Kennedy has loyal electorate

Unlikely that many of his fellow members of Congress envy Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the young -- 38 -- scion of the famed political family who has battled recurrent problems with drugs, alcohol and depression.
But they surely must envy him his constituents, especially after his latest mishap when in the wee hours of last Thursday he crashed his car into a security barrier outside the U.S. Capitol, an incident he professes not to remember. He said it was prescription drugs; the cops on the scene said they smelled alcohol. In any case, he is now in rehab.
Charitable voters
For many politicians, this would be a career-ender, but reporters visiting his district in Rhode Island found the voters charitable and forgiving toward their wayward lawmaker even though they didn't believe the prescription drugs alibi.
There were some naysayers, to be sure, but Rose Iovini told the Associated Press, "I think he's a sick boy, and he's doing the right thing. And politics shouldn't come into it. I think he'll be excellent when he comes back."
Michael Rossi told The Washington Post, "It's a separate issue. He's got maybe an alcohol problem. That doesn't make him a bad representative."
"It doesn't make him a bad guy," said Phil Bellino, who told the Post reporter his opinion of Kennedy was unchanged. "Course not. You kidding me? Politicians drink like fish around here."
Kennedy may be unlucky in his addictions but he's fortunate in his voters, not all of who see the world in the shrill, unforgiving terms of talk radio.
Scripps Howard News Service