As readers of this blog already know, I am cursed with two of the looniest Congressmen in existence, Patrick Kennedy in my home state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and Maurice Hinchey in Ithaca, NY, where I live during the academic year.
In the wake of the victory by Scott Brown, I wondered what my next project(s) would be at this blog, What Should I Do After The Election? Now I know:
Patrick Kennedy must go.
So must Hinchey, and others, but that is for other posts.
Patrick referred to Scott Brown’s swearing-in as a “joke,” which has sparked the inevitable “the joke is on Patrick” comments in light of a recent poll showing Patrick with high negatives and in a vulnerable position.
Most people, however, do not go much beyond Patrick’s caricature in understanding his long history of arrogance, abuse of his family’s power, and generally nasty demeanor towards opponents. Wikipedia actually has a pretty good catalog of Patrick’s problems, some of which were related to his habitual addiction problems (I’ll give him sympathy for that) but mostly related to his habitual arrogance and abuse of power problems (for which he gets no sympathy).
Patrick has come to symbolize the arrogance of power in which one can verbally abuse airport screeners, trash a boat, get into an argument with a female companion such that the police were called, and almost kill a Capitol policeman while driving under the influence, yet get away with no punishment either in the judicial system or at the polls.
Patrick has slipped past any form of electoral judgment because he has been good at bringing home federal dollars to his district, playing on the Kennedy name and legacy, raising money for his campaigns, and ignoring or demeaning his campaign rivals.
The demeaning comment directed by Patrick towards Scott Brown is reflective of Patrick’s core instincts.
The days when Patrick can get away with his games and attitude are gone.
Patrick Kennedy is my new Martha Coakley, with the difference that Martha Coakley had some accomplishments in her life prior to running for the Senate, and generally was a nice person (although some of her campaign tactics were not so nice). Patrick Kennedy, by contrast, has accomplished almost nothing in his life, is an embarrassment, and is not a nice person.
I hope that the likely Republican nominee, John Loughlin, is up to the task. Removing Patrick from power will be a monumental task despite the current polling, and one should not underestimate Patrick’s ability to raise campaign funds and to attack. I’m taking on this project not because there is a huge likelihood of success, but because success would be a huge victory for this country.
We cannot let the First Congressional District in Rhode Island turn into “the Kennedy seat.” Not with this Kennedy.
Patrick Kennedy must go, and I’ll do whatever is within the power of the pixels which inhabit this blog to make it so.
Update 2-12-2010: And so it comes to pass, Possible Reason Why Patrick Kennedy Not Seeking Reelection
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Now You Can Feel Sorry For Me
Sheldon Whitehouse Becomes Alan Grayson
Is Rhode Island’s Name Racist?
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