With “Filling the VOID” as the on-screen heading, Monday's NBC Nightly News, without any consideration for how Massachusetts Democrats blocked the Governor's interim appointment power, fretted over the loss to Democrats of Ted Kennedy's Senate seat as a health care vote approaches. “Less than 48 hours after Ted Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery, the political reality of his vacant Senate seat has set in,” Chuck Todd warned.
Though you could argue Kennedy's plight left the seat empty all year so far, Todd explained: “Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick set January 19th, 2010 for the special election, leaving the potential for the seat to be vacant for five months. To avoid a lengthy vacancy, next week the Massachusetts legislature begins debating a change in the law to give the Governor the power to appoint an interim Senator, a power most Governors in other states already have. It was a wish Senator Kennedy himself and his family made known directly to Massachusetts' lawmakers.” Todd, however, failed to point out that in a crass 2004 political maneuver urged by Kennedy, Bay State Democrats changed the law so then-Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican, could not replace John Kerry if he had won the presidency.
Todd proceeded to chafe over how “this Senate vacancy comes at a time when President Obama and Democrats are pondering different strategies to get a health care bill passed, making every single Democratic Senate seat crucial, something Ted Kennedy himself recognized.”
Really? Kennedy knew of his prognosis in plenty of time to announce his plan to resign at the end of 2008 and thus allow an election for his seat to be part of the regular November election last year so Massachusetts would have a new Senator as of early January 2009.
NewsBusters item from last week: “NBC Exploits Kennedy to Push ObamaCare: 'National Sorrow Has Created Political Momentum Before'”
From the Monday, August 31 NBC Nightly News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: We head now to the east to Washington and elsewhere to the continuing debate over health care reform and questions about what happens now that one of its longtime supporters, Senator Ted Kennedy, is gone. Also, what to do about that vacancy in the U.S. Senate. Our chief White House correspondent and political director Chuck Todd is with us tonight with details on how all of this is playing out these days. Chuck, good evening.CHUCK TODD: Good evening, Brian. Well, look, it's no ordinary Senate vacancy. It's involving the Kennedys, it's the 60th Democratic Senate vote in the U.S. Senate, and it comes at a time where President Obama is desperately trying to get his health care bill passed immediately. All of this is ingredients for a high-stakes political drama. Less than 48 hours after Ted Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery, the political reality of his vacant Senate seat has set in.
GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK: In addition to losing a great political leader and friend, his passing leaves a big gap in our congressional delegation.
TODD: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick set January 19th, 2010 for the special election, leaving the potential for the seat to be vacant for five months.
PATRICK: The Congress is debating some of the most historic and significant legislation in decades, bound to affect all of us for decades.
TODD: To avoid a lengthy vacancy, next week the Massachusetts legislature begins debating a change in the law to give the Governor the power to appoint an interim Senator, a power most Governors in other states already have. It was a wish Senator Kennedy himself and his family made known directly to Massachusetts' lawmakers. The Governor refused to get into the name game today, but did eliminate one candidate, the Senator's widow.
PATRICK: Mrs. Kennedy is not interested in the position.
TODD: Sunday, Ted Kennedy's best friend in the Senate, Chris Dodd, was talking up the possibility of a Senator Vicki Kennedy, saying: “We can certainly use her in the Senate but leave it up to her. She has a lot on her mind right now.” This Senate vacancy comes at a time when President Obama and Democrats are pondering different strategies to get a health care bill passed, making every single Democratic Senate seat crucial, something Ted Kennedy himself recognized.
SENATOR JOHN KERRY ON MEET THE PRESS: He wanted the vote protected during this critical moment.
TODD: As for the health care debate, prominent members of both parties are calling on President Obama to get more engaged.
SENATOR CHRIS DODD: Well, I think the President's got to decide in a sense that he has and step up and really frame this again for us, the leadership can do it.
TODD: And an unlikely adviser, former Senate Republican Senator Bob Dole, was even more direct.
BOB DOLE: He just ought to pick up the mantel of leadership and go with it. He is the President.
TODD: Brian, the President now has a stay-cation part of his vacation. He's back here at the White House, but he spent half a day working, half a day on the golf course. Brian?
WILLIAMS: Chuck Todd at the White House for us tonight. Chuck, thanks.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Three Card Monte
August 31, 2009 - 19:42 ET by allanfSo the Massachusetts Legislature is taking up a three card Monte scam. Not that Deval Patrick has set an electon date, a change to the procedure might actually be an ex-post facto law. Oh well - a mere technicality.
Patric can appoint Rhode Island's own Patrick Kennedy the hereditary heir to the seat. Why worry about technicalities such as out of Patricks lack of MA residency.
It just galls me
September 1, 2009 - 00:15 ET by Scout FinchHow these people think the Kennedy clan is some sort of *royalty* here in America. The Constitution was created to avoid the type of monarchrial royalty we fought the redcoats over.
Patrick Kennedy, my Aunt Fanny! Follow the rules Dems, or go home.
The only void is between
August 31, 2009 - 19:45 ET by nyyankee55The only void is between Brian Williams and Dodd's ears
The Void
September 1, 2009 - 07:57 ET by allanfI think Dodd was referring to the tragic loss of a good drinking buddy.
→ Oh! The Huge Manatee!
August 31, 2009 - 19:51 ET by Cool ArrowIn other words, Teddy Kennedy falls into a trap he dug for somebody else.
Dems don't even see the irony of Kennedy making such a joke of his own supposed principles.
Is that about the gist of it, Williams?
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
It really is worse than that
August 31, 2009 - 20:07 ET by evilcontractor"This empty seat at a critical time" is not only caused by Kennedy's fear of a Republican Governor appointing someone but by refusal to retire last year. This is the attitude I hate most in politicians from both parties. "This is my seat until I die."
I used that joke that people became teachers because they couldn't do anything else, but now I'm convinced low life scum that can't do anything else become politicians.
www.btreasures.com
EvilC, you are right
August 31, 2009 - 20:19 ET by nyyankee55EvilC,
you are right why didn't the fat bastard retire last year- because he wanted a State funeral Pvt Edward M Kennedy- a long way from POTUS and that sound you heard was the real American heroes turning over in their graves @ Arlington
WILLIAMS: "Chuck Todd at the
August 31, 2009 - 19:58 ET by SickofLibsWILLIAMS: "Chuck Todd at the White House for us tonight, changing the blue urinal cakes in Obama's private bathroom. Chuck, thanks.
Say, could I get one of those as a souvenir?"
lawmakers
August 31, 2009 - 20:03 ET by katainkenthave either no forethought or a complete lack of imagination to not forsee this problem.
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"Maybe you're better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller" Barack Obama (Dr. In Chief)
Ranks Up There...
August 31, 2009 - 20:05 ET by Intellectual HonestyFor the most part the Boston/New England media media knew that they had to mention the circumstances around how the standard operating procedure in most states is to give the power of appointment to the Governor. It's one thing to pull this stunt via a national news broadcast aimed at a national audience that didn't read about the actual change in the law when it was blatantly changed for the most naked of political reasons years ago; locally that would have been too blatant to avoid mention.
This is just one of many consequences of elections but it also plays a huge part in the choice of Senators to be chosen/accept higher positions at a Federal level. Many Senators are looked over for promotion just for the fact that the reigning governor of the state is a Republican and thus a Senate vote would be lost.
This bias by ommission is just about as blatant as can be. Not noting how and why the law was changed, not noting that Kennedy could have easily preannounced his retirement to allow a scheduling of a special election, not noting that Kennedy missed 97% of his votes in the Senate the last year ranks right up there in the all-time bias department.
But people are catching on, exploring facts for themselves as they got sick of or totally avoided the five day idolatry coverage, some hearing about/learning for the first time all the sordid details of Chappaquiddick, waitress sandwiches, murderous cousins, etc.
Reality is slapping a lot of people in the face and none quite as much as the bias of the press.
Kennedy could have easily
August 31, 2009 - 21:01 ET by Radical1979Kennedy could have easily preannounced his retirement to allow a scheduling of a special election,
But Kennedy's ego wouldn't let him retire even though there was no way he was working the last several months.
Great post. You hit the
September 1, 2009 - 06:55 ET by ThisnThatGreat post. You hit the nail on the head. This should be used as "Exhibit #1" by everyone when explaining blatent media bias. Williams slanted the whole story towards "the poor dims plight, don't we all feel sorry for them and the Kennedy gods" -- and he did this by deliberately -- let me repeat -- deliberately leaving out the truth -- about the dims causing this in 2004 when they changed the law to prevent an appointment by a Republican governor.
It's one thing for partisan lawmakers to pull tricks like this, and it's funny when it comes back and bites them in the butt. But NBC is beyond redemption when they falsely, and knowingly, portray the event as an unusual twist in the law that needs to be fixed to honor a beloved member of the political class. Shame, shame, shame on Williams and NBC for thinking they could sneak this past Newsbusters.
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"Tax the rich" is a basically unstable way of governing - The NYT
Anyone remember this?
September 1, 2009 - 07:57 ET by jon_torlinReminds me of the time that Bill Clinton was going to have surgery on his knee(from an accidental fall of the stairs). Apparently he balked at the idea of turning the reins over to Algore so much that Clinton INSISTED on doing the procedure under a local anesthetic, which must have been a bit painful.
-Jon
Enough already
August 31, 2009 - 20:15 ET by evilcontractorI ready for next week so I don't have to hear anything about Kennedy, any Kennedy, again for awhile.
www.btreasures.com
ec... I'm with you...I'm
August 31, 2009 - 20:22 ET by bigtimerec...
I'm with you...I'm more than burnt out...unfortunately, we are going to hear their name forever...well, I am anyway, don't know how old you are. ;-)
I know what you mean though...enough is enough, there is nothing left to talk about...we've all expressed ourselves well.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Amen to that,
August 31, 2009 - 20:23 ET by QueenMumAmen to that, contractor and bt.
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out
of other people's money."
—Margaret Thatcher
Real
August 31, 2009 - 20:32 ET by general companyFootball next week : ]
Perfect cure for the Kennedy's
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Forgive me for this, but
September 1, 2009 - 05:51 ET by HockeyKidForgive me for this, but I'll bet at least one sportscaster makes reference to those vaunted days of yesteryear when the Kennedys played football on the lawn at Hyannis, and America watched through misty eyes and wished we could be them.
Of course, the story could never include the times when one of them stepped in a dog bomb, or a puddle of Teddy's "party excess".
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
there is no shame
August 31, 2009 - 20:30 ET by American.Patriotwith these assholes.
I gave up watching the MSM months ago.
Actually, in the last week, I can say that I haven't seen any TV converage of the Kennedy death or buriel.
I get my news from the Drudge Report, Newsmax, NewsBusters, The weekly Standard, National Review, Fox, and other trusted sources.
Once more I'm amazed
August 31, 2009 - 21:02 ET by pbthinkerJust imagine, if you will, Tom Delay doing the same thing, in Texas, under the same circumstances. Can you imagine how the crying Brian Williams, would be on the air pointing out the hypocrisy?
I wouldn't doubt the Democrats will pull this off and they'll get away with it because the only outfit the call them out for it will be Fox News.
If we had a fair press, in the United States, the Democrats would never win an election.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
pb... Bulls-Eye...Right
August 31, 2009 - 21:08 ET by bigtimerpb...
Bulls-Eye...Right on the Mark.
They think millions of us out here don't see it...because they say so.
...and they don't understand the stew pot that is about to boil over...you can't simmer forever if the heat isn't turned down.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
oh puhlez- now they are
August 31, 2009 - 21:39 ET by JAJToh puhlez- now they are concerned about the 5 months of no one being able to fill Kennedy seat when he has been unable to do his duties for the past year!
it is disgusting and pathetic how they (dems) want to change the rules whenever there's a repub Gov or vice versa. this shold be a clear example of why they should not be in charge of national security, forgein policy, domestic policy and even Prez of the US! that's all they (dems) are good for; Lying, changing the rules mid games (because it's unfair ya know!!) and lying some more...
I say we go to 7-11 or Home Depot and get VP Joe's opinion on this.... JAJT
regards to health care
September 1, 2009 - 07:59 ET by jon_torlinI see it as this way: During the next 5 months, were they to vote on the health (s)care scam, it's one less vote for it that the democRats have.
-Jon
Like others have noted, I
August 31, 2009 - 21:45 ET by mostlymoderateLike others have noted, I have to ask why Kennedy did not retire? What a hard-headed imbecile. Oh, and he changed a law a while back to disenfranchise a Republican? Now it's biting the Democrats in the arse? That is too good.
Clarification. He (Kennedy)
September 1, 2009 - 07:02 ET by ThisnThatClarification. He (Kennedy) didn't change a law. The Dim legislature in Massachusetts changed the law to prevent Romney from appointing a Republican senator in case Kerry won the 2004 election.
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"Tax the rich" is a basically unstable way of governing - The NYT
All the poor saps...
August 31, 2009 - 22:15 ET by JPR1here in Minnesota slogged along just fine on one cylinder for six months; no reason Massachusetts can't get along for awhile.
Here's to hoping they get stiffed in a similar manner.
(Rises glass with disgust.)
Filling Ted's void? Oh, please!
August 31, 2009 - 22:25 ET by R D HelmJust how hard can it be to find another traitorous, Xtra-Large, America-hating, booze-swilling, waitress-slamming, worthless P.O.S. fat-ass politician in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts to fill the shoes of Ted Kennedy?
Hell, I have never even been to Massachusetts, but I bet it would take me all of five minutes to find one.
-Dave
Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz
I heard Bill Clinton's
September 1, 2009 - 05:53 ET by HockeyKidI heard Bill Clinton's willing to move to Massachusetts...
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Adding injury to insult
September 1, 2009 - 07:28 ET by needleAs a long suffering resident of MA, I would consider that adding injury to insult.
- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.
Vacuous thinking
September 1, 2009 - 07:21 ET by needleIt has become clear that governors “appointing” people to fill Senate vacancies has a strong tendency to effect cynical corruptions of the principle of representative government, the most outstanding recent example being all the criminality that resulted fillings Obama’s Senate vacancy. But the general concept of planting someone in the seat until the governor himself, in Charlie Crist’s case, or some party machine operative can presumably secure it later on makes a mockery of the whole concept of open elections, and contributes to the cynicism the electorate has about voting.
- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.
BRIAN WILLIAMS - THE HAIRCUT, THE MAN
September 1, 2009 - 08:15 ET by SgthulkaBrian Williams = Ted Baxter
September 1, 2009 - 10:03 ET by jessieHThey want to fill Kennedy's shoes, just shave a monkey & put a suit on it. Or, go to a prison & get another murderer to fill his shoes.
Headlines
September 1, 2009 - 10:34 ET by slickwillie2001Great juxtaposition of headlines: http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com
These folks in
September 1, 2009 - 18:03 ET by RR GOPThese folks in Massachusetts haven't changed a bit since the days they fomented Shays' Rebellion. Just change the laws at will and smack down anyone who has a problem with that.
"Liberals" my a$$.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.