Posted on 01/23/2010 4:37:21 AM PST by ninonitti
Just when he was set to bask in the limelight as the Bay State’s senior senator, Democrat John F. Kerry is being pushed back into the political shadows, forced to play the liberal foil to GOP superstar Scott Brown.
“He’s out of the shadow of Ted Kennedy and he’s finally the senior senator, and he still is being upstaged by this new rising star within the Republican ranks,” said George Serra, a political professor at Bridgewater State College.
Decades spent eclipsed by Kennedy were not easy for Kerry.
“ ‘John Kerry doesn’t get anything done. John Kerry lives in the shadow of Ted Kennedy. John Kerry doesn’t deliver. Blah, blah, blah,’ ” Kerry told the Herald in an October 2008 interview. “I’m sort of tired of that, actually. I’m going to fight back a little harder to make sure people understand that that’s an insult to my staff when people say that.”
On Capitol Hill this week, Kerry’s office was filled with reporters and cameras, but they were following the newly elected Brown.
Kerry’s staff has already reached out to Brown’s in an effort to help the new senator-elect with the abrupt transition following his upset win in the historic special election, and Kerry himself has pledged to work with him.
But Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said, “I’m sure he had hoped he would be the senior Democrat. Not only is Brown more prominent publicly right now, but he’ll be doing a two-step around Kerry on some of these issues. You can’t be a leader when there’s no one following you.”
As the Wrentham Republican prepares to be the 41st vote to topple key Democratic initiatives including President Obama’s health-care plan, Kerry warned, “Republicans on the other side of the aisle hear the message (of Brown’s election upset) as well. (Voters) want us not to say, ‘No’ to things but to get the business of the people done.”
Kerry’s colleagues also argued that Brown’s celebrity status could fade quickly while the Democratic senior senator chairs prominent committees such as Foreign Relations and continues to command respect from both sides of the aisle.
“I think it’s recognized nationally that he’s doing a great job and his role is only going to increase with time,” said U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Malden.)
But one source close to Kerry noted: “Obviously (U.S. Sen.-elect) Scott Brown is on the tip of everyone’s tongue, and being the only Republican senator in Massachusetts makes him even more prominent. Now more than ever John Kerry needs to be the guy.”
First elected to the Senate in 1985, Kerry ran unsuccessfully for president in 2004.
John, why the long face??
LOL and then there’s that.....
Maybe he could pose for Cosmo?
*****I’m going to fight back a little harder to make sure people understand that that’s an insult to my staff when people say that.”****
So he’s saying “My staff does the heavy lifting and is responsible for everything”.
Liveshot Kerry, has one of the worst constituent services on Capitol Hill. If you were from Mass and wanted anything you had to go through The Swimmers office staff.
Kerry also served in Viet Nam I’m told...
I had NO idea!!!!
Is that the John Kerry who served in Vietnam?
“NO” is the CORRECT answer on Most of what Bammy wants to do.
The guy’s a complete dolt! I knew guys like him in prep school. Money.
I loved the signs being waved by supporters of Scott Brown at his election headquarters last Tuesday night.
The signs said, “KERRY, YOU’RE NEXT!”
Ha-HA, Lurch!
Always a back bencher, means always being a back bencher. It Kerry’s title until some takes it away from him.
(I know Mikulsky works hard for it since I thought she was long since deceased until she popped up recently as still in the Senate).
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