This.

Don't appoint the gimmick.

Glenn Greenwald spoke about this unsettling dynasitc trend in one of his recent articles.

Link (new window)

Bill Clinton yesterday was forced to deny speculation that he would be appointed to replace his wife in the U.S. Senate. Leading candidates for that seat still include John F. Kennedy's daughter (Caroline), Robert Kennedy's son (RFK, Jr.), and Mario Cuomo's son (Andrew). In Illinois, a leading contender to replace Barack Obama in the Senate is Jesse Jackson's son (Jesse, Jr.). In Delaware, it was widely speculated that Joe Biden would be replaced by his son, Beau, and after Beau took his name out of the running because he's now serving in Iraq, the naming of the actual replacement -- lone-time (Joe) Biden aide Ted Kaufmann -- "upset local Democrats who believe the move was a ham-handed attempt to engineer the election of Biden's son, Beau, to the Senate in 2010."

Meanwhile, in Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, who was appointed by her father to take his seat in the U.S. Senate when he became Governor, yesterday warned Sarah Palin not to challenge her in a 2010 primary, a by-product of tension between those two as a result of Palin's defeat of Lisa's dad for Governor. In Florida, Mel Martinez's announcement that he won't seek re-election in 2010 immediately led to reports that the current President's brother, Jeb, might run for that seat. And all of that's just from the last couple of weeks.

The Senate alone -- to say nothing of the House -- is literally filled with people whose fathers or other close relatives previously held their seat or similar high office (those links identify at least 15 current U.S. Senators -- 15 -- with immediate family members who previously occupied high elected office). And, of course, the current President on his way out was the son of a former President and grandson of a former U.S. Senator.

State level nepotism instead of national level. Wow, that's a step in the right direction.

This is systemic to the Senate. The body is effectively designed to protect incumbents unless they do something stupid. As a result, the parties pick candidates who are safe, which means that family legacies are easy to support.

Can we just change the name to "The House of Lords" and be done with it?

Cubicle Jockey: (those links identify at least 15 current U.S. Senators -- 15 -- with immediate family members who previously occupied high elected office).

Only 15 out of 100 Senators? Beats the hell out of the Lords.

dervish16108
State level nepotism instead of national level. Wow, that's a step in the right direction.

Of all the farking people in that state, the best they can find is another Kennedy or Cuomo.

But I guess last time they had to go outside the state to fill that role...so maybe it's actually true.

Dumbasses.

3 words: Senator Lizzie Grubman.

Reporter: Caroline, what did you think of yesterday's miracle landing.

Caroline: Yes, well, um, you know, the plane landed and, um, as you know, everyone got off safely.

How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

MFL: dervish16108
State level nepotism instead of national level. Wow, that's a step in the right direction.

Of all the farking people in that state, the best they can find is another Kennedy or Cuomo.

But I guess last time they had to go outside the state to fill that role...so maybe it's actually true.

Dumbasses.

There is a long list, actually.

Cuomo doesn't excite me, but at least the guy has found real success in NY politics.

Kennedy is...Kennedy.

the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Fark this farking farkhead in his farking ass.

He was the douche-nozzle who got Time Warner and others to pull their newsgroup service because OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN.


He basically told the ISPs either (a) guarantee all content on the newsgroup servers is 100% legal (ie, kiddie p0rn), or face direct prosecution. He basically left the ISPs with no choice.

Other than attending a lot of funerals, what has Caroline Kennedy done to qualify herself for a Senate appointment?

Seriously though, you motherfarkers need to get out of the way when people are walking.

I moved from NY to MD 6 months ago and I swear to god if this keeps up I'm gonna have to choke a biatch.

Why the hell do people have to mosey around. DON'T YOU HAVE ANY PLACE TO BE? DON'T YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO?

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!

f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

It means he thinks even Joe the Hobo would be qualified to be the NY Senator.

MFL: Of all the farking people in that state, the best they can find is another Kennedy or Cuomo.

As far as the politicians are concerned new york is a city, not a state.

the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

1. Junior Senator is a lot less important than VP for a guy who has one foot in the grave.
2. We know all about the Kennedys. They've been in the media for 70+ years. No one heard of Sarah Palin until August, and then no one was allowed to ask her any questions. Of course the media is going to ask a lot of questions.

Sidenote: How well do you think blaming the media is going to work out for Sarah Palin over the long-term?

atlanta_ufo: the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

It means he thinks even Joe the Hobo would be qualified to be the NY Senator.

It means the argument has been played to death in a million threads already and its farking boring.

/doesn't support Kennedy for Senate
//Brown & Strauss for Senate!
///cry

If Cumomo doesn't get his Senate seat, he's probably make a run against Obama in the 2012 presidential elections.

Funk Brothers: If Cumomo doesn't get his Senate seat, he's probably make a run against Obama in the 2012 presidential elections.

Well at least that's original.

MacEnvy: Seriously though, you motherfarkers need to get out of the way when people are walking.

I moved from NY to MD 6 months ago and I swear to god if this keeps up I'm gonna have to choke a biatch.

Why the hell do people have to mosey around. DON'T YOU HAVE ANY PLACE TO BE? DON'T YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO?

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!


You must be in Montgomery County, probably not far from me.

/checks profile

Yep! You sure are. You'll notice that the pace of life around here is a bit slower than you're used to, but you'll also notice that people around here have a bit more sense of entitlement than you might be used too... Lots of "important" people.

I still like this area a lot though. One thing is you run in to all sorts of interesting folks. During the WTO demonstrations a few years ago I was having dinner and drinks with the VP of the World Bank (he was my GF's father's best friend) while the demonstations were on TV. Interesting conversation!

HotWingConspiracy: This.

Don't appoint the gimmick.

First part, don't care. They are both dilettantes.

Second part, absolutely get the fark out of my way, especially don't get into 7-10 person groups and walk down the sidewalk side by side chatting and not paying attention so no one can get by your stupid tourist arses.

Take the A-Train, get off before 125th street, and put that stupid camera away before you get us both mugged, yokel.

And both of them can go take a long walk off Pier 83.

LemSkroob: Fark this farking farkhead in his farking ass.

He was the douche-nozzle who got Time Warner and others to pull their newsgroup service because OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN.


He basically told the ISPs either (a) guarantee all content on the newsgroup servers is 100% legal (ie, kiddie p0rn), or face direct prosecution. He basically left the ISPs with no choice.

This. He pandered to the base, made it sound like he was chasing all the child porn off the internets while actually all he did was grandstand.

the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

Did you not see the post just above yours?

the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

It means Biden is stupid too.

Rapmaster2000: the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

1. Junior Senator is a lot less important than VP for a guy who has one foot in the grave.
2. We know all about the Kennedys. They've been in the media for 70+ years. No one heard of Sarah Palin until August, and then no one was allowed to ask her any questions. Of course the media is going to ask a lot of questions.

Sidenote: How well do you think blaming the media is going to work out for Sarah Palin over the long-term?

I really don't care how it works out for her one way or another...she should go back to Alaska and be Governor...and Kennedy can go back to whatever the hell she does. Pick someone at least a little bit qualified...Even Bill Clinton.

f4rmerbob: atlanta_ufo: the_coach5040: f4rmerbob: the_coach5040: How come Caroline Kennedy isn't getting the Sarah Palin treatment? She appears just as stupid.

blah blah senator blah blah blah vice president

/yawn

Uh, not sure what this means?

It means he thinks even Joe the Hobo would be qualified to be the NY Senator.

It means the argument has been played to death in a million threads already and its farking boring.

/doesn't support Kennedy for Senate
//Brown & Strauss for Senate!
///cry

The fact remains see comes off as an idiot.

/didn't support Palin for VP

Are they serious? The OLD Pepsi logo looked more like the Obama trademark than the new one.

(hotlinked for your protection)

Wow. How did I manage to post that in the wrong thread?

Cuomo is a working politician. And he stood up to Spitzer BEFORE hookergate.

Yes, because the last 8 years are a testament to how well legacy appointments work out.

John Quincy Adams should have been lesson enough.

and Ted Kennedy,

//the only members of that family with human DNA are dead, it's really an extinct line.