The appointment of Ted Kaufman to replace Biden is a real turn off to me

[cali]

Kaufman was Biden's pick, sheerly to pave the way for his son Beau. Kaufman has no intention of running for the seat; he's merely a place holder. It's my understanding that a special election will be held in 2010. Kaufman is a loyal Biden foot soldier. And that's why he was appointed.

I just find it really icky. The Senate shouldn't have "hereditary" seats. Had someone been appointed who intended to run for the seat, that would have posed a threat to Beau, the heir apparent.

[Raven]

1. That's how Teddy Kennedy got his seat. The Mass governor

appointed a little kown man named Ben Smith to warm the seat for Teddy. Sometimes, as in that case, the results aren't too bad. :-)

[WI_DEM]

52. Yep, JFK's old college roommate, Ben Smith--they wanted JFK's senate seat to stay in the family

so this is nothing new.

[No Elephants]

55. Why not just appoint Ted in the first instance?

[Hippo_Tron]

61. Because he wasn't 30 yet

[Unsane]

2. It means an open race in '10.

[jefferson_dem]

3. So you would have been more happy if the Governor gave someone a head start by way of appointment?

I see it the other way.

This will create a genuinely level contest for an open seat in 2010.

[dkf]

5. Genuinely level contest?

You gotta be kidding.

[jefferson_dem]

8. What are you talking about?

Provided Kaufman does serve as the "place holder", the seat will be open in 2010. Candidates can compete based on their own merit, qualifications, and so forth. The other option would have been for the Governor to artificially ordain the heir apparent by appointing him/her. You may be more comfortable with that. I am not.

[dkf]

13. I just think this was planned for Biden and I don't like it.

Relying on family connections to get into office feels slimy.

[Labors of Hercules]

32. No matter how you slice it, your "concern" is a stretch.

Everyone relies on connections to get into office. Personally, I think looking to the up and coming members of demonstrably progressive families a great way to find good leaders who have the support necessary to make it work.

But don't let reality stand in the way of your offense. :eyes:

[Bake]

49. He still has to get the votes to be elected.

Why not try something really RADICAL, like, trust the voters?

Bake

[No Elephants]

57. What makes you think Beau is going to run? Or that people will vote for him just bc of his last

name? Bobby and Ted Kennedy ran, but they were well qualified, quite apart from being John's brothers.

[quakerboy]

60. Name one way in which

having an open race with No incumbent is a vehicle of slimy or hereditary?

[dkf]

63. Using your daddy's political machine doesn't show how

good you are. Witness George W. Bush.

I hate nepotism. Blech.

[dbmk]

36. As level as can be.

If the seat had opened up due to Joe Biden not running, what would have been the difference?

[cali]

9. I think it will simply give Beau Biden an unfair advantage

Yes, I would have preferred that someone from the House, for instance, be appointed. Beau Biden already has a huge advantage. He's the son of a man who's been in the Senate for over thirty years and he's now the son of the vp. DE is a very dem state and the Biden name is the most prized brand in the state.

Beau Biden is the one getting the head start.

[jefferson_dem]

14. Whether or not the Biden name gives Beau an unfair head start is an argument for 2010.

Surely, if he decides to run, he will face others in the primary who will make the "nepotism" argument (at least by inference). For now, I think it's totally appropriate for Joe's closest confidant to be appointed until there can be an honest election for the next Senator.

[cali]

18. It's not just the name. it's a heavy duty political machine.

And why on earth should Joe's closest political confidante be awarded the seat? It's not a wholly owned Biden property. Or at least it shouldn't be.

[dbmk]

34. But Biden was elected by the people of Delaware

Surely it can't be said to be unresonable that someone who Joe vouches for is picked?

[chimpymustgo]

64. Cali, agree with you. When the rethugs do it, we see the ick. Our side, not so much.

[dbmk]

33. Sure he has an advantage

But if you want to start handicapping, where would you start?

Shouldn't Arnold have started some voted behind in California?

I think the issues should be separated here.

[whistler162]

53. My non-Delwarian opinion is this.

If State Attorney General Beau Biden wants to run for the Senate seat that his father held. GREAT!

[murbley40]

39. Me too!!

[No Elephants]

59. Good point. Any appointee would have the usual incumbent advantage.

[dkf]

4. I agree 100%

I don't like it when the deck is stacked based on family connections. I find it kind of disgusting.

[Tanuki]

7. If the people of Delaware don't want Beau Biden in 2010, they'll vote for someone else.

I don't see the problem.

[dkf]

11. Its the political machines that I don't like.

And the behind the scenes maneuvering and back office deals. Blech.

[dbmk]

35. But how would you start rating peoples advantages then?

Unless you of course would argue that it should be entirely impossible for a family member to run for the same spot.
Which I would find a fair discussion.

[nomaco-10]

6. "Kaufman is a loyal foot soldier"...

Isn't that who should be appointed as his replacement? How do you know Kaufman has no intention of running in 2012? What if, gods forbid, something happens to Biden's son while he's serving his tour in Iraq? What if Kaufman decides he wants to keep the seat and is democratically elected in the primaries against Biden Jr.?

A lot of what ifs. It's not time to jump to all these conclusions just yet. I prefer to look on the brighter side. Sounds like we've got a good dem serving in the senate for at least two years and another good dem waiting to "perhaps" vie for the seat. It's a win win situation.

[Coexist]

10. they psychic friends network said so.

[cali]

12. No, Kaufman has said he has absolutely NO INTEREST in running

Doesn't take a psychic to parse that.

[Coexist]

16. you should put a link to that quote in your OP

it just sounds like idle speculation otherwise.

[H2O Man]

37. He has said so.

One can find this verfied in newspapers or by watching tv. It is not idle speculation.

[H2O Man]

38. PS: I disagree with the OP.

I think it is a good appointment.

[Thrill]

15. Its not "hereditary". Beau would have to run and be elected by the People of DE

No one is stopping someone from challenging him in a primary

Also it sounds like Joe Biden was worried about a Conservative Democrat replacing him.

[leftynyc]

17. There is going to be an election

Nobody is inheriting anything. Are you saying that Ted Kaufman is unqualified?

[cali]

21. No, I'm saying that an open seat in 2010 gives Beau Biden

an almost prohibitive advantage. He'll have the most powerful machine in DE behind him, as well as the family name and the advantage of being the son of the VP. It's not a level playing field. Not even close.

[JohnnyBoots]

25. Considering he didn't get the original appointment because he is currently in Iraq, I think he gets

pass. He also is the state AG. It's not like he wouldn't be qualified or well known if he wasn't a Biden.

[blueclown]

44. It's still an open seat.

Anything could happen. God forbid something happens to Beau. I would prefer this seat was taken by somebody who is going to serve for more than two years. If you are a Democratic incumbent in Delaware, and you don't make any big mistakes, you are likely to keep your seat.

[Occam Bandage]

46. The playing field is never perfectly level in politics.

Complaining that a potential candidate has name recognition and political support is kind of strange. One candidate is always going to have more name rec than the other, and one candidate is always going to have more of the party behind him/her than the other. I don't think it's the Governor's job to attempt to "correct" that for no reason beyond the act of correction itself.

No, I don't see why you would demand that a Governor unilaterally crown a Senator; that's hardly more democratic than a 2010 open-seat election. Besides, having the name and machine only take you so far; you have to actually be a good candidate. Hillary is not our President, as you may have noticed.

[davidpdx]

19. I think anytime you have an appointment like this

it has the potential for abuse. I can see it both ways though. Likely if Beau Biden hadn't been in overseas, the governor would have appointed him. Then people would have been screaming favoritism as well. I have no idea who this Kaufman guy is, so I'll have to take a pass at saying whether he should or shouldn't have been appointed. I do agree that when you have political offices that become almost synonymous with a family name it becomes ridiculous (whether it be a Democrat or Republican).

[riqster]

20. It doesn't take a current Dem office-holder out of their current seat

...one less problem for the party. If we had pulled someone from Congress or the state legislature, there would be one more seat to fill and that means greater risk.

[blueclown]

22. I am not a big fan of an open seat in a safe Democratic state like Delaware.

In fact, Biden and the Democrats are putting themselves at risk here. What if a well-funded Republican comes along and steals the seat in 2010?

I would have been much more comfortable if Biden had appointed somebody who was going to last more than 2 years.

[Jennicut]

42. Delaware is so blue I doubt that would happen.

[stray cat]

23. People still have to vote and anyone can run - no hereditary seats

[jefferson_dem]

24. Of course, you are correct.

Strange that those screaming insider advantage are the ones arguing that the Governor should unilaterally *appoint* the heir apparent to Biden's seat. Let the people vote in an open election. That's called...democracy.

[cali]

29. yeah, because having the most powerful political machine

in your corner doesn't tilt the playing field in your direction. Having a family brand doesn't mean anything either. Nor does it matter that your father is the VP.

Oh, please.

[Clio the Leo]

26. Yeah, we certainly dont want an experienced, intelligent veteran to have the seat...

... not after years of service by his father. That would just be terrible. As already pointed out, if he wants to run, Beau will have to run just like anyone else. If the people of DE dont want him, he wont win.

And I'm NOT gonna be superficial and say how hot he is as that has NOTHING to do with it! :)

[murbley40]

45. Beau......

is well aware of how some feel about him succeeding his father. I'm not even sure Beau wants to be a senator. I remember him saying in an interview that his wife was not keen on that idea. I personally hope he does and that he is elected. He will be an even better senator than his father.
Their dedication to Delaware is awesome as well as Joe's service to our country. These are the kind of individuals we need. The best public servants often come from families where there is a history of service.

[kevinds13]

27. Beau still has to win

a primary and a general election. Let someone beat him if they "don't want a hereditary seat."

[apnu]

28. No the Senate shouldn't have hereditary seats but it does.

From both sides of the aisle. This is how politics plays... with the ultimate goal of consolidation of power by any and all means. It is how the game has been played throughout human history.

Personally, I believe we should impose term limits on all levels of political office. This would ensure overturn of our government and keep it fresh and up to date with the times, while providing for more participation from the citizenry.

[dbmk]

30. I get why you would have problems with the heriditary seat issue

But in the end thats a problem and decision for the voters to decide, I'd say.

Appointing someone who was going to run, could just as easily be viewed as giving that person an advantage. I can't see why Beau Biden should be handicapped, because he would appear to have advantages of a family nature.

Then you would have to start handicapping for all kinds of other reasons.

In the end its up to the voters. And this way any contenders will at least be as level as if there had been no appointment beforehand.

[Ozma]

31. I can't imagine why this is a problem. The people of Delaware

will be well served. The state has a perfectly acceptable lawful way of replacing Biden in the Senate. The people of Delaware will be given the chance to vote in 2010, and that's all there is to it.

[AlCzervik]

40. exactly.

[Jennicut]

41. I have no problem with this at all.

Kaufman is a good guy, will do a good job, he will vote similar to what Biden would have as Biden was elected to that seat. This leaves the race open in 2010 to whoever wants to run. If Beau wants to run, he still has to run and sometimes your name is a detriment, not a positive as people feel you won't have earned it. Beau won a tightly faught race to be AG because the people of Delaware wanted him. I think placing someone is the office who will not run in 2010 is more fair in a way because then people get to choose who they really want.

[murbley40]

50. I agree!

[Occam Bandage]

43. ...wait. So you're saying you'd rather have

the Governor appoint a sure-to-serve-for-decades Senator without the input of the people, rather than appoint a placeholder that will allow an actual open-seat election in two years?

Huh.

Well, I'm sure you have your reasons...

[cali]

47. no, I'm saying I find "family seats" in the Congress, a disturbing idea

Who says that any given appointee would be there for decades? Beau Biden has a huge advantage when he runs: The most powerful political machine in DE, the family brand, and a father who's the vp. those are prodigious advantages whether he's running against someone who's been in the seat for two years, let alone running for an open seat.

[Jennicut]

48. Well, people might not like Obama in 2010, God Forbid

We shall see what happens. Also, having a family name can be both positive or negative, more name recognition for sure but also unfair comparisons to the family member who came before you and a dislike of being from a powerful family.

[Occam Bandage]

51. I agree, but that problem is a weakness of the electorate,

and I don't believe that it's the Governor's duty to attempt to correct for the possibility that voters will make decisions for the wrong reasons. Sure, maybe the appointee would be beaten by Beau Biden. And maybe his incumbency would be such an advantage that he wouldn't be.

Either we're getting a long-serving Senator chosen by the Delaware electorate, or a long-serving Senator chosen by the Governor. With no knowledge of how either would fare in the job, I think it's better to let the electorate decide in an open race. If they decide that the family name is more important than anything else, then great. Democracy in action. If they don't, then great. Democracy in action.

Demanding the Governor appoint a serious Senator to prevent Beau Biden from taking office seems like attempting to subvert the democratic process with one arbitrary electoral advantage to prevent another candidate from possibly later winning with another arbitrary electoral advantage. It's not the kind of case I can get behind.

[amborin]

54. so many have inherited seats...like widows and widowers, e.g.

[whistler162]

56. Okay... who would you pick?

Admittedly the Governor appears to have the qualifications to be Senator!

or maybe they can get the State Attorney General to run in 2010!:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

58. Do you have a problem with Bobby and Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton?

[liberalpragmatist]

62. Perhaps, but Beau still has to be voted in

The other main contender was Lt. Gov. Joe Carney. Had he been picked, he probably would not have been a placeholder.

Yet that itself poses some interesting questions:

1) Would Carney getting the seat through political appointment REALLY be any more democratic than Beau Biden winning a special election for the seat?

2) Appointing Carney would also have given him an inside advantage in the 2010 Democratic Primary -- would that have been any more democratic than letting Carney and Biden as non-incumbents compete for the seat in a contested primary? Yes, I realize that nominating Kaufman probably gives Beau Biden an advantage in the upcoming primary. But appointing Carney would have given Carney an advantage in the primary.

Ultimately, if the people of Delaware feel it's too nepotistic, they can vote against Beau Biden.

I realize it's a tough call, but either option would have biased one candidate or another.