Arianna Discusses Ted Kennedy's Potential Successors With Keith Olbermann (VIDEO)

Arianna appeared on "Countdown," with Keith Olbermann, to discuss the potential successors to Ted Kennedy in the Senate and whether Massachusetts will alter its law in order to expedite filling the empty seat.

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Comments

[BryanTheRegOps]

MICHAEL DUKAKIS

Thats all I have to say.

[beyondthepale9779]

We just buried one relic, why dig up another?

[JakeMontero]

Mitt wont run. Dont change the law - just win the election in 4 months.

[FR]

Mitt CAN'T run. He's no longer even a pretend resident.

[yankees]

If the Democrats, (which I am), change the law once again to suit our needs it would be a travesty. This just gives the Conservatives and the Right more ammunition to use.
Ma. is a Democratic State so we will win in the Special election anyway.

[madcat007]

I really don't care about the conservatives ammunition. They're shooting blanks as far as I'm concerned. They're running around talking about secession, they have birthers, they have deathers, they're proudly saying that no health care reform will ever be agreed to by them and now they want to complain about what happens in our blue state, like we haven't heard it before. Our state deserves two senators, even if one is a temp until the January 19 election. The current law wasn't well thought out in the first place and frankly, we should've got on this right after lessons learned via Minnesota, but better late than never. What's good for our state supercedes what conservatives will cry about.

[juhar]

Every done has political consequences and backlash. So as the first female general Gracie said once - Act - Just do it and face the consequences later (I'm paraphrasing).

Bipartisanship is something I don't think will ever happen in my lifetime so when I vote Democratic, I expect the Democratics to act in the interest of those who voted for them. That's why we voted for you guys.

[madcat007]

Sorry Arianna, I really disagree with Mitt Romney being a formidable opponenet. First of all, he sold his "pretend I live in MA" house last year. Furthermore, when he quit as governor (that seems to be a republican badge of honor) to run for President, his approval rating was at 34%. That man is nothing more than a vagabond used car salesman doing whatever he thinks will further his political career. He cares about nothing or no one but himself. We saw it first hand in MA. I'm pretty confident the seat will stay Democrat.

[celticjag]

Mitt is now pretending to live in New Hampshire, to better position himself for the presidential race in 2012!

[CynAnne]

Love seeing you as a regular guest on "Countdown", Arianna..you always add a sparkle to what can sometimes feel dry and esoteric, even with Keith's passionate zeal for the subject at hand. A segment of your own every week would be a confirmed 'tune in' for many of your loyal HuffPo-ians..! ;) ...

[CynAnne]

Sorry, oldguydud..you're wrong and your 'witticism' was lost in the commentary (rightfully so) - but hey, thanks for playing and all that..! ;) ...

[milliband]

You know that unlike Illinois, where the apointee is there until the term ends -there is a special election on January 19th to fill the term. Either your misinformed or not precise.

[rmct]

Okay here goes. What if a Republican Senator died of cancer and he wanted to change the law before he died so that the Republican Governor could pick the next senator ensuring that the republicans held the Senate.

This after the Same Senator had the law changed in the first place to ensure that another republican senate seat would stay republican if the republican won the presidential election but the Governor was a Democrat and would of picked a democrat upsetting the Republican lead in the Senate.

What would Olbermann say? He would call this dishonest, more republican bully tactics. I could see it now Kieth would berate the governor who was thinking of changing the law

It would go like this:
Camera zooms in

Sir, what are you thinking? How could you even consider such a ludicrous Idea. Do you think you have the power of god? You Sir are a bully and you represent everything that is wrong with the Republican Party...shame on you sir, shame on you

Olbermann stares at camera until commercial break.
But since it is a Democrat Keith goes silent. This is a example of KO hypocrisy. Only report on republicans and never report on Democrats

[Halminbar]

When Democratic Sen. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, the Republican Governor of New York replaced him with a Republican appointee instead of a non-partisan figure. What could be more offensive than that?

[ProperGanda]

the problem is that this is 2009, 41 years after said instance. The democrats did this 5 years ago,and then wanted to change it when it did not suit their needs

[ProperGanda]

Exactly. ESPECIALLY since this law was created so that a republican governor couldnt appoint a republican senator.It speaks volumes

[FR]

It does speak to the particular situation. I won't repeat my post below: there was a context. I will agree with you that on principle (and without the details) it LOOKS inconsistent or worse. It was also a poorly written law.

[LHoney]

The difference is, the Kennedy family has always used their money and clout to help the american people. The rethuglican party uses their clout to help mega corporate interests to devour the American people. See the difference?

[JimR]

I'm sorry, but that's really lame. The law should never have been changed.

[FR]

rmct:
Please factor into your comment considerations of what is actually good for the state. The governor back then was Mitt Romney, who wasn't even a full-time resident, who misrepresented all his beliefs in order to get elected, and who spent most of his term as governor somewhere else running for president. No, we did not trust him.
But that law was passed hurriedly and should have been thought out, i.e. it should have provided for a LIMITED interim appointment. Hence the problem now.

However, I do like your KO imitation :)

[rmct]

Thanks

[madcat007]

Why are you all so upset about an interim replacement? Especially in a state you probably don't live. A general election will still take place January 19 to vote for a permanent replacement. I want my state to have two senators representing us until then. I think this is a reasonable amendment. The temp will not be allowed to run in the general election. You can turn this into partisan politics all you want, but after watching the MN debacle, I don't want us in the same situation.

[acudoc]

How we do love politics, even though as a profession it ranks right down there with fractional-reserve banking. I wish all of these guys would just go out and get real jobs...or at least stop adding to the federal registry with more cockamamie interventions supposedly to benefit their fellow men.

You know, when Edward Kennedy died a few days ago, I sincerely doubt he was thinking about how glorious and noble all his political battles were. I would be willing to believe the mere thought of political maneuvering made him nauseous with despair.

The law, in the words of Bastiat, has been perverted.

[ptrgamb]

Barney Frank has real power in the House. He won't run for the Senate. And Mitt Romney won't run for the Republicans; he's not going to risk an embarrassing loss prior to launching another presidential campaign.

[rmct]

Barney is too busy messing up the Banking industry

[FR]

Why is anyone (I mean the commentators, not you, ptr) still bringing up Mitt Romney for Massachusetts?
Didn't they get the memo? Last month Romney put an official end to his travesty of being a Massachusetts "resident" by selling that "home" of his. Here's a guy who was a faux resident to begin with, got elected governor in Mass by spouting pretend moderate positions (which he quickly disavowed on the presidential campaign trail, of course), and was absent from his steppingstone post for most of his term. Even Republicans in this state are done with Mitt.

[spinns17]

here is the guy to replace sen kennedy
http://www.ociotube.com/video/youtube/c-mEpYr9iL8/sypp-2007--an-interview-with-michael-capuano

[LMPE]

She mentioned Barney Frank. After how Frank stood up to the woman at the town hall meeting, I'd call him the best choice.

[Pquilson]

Barney does not have the proper manners to be a Senator. He is way too rough around the edges. never happen

[surfvenice]

i hope its not a kennedy. same people who bitched about a "clinton dynasty" or "bush dynasty" now want a kennedy dynasty? please....

[genia]

The dynasty thing doesn't work for a Senator. The people of Massachusetts appreciated having sen. Kennedy ....if they didn't he would have been out of a job.
No dynasty there...and unless you live in Mass. you have no say so in the matter.

[mom792]

Learn some history. That seat has been a Kennedy seat for close to a century. It was held by a "temp" between Bobby and Teddy, waiting for Teddy to be old enough to be in the Senate.

[jimpager]

Teddy Kennedy now....Joe Kennedy in January...or Kathlene Kennedy Townsend.
There MUST be a Kennedy if there is to be ANY presumption of the continuance
of the Kennedy Dynasty. Health Care is the immediate cause at hand but the future
requires a Kennedy, not a staffer, to hold Kennedy Democrats from splitting off to
other elements of the Democratic Party and eliminating, in the "death of 1000 cuts,"
the Kennedy wing of the Democratic Party. NOW is the time for a Kennedy to step
forward and lead.

[juhar]

D stands for Democratic not dynasty.

I'm sure the family, especially Ted's wife Vickey, will see to it that the person elected will fill the void before the special election will continue to support Ted Kennedy's position. The Kennedys will always be public servants - elected or not.

[Cea80]

Of course the administration (this has nothing to do with Kennedy btw) wants to keep up the bipartisan rhetoric - it makes the Republicans look bad.

[Sportswoman]

Arianna was the only person to mention Teddy Jr., whom I think should not be overlooked.

[unwashedmasses]

Totally agree. Jr. has the passion and vision his dad had.

[humaneismyth]

If he is interested ...I don't know anything about Ted Jr..My first thought was Joe...but I would consider Ted Jr too after learning more about his qualifications.He certainly seems to have the right "stuff"..