Hey, Kennedys! 'Enough With the Entitlement'

But allies say he was passed over due to Kennedy pressure

(NEWSER) - For a while it looked as if Michael Dukakis would be headed to the Senate to fill Ted Kennedy's seat, but the former Massachusetts governor says he's fine with being passed over. "Hey, after you've run for the presidency of the United States..." the 1988 candidate told the Boston Globe before trailing off. He has nothing but praise for Paul Kirk, the former DNC chairman whom Gov. Deval Patrick selected: "If it had to be somebody else, believe me, this was the guy." More»

Family friend, former staffer was emcee at Teddy's memorial

(NEWSER) - Deval Patrick has chosen former Democratic Party national chairman Paul Kirk to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate, giving Barack Obama the 60th vote he needs to pass health care reform. The 71-year-old Kirk is a former Kennedy staffer, and was such close friends with the senator that he served as master of ceremonies at his memorial service. He’s also a former pharmaceutical company lobbyist, and a board member at Hartford Insurance Group. More»

(NEWSER) - Former DNC chairman Paul Kirk will get Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, sources tell Fox News. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to make the formal pick tomorrow, assuming the state legislature irons out the logistics today. Kennedy's sons called Patrick to push for Kirk, 71, a Boston attorney who served as an aide to their father and is a close family friend. He ran the Democratic National Committee in the 1980s, up until the presidential candidacy of the other front-runner for Kennedy's seat, Michael Dukakis. More»

(NEWSER) - Gov. Deval Patrick should be able to name a Democratic replacement for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat before the end of the week, the Boston Globe reports. Legislation giving hm the authority to do so cleared the state Senate today, a week after the House passed it. The measure still needs to be formally enacted tomorrow, but no further snags are expected. So who will Patrick pick? A Globe editorial today pushed for Michael Dukakis. More»

Joseph Kennedy II says he'd rather work for 'social justice' in private sector

(NEWSER) - Joe Kennedy II will not run for his late uncle’s US Senate seat, the Boston Herald reports. In a post on the website of his charity Citizens Energy, the former congressman says he prefers to pursue social justice through the private sector rather than electoral politics. The announcement means the so-called “Kennedy seat” is likely up for grabs, with Ted Kennedy’s widow, Vicki—who has not expressed interest—the only other possible successor within the family. More»