The really odd thing about all the breathless coverage of the interim Senate pick is who’s talking, and who isn’t. The NY Times is quoting “Senior Democrats in Washington,” who say that they’re “certain” it’s Kirk. The Globe just quotes the Times, and also has “a person with knowledge of the process” (whatever that means) saying it’s “unlikely” to be Dukakis.
Where are the “Patrick administration sources” in all this? If these DC Dems aren’t just talking out of their asses (a possibility that cannot be discounted, IMHO), they must have gotten some word from inside the Patrick administration. But then why wouldn’t the Patrick folks talk on background to the press, since they must have known that the DC folks would leak word as soon as they got it?
It’s all very mysterious. Makes me wonder whether Deval hasn’t got a September surprise up his sleeve. Charles Ogletree, maybe? Who knows. We’ll see in an hour and a half.
His argument was that if it wasn’t Kirk, we’d be hearing more noises from the Patrick Administration that the decision wasn’t yet made or something.
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p>Can I just say that the way the Kennedy backers have handled this appointment and the one in New York has really put a bad taste in my mouth? The leaks, the anonymous trashing of the other contenders, etc etc. I don’t like it.
Not sure it’s any more plausible than my theory. If Dan is right, then it just looks like the Patrick folks are being played by the DC crowd. Deval’s been put in a tough spot on this.
So says the “breaking news” bulletin on their homepage.
the truth is that Gov. Patrick will announce Paul Kirk as the interim senator and we just don’t want that to be true. Not that we have anything against him, but I believe many of us had our hearts set on the Duke.
Never thought I’d feel bad for Deval, but I kinda do now.
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p>Lege passed the bill, but not the preamble – shoving that responsibility down HIS throat. Polls show either a scant majority or even a minority even favor the interim in the first place – MA voters smell a rat. NOW – it’s DEVAL’S fault, not THEIRS…sigh
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p>So on to choices. Duke? I’m with Mihos on the overall cosmetic ramifications, but Kirk is even worse in some ways. A pharmaceutical lobbyist, insurance director, never ran for office – just the guy I’m sure Deval wants shoved down his throat.
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p>Kirk is a classic Kennedy Coat Holder. When you have a pair of Governors of the Commonwealth appointing Senators – Bill Smith to hold the place, and Kirk to warm it for Caroline – at the behest of a single family, the effect of those bookends doesn’t shout ‘good government’.
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p>BUT – at the end of the day, he didn’t have to do those things. He could have said to the Lege – Know what? If YOU don’t want to declare an emergency, then I won’t either, and the seat stays empty until Christmas. If he called their bluff (aka reelection cover), that vote might have been different. He didn’t have to knuckle under to the Kennedys and appoint Kirk – I mean really, what are the Kennedys going to do to him? Or FOR him, at the end of the day?
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p>But Deval chosse to open his throat wider.
A)
-That speaks for itself
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p>B) Clearly you meant to refer to BEN Smith who was Senator before Kennedy. And last time I checked, Caroline isn’t even running in the special election.
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p>C) You’re confused if you think this will even be a blip on the governor’s reelection radar.
This is not going to help the Governor in his re-election effort because Kirk has no constituency in Massachusetts. And just wait for the reaction if he casts a controversial vote. Duke wasn’t the only choice: there were third ways. The best the Gov. can hope for from this choice is that the interim Senator vanishes for the next few months.