An Obama, Bennet, Kennedy, Burris Stew-with some Blagojevich for Seasoning
Over the Holidays, as do many folks, I spent time exchanging greetings with calls to old friends and relations around the country. One lengthy call was to a college classmate and fraternity brother who has had a long career as a distinguished professor and department head of the Political Science Department of a major university.
Bob and I are on somewhat opposite sides of the political spectrum and have lively discussions every so often. In reviewing the Obama election we surprisingly were rather calm and shared hopes as well as some fears for the start of his administration. We agreed that the gathering of support and unifying his party was likely to create more problems for him than that of the opposition. The Democratic faithful are lining up to collect the rewards of controlling both the legislative and executive branches of government. Not unexpected, but some of the early moves on the part of prominent party members are surely causing the president elect restless nights.
Governor Ritter of Colorado selected Michael Bennet, Superintendent of Denver School System to replace Senator Ken Salazar who will be Secretary of the Interior.Who is Michael Bennet and why did he get the job? That is the guessing game going on in Colorado. Bennet is connected politically with national democratic figures but has had no elected experience and is barely a Coloradan. He is said to be a smart guy but that’s it. I googled him and other than the news of this appointment and a couple of School District issues, he is a cipher. My own Google notes and press coverage of my accomplishments dwarf Bennet’s and there is no way they are enough to qualify me for a senate seat. Bennet obviously has some hidden heavy stroke somewhere.
Caroline Kennedy is surely a bright lady and someone who has had more family tragedy than anyone deserves. Like many Americans of my generation I feel a personal connection to the Kennedy’s. President Kennedy was the recipient of the first vote I cast at 21 years old. In those days you had to be 21 to vote. My political views changed through the years but even Teddy could not erase that very special feeling for John and Robert Kennedy. With that background of emotion I still am not sure that automatic anointment of Caroline as the heir to Hillary’s seat in the Senate is a good thing. In the population of 19 million in NY isn’t there someone who has the stature, elected office experience and proven qualifications to take that seat in the Senate.
The Rod Blagojevich appointment for the vacant senate seat in Illinois will be the biggest concern of any of these appointments. The Democrats in the Senate are taking steps to deny the seating of Roland Burris to Obama’s vacant seat. The Illinois Governor may look like an Elvis impersonator, have a colorful vocabulary and may even have done something illegal. The fact is that he is not proven guilty of any crime nor has there even been an indictment. Harry Reed apparently missed the chapter on Due Process. Let’s find out a bit about Roland Burris. He may be the most qualified of the group of appointed senators
President Obama will need to convince his party that the American public did not want the change he was promising to turn into a circus act.
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