Senator Robert Kennedy of MA?

[RFKJrNews]

SENATOR *ROBERT* KENNEDY OF MASSACHUSETTS?

All this speculation of late as to who will be The Chosen One to fill Senator Ted Kennedy’s cavernous shoes in the United States Senate strikes me as morbidly premature. However, our readers might be interested to know that RFK Jr.’s name has come up several times in recent discussions amongst Massachusetts political insiders as one potentially very worthy successor.

Again, I stress that this is little more than speculation on the part of various politicos and pundits (and we’ve all seen how that often turns out in reality). So take it with however many grains of salt you wish.

It seems callous and irresponsible of the media to obsess on this while Senator Kennedy is fighting brain cancer, even if the idea of the next Democratic Senator from the great State of Massachusetts being a Kennedy might even please the Senator himself. It’s just too soon to even go there right now, isn’t it?

Obviously the question is floating in the air, though: would Bobby Kennedy Jr. have an interest in carrying on his uncle Ted’s work in the Senate?

Most likely yes, since he’s expressed interest in running for his father’s former Senate seat in New York before (although it appears Hillary Clinton will be occupying it for a while longer yet). Could RFK Jr. do great things for the people of Massachusetts? Well, of course, we already know the answer to that.

Only one problem with this whole political dream scenario: Bobby doesn’t live in Massachusetts. He’s been a resident of New York State for more than 25 years, and may not be able to uproot so easily for family reasons. But it’s interesting to ponder…and of course, the media just can’t resist an opportunity to speculate about who will take Teddy’s place someday.

Here’s one recent report from the Politicker which certainly makes quite a few large leaps, but we’ll post it for your consideration, anyway.

RFK JR. EYEING TED’S SENATE SEAT?
By Wally Edge

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., stood in for his uncle Ted earlier this month when he introduced Sen. John Kerry’s speech at the state Democratic Party Convention, but is he looking to fill in for him on a more permanent basis?

Sure, Ted is taking up some of his Senate duties while he recovers from treatment for a serious brain tumor, but that’s not going to stop the race to succeed him.

While several family member’s names have been arbitrarily tossed around, only one has recently expressed interest in joining the world’s most exclusive club: the namesake of the late Senator from New York.

It was well over a year ago when Robert Kennedy, Jr.’s name started appearing on lists of those who would seek Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s sure-to-be vacant New York Senate seat. And he confirmed his interest in the February 2007 issue of O Magazine, telling Oprah Winfrey, “If Hillary left the Senate, I might run for that seat.” He said he had a desire to seek the Senate or New York governor’s mansion, “but my friends are in those offices, and I’m not going to run against them.”

We’ll wait and see if he moves his voter registration to Hyannis Port.



Story link:
http://rfkin2008.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/senator-robert-kennedy-of-massachusetts/

[dkf]

1. I thought Teddy wanted his wife to succeed him.

[RFKJrNews]

3. Yeah, that's the word I've heard, too.

n/t

[rox63]

2. RFK Jr is a legal resident of NY

He would need to move to MA a while ago to run for Teddy's Senate seat.

[AmyCamus]

4. If Mrs Ted K steps in, she keeps his seniority and seats.

If NY's RFK Jr runs and wins, he's at the bottom of the pile.

[dkf]

5. I didn't realize that...how does that work?

Is that a Senate courtesy?

[RFKJrNews]

6. Should the worst happen, I think Vicki could finish out his term

but keeping the seniority, etc...I'm not sure exactly how that works.

Anybody know the answer?