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Patrick Kennedy may run for father's senate seat in 2012

PATRICK ROBERTS,

Published Saturday, February 13, 2010, 7:43 AM

Updated Saturday, February 13, 2010, 3:26 PM

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Patrick Kennedy

Ted Kennedy Jr., Patrick Kennedy's brother, and other family members say that Patrick is not ruling out another run for office – possibly even for his father's seat in 2012.

Kennedy Jr. made clear that the door is still open. Patrick Kennedy's mother lives in Boston and he has maintained a place at the family compound at Hyannis Port.

“I know he’s said he’s not ruling out a run for office again at some point in the future,” Ted Jr. told the Boston Herald. “I think my father’s death had a profound impact on him. It made him re-evaluate his life in many ways. Politics isn’t easy."

“I think it’s the right thing for Patrick. It’s something he’s been thinking about for a long time. He’s been in politics for 20 years.”

The Kennedy family is furious that their father's seat was won by a Republican, Scott Brown, which also ended Teddy Kennedy's dream of passing health care reform. Family members are said to be assessing who will run for the seat in 2012.

Meanwhile friends of Kennedy say the decision to step out now, at least for a time, is understandable. “I think there’s a big void in his life. He was very, very close to his father, and now that he’s gone, he’s reassessing what he wants to do,” Jim Brett, a local politician told The Herald.

“He spent most of the time talking about how he valued the opportunity to sit with his father on the porch and what a gift that was. It’s taken a lot out of him. They were teammates down there (in Washington).”

“The joy may not be there to legislate as it once was,” Brett added. “He has a distinguished career. He’s leaving on top.”

One congressional staffer said the death of Ted Kennedy had deeply affected Patrick. “He’s a tortured guy,” the staffer said. “His old man’s death compounded all his problems.”

Meanwhile Patrick Kennedy described his surprise announcement as “a load off my shoulders.”

“I’ll have a private life and a personal life that heretofore I really haven’t experienced. I am looking forward to it,” he told the Associated Press yesterday.

Nster.com

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Christisall | Feb 15, 2010, 10:29 AM EST

The kennedys think they are royalty and it all goes back to their grandgather who made his money illegally off the backs of others. What crap they are!

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Christisall | Feb 15, 2010, 10:27 AM EST

God help Massachusetts! The Kennedys are such crap--they are abominable human beings.

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Haole3000 | Feb 14, 2010, 05:34 AM EST

His father hasn't had a drink for months now. Maybe PAtrick can sober up too.

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Spiritranger | Feb 13, 2010, 08:48 PM EST

This Kennedy is not well, 42 and a bachelor, eh? Quitting politics to become a father, eh? "I meant, run for my father's senate seat." Huh, who owns that seat? Divine right of Kennedy's, eh? So this mentally ill man-child elitist is the best we can do for ole RI and MA, eh? Sick demoncratic political culture. Don't quote JFK or Bobby to lecture this Irish Republican lad, I was raised on that blarney and saw the light when I discovered opportunism and socialism make strange bedfellows. Yet that was the rotten stew mixed by Mr. McGovern when he changed the Democratic party in 1971. Didn't do him much good in '72 and it has resulted in the worse administration since Carter in the form of messiah man-child Obama. Ted K was a sad lion, more lion of Oz then lion of the Senate. God save us all from the Kennedy curse and have mercy on poor Paddy boy's tormented soul.

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SeamusRua | Feb 13, 2010, 07:11 PM EST

"This Mac is a Lady" Mac is Irish for son. Make of it what you will. I prefer to agree with the O Casey.

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JosephOCasey | Feb 13, 2010, 04:49 PM EST

Apologies for the incorrect salutation. Difficult to tell from your handle. Poor assumption on my part. Actually, the personalization weakens nothing, and it ensures reaction when the target is hit, ergo your response. It does apparently give you license to lecture in an attempt to claim some sort of moral superiority. It failed, though. When someone blindly defends all things Kennedy, based upon their "Irishness" the weakness of their position is exposed. JFK's line is a great one..to be sure. He is the last Kennedy to govern with any conservative principle.(lowering taxes to spur the economy) Unfortunately the rest of his clan believes, and their legislative activities indicate, that it is the country (Big Government) that should do the acting. I see it more as ruling rather than serving. I have no intention of being their subject. It is supposed to be government for and by the people, not doing things TO the people (excessive taxation and limiting freedoms). I don't subscribe to the simplistic idea that since they, too, are Irish, that they should be worshiped.

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McNamara31 | Feb 13, 2010, 02:20 PM EST

JosephOCasey...This Mac is a Lady, and not a Sir. When all is said and done, I'd rather be remembered by "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."Than," HOW'S THAT HOPEY CHANGEY THING GOING FOR YA" of today's divisive politicians that are empty vessels compared to most of the Kennedys including Robert Jr. And,BTW about the kissing remark; when you make it personal, you weaken any position you were attempting to make.

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JosephOCasey | Feb 13, 2010, 11:50 AM EST

I am not talking about the deceased Kennedy's Mr. McNamara, hence the use of the word "is", I am talking about the current generation. Robert Kennedy Jr is a hypocrite as evidenced by his wanting us paupers to conserve energy while he flies around in a private jet. He's for windmill technology, but not where it interferes with his view from Martha's Vineyard. The Kennedy's are not the only family that has lost members serving this country. They are no more entitled than anyone else. That is why this country was formed. All men are created equal. No Kings, No Royalty. The Kennedy's think they are more "equal" than the rest of us. Which Kennedy ass are you hoping to kiss today? Looks like Patrick is in the lead. Save the crap about Bobby Kennedy and race relations. He was the one who ordered government surveillance on ML King. You must be joking.

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MalcomAC | Feb 13, 2010, 11:18 AM EST

He hasn't got a particularly compelling record from his time as a congresscritter from RI.

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McNamara31 | Feb 13, 2010, 10:52 AM EST

JosephOCasey "Spoiled and entitled faux royalty is what the Kennedy Clan is in America" Oh really? Joseph Jr., who died flying an ammunitions plane over the English Channel during the War. John Kennedy, 1st Irish Catholic president, assassinated, and Robert Kennedy, who did so much for the poor and race relations then too, assassinated. And Robert Kennedy Jr. who donates vast amounts of his time in public service. Your statement is a disgrace to “our” Irish history. Every family has saints and sinners. To paint this family with such a black brush is blind and biased.

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Spiritranger | Feb 13, 2010, 10:44 AM EST

Ah, but yesterday he was "done with politics and wanted to start a family." What a slippery lout this one is. You die-hard Kennedy Family/knee-jerk Democratic voters need to see this creep for what he is, a double-talking opportunist who tweaks sentimental Irish souls so he can maintain his elitist position. God save this devil and those who sheep who blindly follow him. God bless the people's seat.

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JosephOCasey | Feb 13, 2010, 09:19 AM EST

As corkcity has so emphatically stated, the senate seat is the public's seat, not the Kennedy or Brown seat. Of course that was AFTER I called it the Brown seat. Until then it was fine to call it the KENNEDY seat. Apparently, it is still OK to call it he Kennedy seat especially for a Kennedy to do so, even thought it is occupied by someone of the opposite party duly elected by the citizenry. Spoiled and entitled faux royalty is what the Kennedy clan in the US is.

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CitizenWhy | Feb 13, 2010, 08:37 AM EST

It would make sense for Patrick to get married in Massachusetts, get his personal life in order, and prepare the public for a Senate run. The rumors in RI are that Patrick is gay, and gay marriage is OK in Massachusetts. On the whole the voters there will not have a problem, and the Catholic bishop will be wise enough not to make a big deal out of it. He would also want to replace Scott Brown, who may even be the Republican VP nominee in 2012.

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