KIIIIIIIIIIIIRK!!!!!

(sorry, I just *had* to use that for the title...)

Signs point to Kirk for interim senator

Governor Deval Patrick huddled with a small group of trusted advisers last night to finalize his choice for an interim US senator, with indications pointing to former Democratic National Committee chairman Paul G. Kirk Jr., who has the strong backing of the immediate family of the late Edward M. Kennedy, as the overwhelming favorite.

A person with knowledge of the process said last night that former governor Michael S. Dukakis, considered a leading candidate for the appointment, was unlikely to be chosen. At the same time, senior Democrats in Washington told The New York Times that they were certain Kirk would be the choice.

A lifelong Demo hack with ironclad ties to the Kennedy family was chosen for DeadTed's seat? Color me shocked! In a way, I'm a little disappointed that Dukakis wasn't chosen - it would have made for excellent blog fodder for the next few months watching that little mutant flounder in the Senate almost as badly as Al Franken...

This really grinds my gears, though:

Kennedy’s widow, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, has weighed in, telling the governor that she prefers Kirk, according to a Kennedy family associate. Her views add further pressure to fill the interim appointment with the longtime Kennedy friend and former staff member, a man so close to the family he was chosen as master of ceremonies at Kennedy’s memorial service the night before the funeral last month.

The Globe reported yesterday that Kennedy’s two sons, US Representative Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island and Edward M. Kennedy Jr., have also told Patrick that Kirk is their first choice.

Excuse the hell out of me, but why, exactly, do they get input on who my next Senator is going to be? Why did the Glob feel the need to highlight this information? They didn't ask any MA voters (who, to be fair, would most likely have responded, "we have *two* Senators?") their input - ostensibly because they would have to acknowledge the see-saw mentality of the MA Democratic party. First the people *had* to be part of the process - if there was a danger that the (R) Governor might appoint a (HORRORS!) Republican senator. Then the people don't have to be a part of the process - if the Governor has that all-important (D) next to his name.

So for a whopping three and a half months we'll have a new Senator. Theoretically, this new Senator will be replaced in January by the winner of the special election held to fill the remainder of Kennedy's term (D, although I'd sure as hell like to see Scott Brown pull it off). Whoever (D) wins the election in January will then be Senator until expires in 2012, at which point the position reverts to the standard six year senatorial term. It is conceivable that the state of MA will have as many as four different Senators representing her in the span of three years...

Gonna be a lot of Senatorial Golden Parachutes handed down from the state of MA...

That is all.

UPDATE: Yep. It's Kirk. Way to be progressive, MA. A lifelong Demo hack and Kennedy acolyte for Teddy's legacy seat...