Who do you support in the Sept. 1 Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate — Rep. Joe Kennedy III or Sen. Ed Markey — and why?
OPEN THREAD: Kennedy or Markey?
by Greg Reibman | Aug 11, 2020 | Newton | 29 comments
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Kennedy. Politically, Senator Markey and Rep. Kennedy are similar. But Markey’s 44 years in Congress are enough. The Founders expected that public servants would serve for a time then return to private life. Nobody should be entrenched in Congress that long.
Also, Senator Markey’s office is awful about answering letters. They are wonderful, though, if you want to buy an American flag that has been flown over the Capitol.
Markey
Markey.
I have never gotten the rationale of Kennedy primarying Markey other than pure ambition and entitlement. I am unimpressed with Kennedy
Markey, because protecting the planet that we live and breathe on is what matters the most in the long run. If the senate turns blue, we may be able to pass the Green New Deal.
Markey. He has served us well for years and we benefit from his experience. Kennedy on the other hand … well he should have cooled his heels where he was, accomplished a thing or two and established his own qualifications beyond the family dynasty and name recognition.
Kennedy. Policy-wise I don’t see much difference, but we need new young leaders in the Senate who can become popular nationally, especially those who have presidential ambitions. Otherwise, we are doomed to another 70+ year old nominee again. I liked Mayor Pete, but no one knew who he was on the national stage.
Ed Markey all the way. I’ve read dozens of specific reasons people are for Markey, most of which all of his supporters share in common. The only comment or argument I’ve read for Joe on this post or elsewhere is that he’s younger than Ed.
@Bob Burke–you are conflating two issues. I have no problem with Markey’s age. I just don’t think Congress should be a place that keeps the same stagnant membership for 44 years.
Markey. He’s progressive on the issues, has the experience to make things happen, and is down to earth/relatable.
Markey. Joe Kennedy doesn’t represent a “new generation” of leadership, he’s just the second coming of the old one, when entitled young white men from privileged backgrounds assumed seats of power and influence by right.
Markey. Joe Kennedy doesn’t represent a “new generation” of leadership, he’s just the second coming of the old one.
Markey: He co-authored the Green New Deal and was an original co-sponsor on Medicare for All. Kennedy was slow to come on board for both these major issues.
@Michael Singer. I’d like some evidence that Markey is somehow stagnant or represents stagnation because of his longevity. I see absolutely no evidence of that. Quite the opposite, in fact. Nor do I see evidence that Joe K will bring much that is new or fresh to the Senate. I know that I’ve felt compelled to give Markey’s campaign some of the small financial resources I’ve been able to donate to political candidates this year.
The parents of DJ Henry are among the most honorable, respected people I have ever had the pleasure to meet and work with. Please familiarize yourselves with DJ’s shooting. I was already disgusted with the outcome of DJ’s case, but Markey’s decision to blow off the Henry’s when they sought his help and advocacy was cruel and inexcusable.
BLM should be ripping Markey a new one. I’m surprised they haven’t already.
Won’t be voting for Markey…
Paul Green and others, look here for a recent back and forth on that issue: https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/2-revealing-exchanges-in-kennedy-markey-debate/. Quoting:
Kennedy: This is important, A mom and dad came to you to ask for justice for their murdered son. They came to you as a US senator, someone in a position of power who they thought could help them to rectify what happened to their slain young boy. And when they came to you to ask for your help you did nothing. The only thing you did months later was sign on to a letter that my office put together. I’ve stood by that family through thick and thin year after year, pushing on the Department of Justice, pushing on authorities in New York, doing everything we possibly can, and continue to this day. So it’s great you talk about the things you might have done or the bills you might have passed but …
Markey: The Henry family deserves justice. I can’t fathom the pain which the Henry family must feel for the loss of a child. The pain is unimaginable. But what Congressman Kennedy is saying is just not true. I have two letters right here [he opened them on camera] that Congressman Kennedy and I wrote in 2014 to Eric Holder, the attorney general of the United States, to ask for the opening of the case to provide justice for the Henry family. In May of 2014, we wrote to Eric Holder. In December of 2014, with Elizabeth Warren, we also wrote to make sure that there would be an opening of this case. When Congressman Kennedy says I did nothing, he knows that’s not true. He knows it is a falsehood because back then I stood with him to fight to make sure that this case was opened.
Kennedy: For every parent out there, if you believe your son was murdered, your young boy was murdered by a police officer, and you cane to a United States senator and asked for their help and the response that you got was months later to sign a letter, I ask if you think that that is sufficient. I don’t. Apparently, Sen. Markey does.
Markey: It is not one letter. It is two letters and our staffs worked together in drafting the language in those letters. So, again, what he’s saying is not true. What he’s saying is a misrepresentation. And I just think absolutely he should stop it because otherwise these signatures of myself and him and Elizabeth Warren on these letters is absolutely something that he is disrespecting in terms of the partnership we created to help get justice for the Henry family.
Kennedy….
I switched to him once occasio Cortes starred in ads
for markey.
Kennedy is free from her negative influences
We need Kennedy to work for rational change
@Paul Levy-
I stand by my comments.
The Henry’s account of personally
meeting with Markey and the way they were treated by him is where the rubber meets the road. They were treated badly by him. Forget about the he said/she said of any letter writing. We should all be upset by the way Markey treated them. Especially now. So much talk about “ the urgency of this moment”…
What a load of nonsense…
Markey.
The question of “the future” is interesting. On the one hand, it would be nice to have a senator who isn’t going to be 80 at the end of his term. On the other, far more important hand, Markey is so much better on policies that will have an impact on the future, especially healthcare and the environment.
It’s telling that so many young people support the old guy against the youngster. Markey is just genuinely more progressive.
Regarding Sean’s comment: I asked my son, who will be voting for the first time this fall, who he and his friends support, and he immediately said “Markey, because of his environmental record”.
100% Markey. He has been a workhorse for the Commonwealth for decades since spearheading Superfund legislation in response to the Woburn toxic waste dump, and shows no signs of letting up any time soon. What has Kennedy accomplished? He only seems to roll up his sleeves when it’s time to campaign. I see no compelling reason to vote for Kennedy.
Voting for Markey.
Whoa, Sean: “It would be nice to have a senator who isn’t going to be 80 at the end of his term.”
Feels like blatant ageism to this observer. Why would it “be nice?”
Sincerely,
A 70-year-old.
All in for Markey. He’s a high-integrity, experienced, progressive Democratic, incumbent Senator with valuable seniority. The guy challenging him talks like he’s campaigning against Trump and seems to be conflating that drive with his personal ambition for an ancestral seat. That other guy? #HeMustBeJoeKIIIng
#AbilityNotHeredity
I like Kennedy, he seemed to be growing into the role. I can’t figure out, however, why he decided it was a good idea to challenge Markey, and I don’t think he has made any sort of case that Markey needs to go.
So, I’m with Markey here.
It’s disappointing that Kennedy would create the need for Democrats to spend a whole bunch of money on this primary race — for no policy or other good reason –when campaign donors could have better spent their money on Republican vs. Democrat Senate races in other states, such as Arizona, North Carolina, and Colorado that could flip the Senate to Democrat control. Kennedy is just out for himself. And, his main argument for running is based on ageist prejudice. I like having a Senator with clout, seniority and a solid track record, which Kennedy hasn’t yet accomplished.
what Doug Haslam said!
Said about Markey by ourrevolution.com:
His opponent, Joe Kennedy III, thinks he can beat Markey by counting on Super PACs to flood Massachusetts with negative attacks and warmed-over Clintonian nonsense about “a new generation.”
Markey. I liked Kennedy until he decided to primary Markey and then adopted most of Markey’s platform.
Corporate America’s Charmin and Angel Soft. Tough choice!