Posted on 05/10/2009 12:08:18 AM PDT by Cincinna
A FAMILY battle is looming to succeed Edward Kennedy as senator and claim the leadership of America’s foremost political dynasty.
While Kennedy, 77, the “liberal lion” of the Senate, is suffering from a brain tumour, jockeying has already begun between supporters of two possible candidates to replace him after his death.
His wife Victoria, 55, a lawyer from a political family, is widely expected to run for his seat, which has a special place in family lore because it was held by JohnF Kennedy before he became president in 1961.
However, former congressman Joe Kennedy, the eldest son of Robert F Kennedy, is said to regard himself as the “heir apparent”, according to a biography by Edward Klein serialised in Vanity Fair.
“He is nothing if not aggressive,” said a family friend. “Anybody who tries to get between him and Ted’s Senate chair is in for a fight.”
In Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died, Klein writes that Vicki, Kennedy’s second wife, has struggled to be accepted by the clan and is “seen by all as an interloper”.
Joe reportedly “vied with Vicki over who was in charge” of his uncle when Ted Kennedy was hospitalised. He appalled some nursing staff by ordering in a “feast of lobster, clams and shrimp”.
The senator had hoped that his niece Caroline Kennedy,a prominent supporter of Barack Obama, would be granted Hillary Clinton’s vacant Senate seat in New York, but the plan backfired.
As opposition to Caroline’s candidacy grew, her mood worsened. “Mom, you are above all this,” her elder daughter Rose, 19, allegedly said. Caroline withdrew that same day.
Joe Kennedy dismissed the reports of his ambition as “gossip”.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Mitt Romney is RINO
Ted has been brain dead for years.
Kennedy,Clinton,Cuomo,Bush,Brown, etc.etc.etc.
Term limits?
HOw about family limits?
Considering how blue Massachusetts is, I doubt they will elect a full blown conservative. Wouldn’t a RINO be preferable to a hardcore Democrat? It also removes him from the 2012 Republican presidential race. In 2008 he was the Republican front runner for a while. Romney could be distracting in 2012...
Leave the kids out of it; there’s plenty of other material to work with.
Those photos of the Kennedy kids aren’t papparazzi shots. Anything posted on Facebook is public domain by their own intent.
Agreed, they should be left out of the discussion unless & unril they become politically active.
(Caroline’s hatchet face has been handed on, BTW.)
“unril”
Unreal!
;^)
what about someone other than a Kennedy holding that office?
“enough with dynasties. This is America, not for families who think they’re entitled to power”
Since when?
US Constitution - NO
Mass. Constitution - Probably No
However, the ballots in Mass. have this problem. There have been so many elections with one or more Kennedy names that the printing press is frozen up. They can not seem to be able to print a ballot without a Kennedy in the Senate. And, like that famous brain-froze W.Palm Beach voter in the 2000 election, the average Massachusetts voter has muscle memory that makes them ALWAYS CHOOSE that Kennedy slot!
Oops, they did it again and thus another 6 years of Kennedy! Personally, I think he could be room temperature and they would vote for him. Given this LLLOOOONNNNGGGGG exit, I am expecting a State Funeral parade in DC, the same in Boston and then periodic announcements (PSAs) [a la Franco comedy routine], "This just in - Ted Kennedy is still dead!"
Mitt would vote for MittCare in a federal format. Just look at Mass and how he helped tax them to death. Anti 2nd Amendment
They behave as if it is theirs to give.
When will this country be rid of these corrupt, inebriated, intoxicated and arrogant maniacs?
End dynasties and stop nepotism!
Be sure to spay or neuter your politician!
Silly you, they are the Kennedy clan and are not subject to the laws like the rest of America let alone the the minor problem like the Constitution.
They don’t own it, but act like they do.
So we have hereditary seats in the House of Lords, er, Senate, now?
May I suggest they settle it with a duel?
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