Kennedy loyalist chosen for seat
BOSTON (AP) — Paul G. Kirk Jr. served Edward M. Kennedy as an aide, rooted beside him at Harvard-Yale football games and is the executor of his will. Now, as Kennedy’s replacement in the Senate, he is charged with trying to complete his late friend’s legacy by passing health-care reform.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick tapped the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday to hold Kennedy’s seat until a special election Jan. 19. Kirk, 71, said he would not run himself.
The announcement came after the Democratic-dominated Legislature changed the state’s Senate succession law to restore the governor’s power to appoint an interim replacement. Republicans went to court in a last-ditch effort to stop Kirk from being sworn in.
President Barack Obama and his staff lobbied for the change, hoping to regain a 60th Democratic vote that would prevent Senate filibusters from derailing his top legislative priority, a national health-care overhaul.
Obama said in a statement: “Paul Kirk is a distinguished leader whose long collaboration with Sen. Kennedy makes him an excellent, interim choice to carry on his work until the voters make their choice in January.”
Kennedy’s widow and sons had encouraged Patrick to appoint Kirk. Vicki Kennedy and Edward Kennedy Jr. sat in the front row next to Kirk’s wife, Gail, as the governor made his announcement at the Statehouse.
Besides health care, Patrick said Kirk would represent the state’s interests in upcoming debates on the economic recovery, financial regulation and climate change.
“In all these and other ways, Congress is debating our future — right now,” Patrick said. “The issues before the Congress and the nation are simply too important to Massachusetts for us to be one voice short.”
Kennedy died last month of brain cancer.
Kirk is to be sworn in this afternoon by Vice President Joe Biden. The Massachusetts Republican Party went to a Boston court seeking an injunction to stop Kirk’s swearing-in, questioning an emergency power the governor invoked in naming him.