Althouse: "Nightfall on the Kennedy era in Washington looks like this..."

December 16, 2010

"Nightfall on the Kennedy era in Washington looks like this..."

"...Representative Patrick J. Kennedy’s office space surrendered to a Republican, his family memorabilia in boxes, and Mr. Kennedy yearning for a role away from the public eye."

40 comments:

MadisonMan said...: Oh brother.; 12/16/10, 2:14 PM
kent said...: Awwwwwwwwww.

*sniff*; 12/16/10, 2:15 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Boo freaking hoo.

When his eighth term ends early next month, no member of his family will hold national office for the first time since 1947

And about effing time too.; 12/16/10, 2:20 PM
Stoutcat said...: "Mr. Kennedy yearning for a role away from the public eye."

Yeah, right. He's only leaving because he's been fired. Otherwise he'd have stayed as long as Uncle Teddy did.; 12/16/10, 2:21 PM
TWM said...: "When his eighth term ends early next month, no member of his family will hold national office for the first time since 1947."

And oh how the nation will be better for it . . .; 12/16/10, 2:22 PM
damikesc said...: They are like the Bushes...if the Bushes were drunken louts with no competency.; 12/16/10, 2:22 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/16/10, 2:23 PM
Anonymous said...: And what, pray tell, is citizen Kennedy, qualified to do, other than collect a check from the estate or government? What marketable skills do you think he has?; 12/16/10, 2:28 PM
Chef Mojo said...: Hey, Pat! Don't let the door hit ya ass on the way out!; 12/16/10, 2:28 PM
Roger J. said...: Only the NYT could publish shit like this-now which Kennedy was this? Oh yeah--the drunken drug abusing asshole--oops--that describes all the sorry lot except possibly for RFK Good fucking riddance.; 12/16/10, 2:29 PM
traditionalguy said...: Camelot is kaput. Turn out the lights and go home; 12/16/10, 2:30 PM
FloridaSteve said...: Good fucking riddance.; 12/16/10, 2:31 PM
SteveR said...: I'm not old enough to guarantee myself the peace of mind that I won't be around for some third or fourth generation Kennedy making a go of it.

Thankfully the changing of last names via marriage has diluted the number of reflexive votes somewhat.

I knew there was some event more insignificant that Larry King's retirement going on today.; 12/16/10, 2:33 PM
Cedarford said...: All American political dynasties end. The Kennedys, thanks to the adulatory media, outlived their welcome and relevancy by about 30 years.; 12/16/10, 2:37 PM
kent said...: Camelot is kaput. Turn out the lights and go home

Preferably via a bridge, over a large, deep body of water.; 12/16/10, 2:41 PM
Scott M said...: Ever drink a Chappaquiddick Slammer?

1 shot of vodka
1 shot of whiskey
2 shots of murkey water; 12/16/10, 2:42 PM
MadisonMan said...: To clarify: I think the article is ridiculous.

But I am grateful that there are people who want to serve the country as a Legislator. So thanks Patches. You seemed vaguely honest as far as RI politicians go. But I wouldn't take your job for all the Tea in China.; 12/16/10, 2:42 PM
Hagar said...: Jack Kennedy ran on a platform of restoring the nation's defenses, which he claimed had been badly neglected by General Eisenhower, and tax cuts to stimulate the economy.
His general attitudes were somewhat to the right of Nelson Rockefeller's, and in no way did he favor the causes so fervently championed by those who have written his history.; 12/16/10, 2:54 PM
Larry J said...: LarsPorsena said...
And what, pray tell, is citizen Kennedy, qualified to do, other than collect a check from the estate or government? What marketable skills do you think he has?

Skills? He don't need no stinking skills! He's a Kennedy, which means that his shit doesn't stink and he can light up a room solely with the aura of his Kennedy awesomeness!

Just wait, he'll have a cushy job pulling in 7 figures within a month. He doesn't have to actually do anything, he just has to be a Kennedy!; 12/16/10, 3:02 PM
ricpic said...: Teddy's Borking of America speech: that's their mendacious legacy.; 12/16/10, 3:10 PM
ricpic said...: They are like the Bushes...if the Bushes were drunken louts with no competency.

I don't think we'll ever know what the Bushes are. Although Barbara Bush's advice to Sarah that she should go back to Alaska is a pretty good clue.; 12/16/10, 3:15 PM
Scott M said...: The Kennedy Era ended when Ted flip flopped completely on his own successful quest to change the MA rules for replacing congressional slots. When there was a Republican in the governor's office, he said it should be up to the people. When it was his seat and a Dem was governor, he said it should be up to the governor.

I have only been more throwing-shit-at-the-tv angry one other time.; 12/16/10, 3:15 PM
Richard Dolan said...: This is national politics viewed through the lens of a melodramatic sit-com. This Kennedy, at least, seems to be enjoying the fade into a semi-normal life.

But this is not a story that ought to bring out everyone's partisan attack-dog side. He's done; while he was there, he didn't do much; and he's not likely to be much in the public eye from here on out. So wish him well. It's in keeping with the Season.; 12/16/10, 3:16 PM
Greg Hlatky said...: We yearn for a role for Mr. Kennedy away from the public eye. Far, far away.; 12/16/10, 3:24 PM
Scrutineer said...: ...I am grateful that there are people who want to serve the country as a Legislator.

Have you taken a close look at the kind of people who try to spend their entire adult lives in public office?; 12/16/10, 3:45 PM
jungatheart said...: I think the biggest throw under the bus was when Caroline wasn't appointed NY senator. I think there was a quid pro quo arrangement with Uncle Ted that the Kennedy's endorse Obama and she get the seat. 'Course, Hilldog may have had a hand in it, too (blocking Caroline).; 12/16/10, 3:46 PM
chuckR said...: As a RI 1st Cong District resident, I was mis- and under-represented by Patrick Kennedy. He was expert at cultivating the blue hair vote who felt they owed him his seat due to his martyred uncles. His replacement, David Cicilline, is a devious little crapweasel who will make us miss Patches and his drunken and drugged up escapades. Patches at least was relatively harmless - unable on his own to come up with any innovative proposals and bills to damage the country.; 12/16/10, 3:46 PM
Unknown said...: Should have happened 45 years ago. Teddy did a lot of damage to this country.

The younger generations, from what I read, didn't buy all the stuff about how it was noblesse oblige to go into politics. They saw the toll public life took on the family, so he probably isn't all that sad.; 12/16/10, 4:08 PM
Big Mike said...: Or, as Cromwell put it:

You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!; 12/16/10, 4:10 PM
Fen said...: It was all Myth. Back then, the media covered for the Kennedy clan the same way they do for Obama today.

Just imagine if the Chappaquiddick murder had happened in the day of blogs. He would have been hung from the nearest tree.; 12/16/10, 6:18 PM
David said...: “This is a family that once had the presidency and two Senate seats, and they’re now down to the mayor of Santa Monica,” said Darrell M. West, a Brookings Institution scholar. “It’s a pretty dramatic fall, and it’s symbolic of the decline of liberalism.”

Bullshit.

It's about the fact that political power is not hereditary in our country, and that there are no young Kennedys of political ability.; 12/16/10, 6:24 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Is he the Kenndy son who lost a leg to cancer as a kid?; 12/16/10, 6:35 PM
Lucien said...: At last, the path is clear, the road is open for Maria Shriver!!

Her spouse is out of office, the rest of the clan, gone, the hope still lives, the dream shall never die!; 12/16/10, 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: JFK was killed by a Communist, and RFK by an anti-Zionist.

Therefore, the logical response, to make sure the murderers do not win, is to vote for religious capitalists (as opposed to atheist socialists) who support Israel (as opposed to anti-Zionists).

Which is to say, to truly honor the martyred Kennedys, one should support Sarah Palin.; 12/16/10, 7:15 PM
Craig Howard said...: Nightfall on the Kennedy era

Oh, if only.; 12/16/10, 7:44 PM
Saint Croix said...: "It's symbolic of the decline of liberalism."

Yeah, even more so since Jack and Bobby weren't liberals. It's Ted Kennedy who took the family name and really trashed it.; 12/16/10, 7:56 PM
Anonymous said...: Finally! It couldn't happen to a nicer family!; 12/17/10, 12:38 AM
Anonymous said...: Oh. One last thing. Now leave us the hell alone!; 12/17/10, 12:38 AM
dick said...: Good. Now to break out the disinfectant. This article could not be a bigger piece of fluff if it tried.; 12/17/10, 12:58 AM
CatherineM said...: AJ Lynch - no, the Kennedy kid who lost his leg to cancer was teddy jr.

Patrick was always the most pathetic, I think.

His eulogy at his father's funeral was all about Patrick.; 12/17/10, 3:42 PM