Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Times says:
Sneed has learned the Merchandise Mart’s Chris Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, will announce next week he is running for the U.S. Senate.
Sneed has also learned Kennedy, who lives with his wife, Sheila, and four children in Kenilworth, has hired the prestigious media consultant firm AKPD [founded by Obama Senior Advisor David Axelrod] and has already shot his first TV campaign commercial. …
Kennedy commissioned a poll last month using Obama pollster John Anzalone, which Kennedy sources claim was very encouraging.
Just a word of caution: I don’t have any reason to believe this information isn’t true, but three weeks ago, a different Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Lynn Sweet, posted an item claiming Mark Kirk would run for the Senate. When that information turned out to be wrong, she edited her post without making a note of the change.
Back in 1980, when I was 9 years old, my parents were trying to decide whether to vote for Jimmy Carter or Ted Kennedy. They really liked Carter, and his politics were close to their own, but they both ended up voting for Kennedy. My parents are among the many people who absolutely adore the Kennedy name. Although Carter was more their style (more moderate, a Southerner, and a Protestant), they selected Kennedy.
I have the same tug everytime a Kennedy name comes up. At one time in my late 20’s, I just knew that John F. Kennedy Jr. would one day be a force to be reckoned with in the world of politics, but again, I was wrong.
I love the name of Kennedy, but I’ve got to find a better way to select a candidate instead of their pedigree. Should I support Kennedy, or should I support a more-rounded candidate like Madigan? And no, Roland Burris is not an option for me.
With heavyweights like Giannoulias, Schakowsky, and Madigan in or eyeing the race, how much traction does Kennedy think he can get?
He’s welcome to run of course, but I don’t see him getting past the heavyweights that are running or likely to run.
i really don’t see the need in IL or NY or CT. there is some excellent homegrown talent with appropriate experience and a great chance of winning generals in these blue states.
if chris or caroline or any other kennedy wants to be a u.s. senator, then i suggest they move to a swing state (MN, FL, MO, NV) – or a red one (AZ, TX, OK, GA) that costs a lot of money to run in, and run there. their names are still worth a lot even in these republican places (hell, every GOPer claims to emulate JFK), and their immense amounts of money and philanthropic record are “pure gold.” and maybe they could start by running for AG or something rather than acting like the Kennedy first rung is US Senate, because that’s annoying.
will affect Madigan’s decision on whether or not to switch over to the Senate race from her original plans to run for Gov.
I’m thinking she might be more likely to stay in the Gov. race, rather than be just another in this slew of Senator candidates. Especially with a potential celebrity with such a famous and beloved father, one of RFK’s sons.
He has a pretty impressive resume.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C…
We’ll see how good of a campaigner he is. That’s what it’s really about.
she is tha automatic frontrunner and heavyweight.
2nd i looked at chris kennedy’s resume and i’m unimpressed. he hasn’t been elected to anything. he hasn’t served the US in a significant way (in the armed services or as an appointee in a key position) and the company that he is an executive for is his family’s company. i mean i’m only being mildly snarky when i ask: “how impressive is it to quickly advance through your grandad’s company?”
the negative for him and for caroline is exactly the same. they are nice people who’ve done some nice things, but they are political dilletentes who would not even consider running for the US senate without that last name.