remember martha coakley? keane, theres a lot of people out there including moi who have this misguided notion that this or any seat belongs not to the kennedys but to the people. so as a mr. carr writes today in the tabloid, ya got the peace corp vs. the marine corp and my money and best wishes are on and for sean bielat. mike ross, gimmee a break. this gutless dreg has never ever stood for anything other than reelection and the only party he truly represents is of the cocktail variety kind. camelot, keane, was nothing but bad fiction ,just like the words you wrote in this piece today. ma

Gee, Tom, aaccording to you Kennedy is already elected. Why even bother with an election. Once the Globe annoints their favorite we will hear nothing positive about the opponent. So much for objective journalism!

The title of Brian McGrory's column today sums it up: "Politics as Usual"... the Globe's hypocrisy mind numbing.

The stupidity of Massachusetts voters is astounding. They'd vote for a baboon if its last name were Kennedy. In fact, that would be an interesting experiment. Get a baboon or a chimp and name him Kennedy. Put him on the ballot and take him around to various campaign events. Tell the voters his last name is Kennedy and then see how many votes he gets. Do this in every district and we could have a congressional delegation made up of nothing but Kennedys.

Positively barf inducing. If you happened to see the all too brief interview with JoJoJo on channel 5 last night, how can you take this dolt seriously as a candidate for Congress? He has no ideas of his own, only regurgitating what his handlers have told him to say. "Fairness"? Give me a break. What does he or any other Kennedy know about "Fairness"? Others of the Kennedy crime family haven't been Mensa members, but this kid is a total lightweight. Has Uncle Hugo sent his campaign contribution yet? Knee pad journalism at its' finest.

I wonder how many of the folks who complain so venomously about the "Kennedy" phenomenon voted for or supported one of the Bushes. Were they are withering in their scorn when George W succeeded George H.W.? What if Jeb were to arise at the last minute as the principled conservative alternative to the unprincipled Mitt Romney? I think Mr. Keane is correct when he says that with Joe the third we get something like a known quantity. Would that it were so when we got George W! I would much rather have had George H.W. back or even Jeb, both of whom more moderate and more thoughtful than the one we got. Mr. Keane is wrong to suggest that the race is over, however. Because of Citizens United I'm sure there will be a lot of trash talk and distortion from the Far Right.

Talk about mailing it in. Friday going into a 3 day weekend and we get this to read in Globe? Politics aside, I don't live in the 4th district, but if I did I would find this a bit too conclusory and condescending for a Boston Globe piece. Maybe it's time for the author to consider a second or side career in blogging. Lucky for us all, Mr. McGrory has a great column today.

The BG has missed an opportunity to support true democracy. This editorial could have encouraged voters to weigh their options and elect the person who would best represent their interests. Instead, as other comments have expressed, the BG encourages voters to mail it in. The BG could have educated a new generation about "carpetbagging". Does Kennedy want to represent the good people of his new district? or does he want the office and will move wherever he wants so he can obtain the status of this office? Shame. No ethics. The BG could have referenced the analogy of "Lemmings". The voters of Massachusetts are like Lemmings, they will act without thinking independently, taking it a step further, all Kennedy's are Lemmings as well. In the last 50 years not one Kennedy has crossed the line and joined a legitimate alternative party. I challenge anyone to show me five families in the United States with hundreds of offspring where not one family member did not consider another party. The Kennedy's are Lemmings and the voters are Lemmings. For the record: I am a registered Democrat, donate to Obama, and am not a Lemming.

Only liberals could embrace a "One Percenter", unmarried, 31 year old, with virtually no work experience (much less any in the private sector), no history of any accomplishments or distinction in any field or even any history of statements or positions on any political or economic issue. They'd scoff at the lack of credentials, the lack of "intellect" and the lack of just simple life experience anyone of this ilk might present. Liberals would lament the ARROGANCE of such an unaccomplished neophyte presuming to be of any leadership material with this history. Yet place the sainted name "Kennedy" on such a non-entity and the vaunted skepticism of liberals disappears. "Maybe the third generation can match the first." In what regard? Misogyny? Relentless reckless behavior? Substance abuse? If a Kennedy of this generation had any sense wouldn't they first build some kind of resume (public or private) and some kind of reasonable family life to demonstrate they were DIFFERENT in this regard from the famous failings of their predeccessors? Nah, this Joe is as arrogant as the first Joe.....maybe more so as at least the first was an accomplished bootlegger.

Match the first? Drug use and interns. Alcohol and rape. An awesome record

Governor of a state vs....?

hope he is a better driver than Teddy

Nepotism does not equal experience. He was not even working when we had the biggest financial meltdown in 2007. He got into Harvard Law because of family connections, went into the PC that JFK started, got the DA job handed on a sliver platter. Only has 24 months of work experience. Lived at home with mommy until two weeks ago! Never lived in the district. Now because he is a Kennedy, he should be entitled to this the seat. He does not even have to work hard because the Boston Globe and Machine are doing all the work. I want a real person in office, not a Kennedy.

I am ready to have this entire family back in Washington. They stand for the middle man politically and all the 1%ers can blog what they want or blog what they are paid to write but this voter will have a smile on her face ear to ear when a Kennedy is back in Congress. I was so upset when Barney Frank decided to leave but with a Kennedy taking over I will be just as happy and Barney's work will continue. Kennedy will be a little better dressed than Barney. Sorry about that Barney.

I hope that was sarcasm.

It's up to the voters of the 4th District to decide whom to send to the House, and since I don't live in the 4th District it's none of my business whether they chose Kennedy, Bielat or whomever. I don't quite understand the carpetbagger handwringing, since Bielat is as much that as Kennedy, in that both have moved into the 4th District in order to run. I am curious; of the 'I hate the Kennedys' crowd, which of you actually live in the 4th District? Of those of you who don't, are you so passionate in your hatred that you will move to the 4th District in order to vote against this kid?

Fourth generation: Joe > Bobby > Joe II > Joe III. Also, I can attest that the loyalty is to one particular Kennedy family, not the Kennedy name. :-)

I would suggest to all you Kennedy haters from outside of the 4th that, if you have the real courage of your convictions, you would move into the district, even temporarily, just to vote against the "New Joe". Remember, this is going to go on for months. I also thought that Tom Keane's article was essentially satire, and a lot of people took the bait.

Wow, a whole two years work experience. Before aspiring to Washington perhaps he should enhance his resume by signing up to work at his GG Grandmothers greenway. Show us how well he can handle money and straighten that mess out. The pay is far better than a ada and maybe along the way he can convince the family to open up their purse strings.

Tom - I would take issue with your "almost certainly" Republican house. I think it will be very tight.

How pathetic to see the mob of media following him around. It has little to do with his qualifications and more to do about ratings and satisfying the advertisers. When it comes to female voters, a handsome Kennedy will win every time no matter what.