’ attempts in Washington to moderate their approach on the legislation.
Ironic coming from the Kennedy Camp, no?
It ain’t the teachers (Kennedy) you have to worry about, but the pupils…(Dukakis slimers).
Dukakis seemed an excellent choice. Kirk, however, looked to me like someone who wanted to keep the money rolling in, and the egos salved.
Maybe in their hearts, some of those “insiders” did not share many of the viewpoints of the late Senator.
Why else would they so blatantly slam the well known views of Kennedy?
Unless maybe they just have some personal dislike of Dukakis.
And with so many spines turning to jello of late in Democratic D.C., they don’t want to risk anyone who might not be willing to bow down to the wishes of the minority and show their bipartisan bonafides.
Not sure that this is the way to read it. Being outspoken upon one’s arrival at the Senate does not win Senators and influence votes. Dukakis would have a major problem just learning the Senate rules (yes, I know that there would be experienced staffers to help). Kirk has been a staffer and knows how the Senate operates. And he knows how Ted Kennedy thought about legislation and legislative strategy.
Besides, I don’t think the decision swings totally on the healthcare bill.
Well also, it’s not like Patrick is going to win re-election.
God forbid we should allow anything to interfere with the Democrats’ drive to moderate their approach — the party would be left with no agenda at all.
that’s pretty much what my response to that was.
just what the senate needed…another invertebrate with ties to big pharma and the insurance industry.
feeding contractors at the expense of taxpayers.
More on the public construction management problem.
Well, I’d sure want to know who those so-called “Kennedy insiders” were, because that’s very unKennedyesque, in essence.
Plus, Kitty Dukakis was one of Deval’s earliest supporters. Now that’s gratitude!