I thought this piece in the WaPo was kind of interesting:
Behind each of Edward M. Kennedy’s legislative victories was a vast coterie of staffers who became Washington legend. They meticulously packed the senator’s black briefcase each evening with tabbed, underlined and dog-eared briefing papers. They helped him hone his floor arguments late into the night over dinner and wine at his home. They took turns walking Splash and Sunny, cleaning up the mess that Kennedy’s Portuguese water dogs left on the manicured Capitol grounds.
Suite 317, tucked along a marble-floored and white-columned corridor of the Russell Senate Office Building, was not only the liberal lion’s den. It also was the finishing school for generations of Kennedy’s cubs, hundreds of zealous proteges who came to work for the Massachusetts Democrat. For decades, scores of smart and ambitious Democrats flocked to Kennedy for jobs, and his staff of dozens, which swelled in size as he attained seniority, became unrivaled and widely praised across Capitol Hill.
***“Teddy’s staff was the farm system for the Democratic Party for a generation,” Kerry said. “He was a magnet for brilliant, creative, progressive minds and hard-charging, hard-nosed operatives. But it was bigger than that. Teddy’s staff had an unparalleled loyalty to him because he was so unfailingly loyal to them.”
I’m the first person to admit Kennedy had a troubled past, and did some horrible things, had some personal failings, and was, like all of us, a flawed person. Just as I think the true measure of a person is how they treat those who can not defend themselves (animals, kids, etc.), the true measure of a leader is how they treat their staff. The only other recent people I have seen this kind of loyalty going both ways were Reagan and Hillary Clinton. Maybe there are others, but it seems like with these folks, it really stands out. Their folks would crawl over broken glass for them.
RedKitten
That alone is more of a legacy than most people could ever hope for. I hope that all of these “Kennedy cubs” continue Teddy’s fight.
General Winfield Stuck
Yea, Hillary’s staff would crawl over broken glass. They have to from all they shit they break.
SGEW
Good point. They should be applauded for this: it really is an admirable characteristic. And that’s all I’m going to say.
feebog
I hope there are more stories this weekend that feature ENK’s generosity and kindness to people from all walks of life over the years. Yes, the guy made some mistakes in his life, but the good he did over his political carrer and in his personal life stands as a testement to the man.
Waynski
I think that’s right. Genuine loyalty is a two way street and difficult to achieve, not just in American politics, but in almost all aspects of life.
Cain
I heard on NPR the way Kennedy yelled at John Sununno (?) who was Chief of Staff for Bush the elder. Apparently, John was screaming at a staffer and Kennedy got bright red and then yelled at him saying “don’t EVER yell at your staffers like that. You can talk to me that way, but never to your staff.” I thought that was pretty cool. So he doesn’t allow any staffers to be mistreated.
cain
vacuumslayer
Wow. That’s the mark of a very classy person.
Leelee for Obama
Ted Kennedy had an innate sense of what it meant to be a worker, not a boss. Some of it I’m sure he learned by virtue of being the last child. In most families, that would have meant he was spoiled, but to Old Joe, he was the runt of the litter and had to figure out how to climb up and over the older sibs. Some I think he learned through the mistakes he made during his life journey.
That his staff were his loyal foot-soldiers is a testament to his own doctrine of fairness, and their absolute belief in his mission.
I hope they continue his work and keep his legacy alive and relevant to us all.
wilfred
I don’t know about this. Personal loyalty is the sine qua non of all staff, military or otherwise. A political aide that did not show intense loyalty to his boss would not be likely to find a staff job with somebody else.
Lewis Libby kept his mouth shut, too. Does that say anything about Cheney?
PeakVT
“Teddy’s staff was the farm system for the Democratic Party for a generation,”
Is this part of the reason Mass is so overwhelmingly Democratic? I’ve never had the sense that Democrats are all that good at developing future candidates – or that they do it at all, really. But at least one Dem has been, whether consciously or unconsciously.
rob!
Their folks would crawl over broken glass for them.
That can cut both ways, of course. Dubya’s people were willing to shred the Constitution for him. That’s a case of too much loyalty.
Napoleon
I recall reading something like 15 or 20 years ago that Kennedy had the best staff on the hill and that was the office you wanted to be in if you wanted to be a staffer, so this isn’t just saying nice things about the newly dead guy.
Mike G
Thousands turned out for Kennedy’s funeral not just because he was a political celebrity, but because he was responsible for real improvements in regular peoples’ lives. Not a bad legacy.
Makes we wonder who would turn out for Cheney’s funeral — a handful of plutocrat cronies, defense contractors, mercenary firms and can’t-wait-for-Armageddon religious zealots.
Brachiator
Well said. But in addition to the loyalty, what stands out for me here, somewhat surprisingly, is how Kennedy cultivated loyal and competent staffers.
Bush cultivated loyalists selected because of their political ideology and personal loyalty to Bush, but without much regard for actual ability. It was kind of a country club/frat house sense of connection. Hillary Clinton attracted people who were fiercely loyal to her personally, but who also would not give her good or negative advice if it would displease her. They were loyal, but did not serve her well.
Oddly enough, in light of this story about Kennedy’s cubs, we have the contrast of Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (who had backed Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid) who has a reputation of being more interested in photo-ops than in actually running the city. The mayor recently announced some major shake-ups in his staff, including this little nugget.
More details here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-mayor-staff28-2009aug28,0,5986918.story
Kennedy’s people seemed to be focused on Kennedy’s agenda and on giving him the best possible information to get the job done. The senator did not appear to be interested in cronyism or ideological purity in the absence of competence.
As an aside, I wonder how Al Franken will do in assembling his staffers. I recall in reading the background to one of his books that he put together a tremendously organized team of researchers to help him track down the lying liars like Limbaugh, Hannity and company.
eric
@rob!: I think that was loyalty and affinity to power, not to person. Plus, many people are “loyal” during their stay with you, but not after they are gone. Some people have a certain something that makes you want to be near them. Working for Kennedy was a plum assignment, but that did not mean it had to be a great working environment. In many cases, the more attractive the job, the less enjoyable the environment because the job itself is enough to keep you there. Kennedy was loved because he was a good man. Good men screw up. If they didn’t, then I am not sure what the point of Grace would be. We are fallen creatures, imperfect and fragile. Our true redemption rests in the soul’s we touch with our attempts at goodness. Kennedy was indeed a good man.
eric
arguingwithsignposts
@Brachiator:
Someone wrote a diary on the Great Orange Satan right after Franken finally won the election about how caring Franken was in real life, even to someone he’d just met. He seems down to earth, and I hope that appearance is more reality. We need more liberal lions.
Skepticat
People I know who have worked for the senator (one was his chief of staff for several years) all reinforce this completely.
wasabi gasp
It’s all about minions and fat cats.
EnderWiggin
John,
I think you may have touched on this, but when you were on the right, didn’t you just hate, hate, hate Teddy? I certainly did. Even though I thought well of JFK, and was neutral on RFK, Ted Kennedy was a symbol of all that was wrong with the Democratic party.
The biggest impact this week has had on me personally is to realize how far away from the GOP I have strayed since 2001.
Every Chappaquiddick reference has pissed me off this week, but back then it was the defining ‘thing’ about him. I think any recitation to me of his many accomplishments would have fallen on deaf ears.
gbear
The legal team that Franken put together for the recount was amazingly competent, articulate, and SMART. It made Coleman’s team look like a bunch of miracle-mop salesman. (sorry for the goofy analogy, but the MN State Fair started yesterday)
Brachiator
@Leelee for Obama:
That’s the amazing thing. He was spoiled, but ultimately rose above it. According to his NY Times obit,
Here was a guy who got kicked out of Harvard for getting someone to take a test for him, but who later re-entered the university and became a serious student.
An interesting and complex character.
Comrade Darkness
I was going to comment on this the other day when the topic of constituent services came up. Yes, the pol provides leadership and initial staffing decisions, but constituent services in the end are a direct function of quality staff. It’s not arm twisting or threats that gets stuff fixed for some poor schlep, it’s knowing the right person to call to get action and how best to approach that person (i.e., have a personal relationship because you’ve talked with them before). The staff would have handled the vast majority of issues themselves. Just the “I’m calling from Senator Ted Kennedy’s office” would suffice to get a hearing.
jennifer
I am smiling as I read about all of us having a past…G W Bush had a DUI, and that was worse than Mary Jo!!
I bet Mary Jo wishes she was a staff member now.
schrodinger's cat
Is it John Cole and Tunch that you speak of?
wasabi gasp
@jennifer:
…and the rest is history.
Mnemosyne
@jennifer:
GW Bush killed thousands (at least) of Iraqis and Americans in a trumped-up war built on lies, but I’m so much more outraged about a single drunk driving accident 40 years ago!
Demo Woman
“Meet the Press” is having a Kennedy tribute on Sunday. “Fox News Sunday” is having Papa Cheney. Not to be outdone daughter Liz will be on “This Week.”
jennifer
So folks 1 death is acceptable but thousands is not? So when does death become a deal breaker? 4, 10, 100…because to me Mary Jo was enough.
I mean Kennedy was for the gg–You know the greater good!
So all is well, one does not count.
El Cid
Senator Jesse Helms was famed in North Carolina for his amazing constituent service by his dedicated staff, and I still think he was an awful, miserable, worthless, harmful son of a bitch who had no place in pubic office in any decent nation.
Comrade Kevin
@jennifer: Laura Bush ran a stop sign and killed someone in a car accident back in 1963. Should she be condemned forever, or is your concern only for people who die in accidents caused by Democrats?
wasabi gasp
@jennifer: So, go light 100,001 candles.
Brachiator
@jennifer:
Wow. A real zinger. Not. I don’t minimize Kennedy’s role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Nor have most Kennedy memorialists that I have read or listened to.
On the other hand, I don’t make simple-minded negations of the Senator’s entire career.
Kennedy’s actions here very likely was one of the key factors that kept him from the presidency. You might call this a partial public judgement of him.
I also would not make an assertion that the rest of his life and his Senate career fully or even “partially” redeemed what happened with Ms. Kopechne.
Now, I suppose that someone capable could write something interesting about private sins and public life. Apparently, you aren’t that person.
By the way, do you know anything about Kopechne, other than her name and relationship to Ted Kennedy? She was a remarkable woman in many ways. She should not be reduced to a talking point.
Oh yeah. If we were taking cheap shots, we could touch on Laura Bush’s responsibility for the death of Michael Dutton Douglas:
MNPundit
Maybe for his state. Certainly we are not seeing any of that reflected at the national level.
jennifer
Are you serious? Running a stop sign is the same as fleeing the seen of an accident?
Laura Bush was 17, how old was Ted Kennedy?
Mr Kennedy had time to complain to the front desk about loud music after he returned from swimming to shore, knowing that Mary Jo was in the car.
Typical once again…so I will add on-
Because Laura Bush had an accident as a minor, we should exempt Ted Kennedy from fleeing a scene?
Ted Kennedy is a real man to idolize and the Left is blessed to have him, as he props up what money and a family name can do for one. Feel free to mention anyone else you wish as living such a pathetic way, because it will not change the fact that Mr. Kennedy both private and public was riding on always having an out because he was a Kennedy(cue somber music). I mean don’t you know that tragedy has befallen the family? First with Joe Jr, then John, then Bobbie, then his alcoholic wife, his dalliances, Mary Jo(oops that was not a tragedy but of an alcoholic and his party pick up heading off somewhere to consummate further the relationship)…
What a hero. It is time to remove all the political elite and the media that holds them up so dear. This worship by the Left of their politicians is embarrassing and makes me wish to wipe the brown off your noses.
Brachiator
@jennifer:
Nope. I wanted to see how low you would stoop to continue your silly little screed.
I was not disappointed.
jennifer
Brachiator- aren’t you soooo clever?
The Left has perhaps a minor celebrity to uplift with Teddy gone…as you seem to have a chance!
Brachiator
@jennifer:
You know, I’m pretty much done with you.
And yes, I am clever.
Have a nice day.
terry chay
We need a troll scoreboard.
Adrienne
Can you name one person among us who said that she doesn’t count? Go ahead. I’ll wait…………..
Didn’t think so. However, do the literally millions of people whose lives are better, easier, or more worth living not count when you judge him? Do his works here on earth count for nothing? Will you judge him solely by his deeds on one night 40 years ago or will you judge the entire man? Was he flawed? Incredibly. He was human. Flesh and blood like you and me. Do you not believe in redemption? Or in second chances? In grace? Or do you judge all of us by the worst in us? Are we all defined by our our darkest day or onerous hour? If so, I feel nothing but incredible pity for you and for the small life you lead and the suffocating world you inhabit.
Mnemosyne
@jennifer:
In other words, you’re more concerned about the death of one white woman 40 years ago due to Kennedy’s bad judgement than the thousands of deaths that continue to this day thanks to Bush’s bad judgement.
But, hey, they’re all just a bunch of foreigners, so who cares if they die? The really important thing is that Ted Kennedy stumbled away from the scene of a car accident 40 years ago after suffering a concussion. Because, as we all know, head injuries always lead to rational action.
And your “how many deaths are necessary to be outraged?” schtick would be a lot more convincing if you could actually point to more than one.