“Ted Kennedy’s car has killed more people than my gun”, “Real Catholics need a new voice — not the likes of Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi”, “crying hysterically after Ted Kennedy made her cry.”
As the debate for healthcare reform amps up, Republicans find themselves without their favorite lightning rod, Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Think what you wish about the senior senator from Massachusetts, one thing is undeniable; no one gets the blood boiling on the right and is so closely identified with the liberal agenda as Ted Kennedy. Through his family legacy, his near fifty years in the senate, and a 1980 primary challenge to a sitting President of his own party, few democratic members of the Senate carry the same name ID or knee jerk rage age as Kennedy.
A favorite for Republican fundraising letters, and a frequent star in anti-democratic adds, his absence will be a great loss to the RNC, NRSC, NRA…etc. However, yesterday in their unanimous decision, The Minnesota Supreme Court offered up to the Republican Party their new whipping boy. Air American’s own Al Franken.
While Franken may not carry the same legislative heft as Kennedy, he does offer similar name ID and knee jerk rage. All you need for a quality fundraising letter. Of course all of this is before Franken has even been sworn in as Senator.
As the years progress and footage accumulates Franken will continue to be cannon fodder for conservative causes. Unless of course the Minnesota Senator elect finds his internal reserve. Even if he is able to restrain himself, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly will be parsing every word he says and every piece of legislation he proposes. (Franken has best sellers criticizing both men, Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot and Lies ‘And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them’: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right respectively).
Franken has said that he plans on keeping a low profile, at least in his first few years, it is hard to see how that will be possible. Having a seat on both Judiciary and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee he is front and center on two of the key issues confronting Congress this summer.
The Sotomayor confirmation hearings will be highly televised and heavily scrutinized. From Coburn being caught doing a crossword in the Roberts confirmation to Kennedy making Justice Alito’s wife cry, Supreme Court nominations are a place it is hard to keep a low profile.
As for the Health Care debate, Franken made universal coverage a signature focus of his campaign, requiring states to cover all their citizens. It’s hard to see here how Franken will be able to keep a low profile on such a high profile issue.
Regardless of the profile he seeks in the near future, his previous stature will remain.
As Kennedy begins his exit from the Senate, he leaves behind him a great legacy. Expert of the floor debate and backroom glad-handing, it will be a long time before someone comes along and fills the void he leaves behind. Until another Lion of the Senate emerges, the GOP has a their new sacrificial lamb.
Along with Neil, Peter is a founding editor of American Manifest. Colorado native and former political staffer, Peter currently resides in Los Angeles.