# How come there are no fun speculations about why Tom Kean Jr. has vanished? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 3, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589 "2026-06-03T14:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/21 "2026-06-03T20:15:21Z")
Or his original bug skin. Happened to a guy in [upstate New York in 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_in_Black_(1997_film)). [![](https://i.redd.it/8o26l0qlclk31.jpg) ](https://i.redd.it/8o26l0qlclk31.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/22 "2026-06-03T20:25:02Z")
He was obviously abducted by aliens. Maybe syphilis or something similar. If you are interested in how much time a Times reporter trying to find out, you can read this:[https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/nyregion/tom-kean-jr-new-jersey-absence.html?unlocked\_article\_code=1.nVA.tJNF.uxbGCyjmKz99&smid=url-share](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/nyregion/tom-kean-jr-new-jersey-absence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nVA.tJNF.uxbGCyjmKz99&smid=url-share) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/23 "2026-06-03T20:27:34Z")
Can you get syphilis from sleeping with the fishes? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/24 "2026-06-03T20:30:23Z")
That’s actually amazing – visited all of his homes, called campaign staff, hospitals, talk to people who live near him. He has been on a few calls, or an AI who sounds like him has been on a few calls at least… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/25 "2026-06-03T21:15:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Trump endorsed the congressman and said that Kean is doing a great job. Honestly, given that a Republican member of the House missed that many votes, I have to agree. If only all of them were doing such a great job. I agree. Every Republican currently serving in the House or the Senate should follow Kean’s fine, even inspirational example. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/26 "2026-06-03T21:41:09Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Maybe he has been getting blackmailed by a secret gay lover. Wouldn’t be new for a NJ politician. The real conspiracy with McGreevey was the real reason why he resigned. The fact that he was gay was the worst kept secret in the state. My cite is the fact that I knew before he was elected and I am not particularly connected. The only things I can imagine they would want to keep secret are if he had a severe mental breakdown or he is in a long very intensive inpatient drug rehab. Any other health issue wouldn’t be kept a secret. If it was something like cancer the sympathy would probably help him. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/27 "2026-06-03T21:58:29Z")
The Congressman now permanently resides under Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/28 "2026-06-03T22:04:20Z")
Adrenochrome? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/29 "2026-06-03T22:14:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The only things I can imagine they would want to keep secret are if he had a severe mental breakdown or he is in a long very intensive inpatient drug rehab. These are both things that I hope people here wouldn’t make fun of. I’ll be on board with ridiculing him if it does turn out to be something stupid or hypocritical on his part. But I’d feel bad if I joked about it now and it ends up being something serious. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/30 "2026-06-03T22:26:07Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Adrenochrome? But without the blood libel aspects. Just the crazy Carl Kolchak aspects. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/31 "2026-06-03T23:31:17Z")
As a serious suggestion, is it possible he’s seriously ill, and this is his job, and if he resigns he has no health insurance? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/32 "2026-06-03T23:32:15Z")
Damn. That would be sad, given that one political party has obstructed any attempt at resolving that problem in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/33 "2026-06-03T23:33:01Z")
After reading the NY Times article, I’m going to go with drug or alcohol rehab inpatient. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/34 "2026-06-03T23:37:46Z")
Hello, people! You’re overlooking the obvious. He got kidnapped by the Jersey Devil. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/35 "2026-06-03T23:39:38Z")
That or he’s wandering around the [Pine Barrens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Barrens_(The_Sopranos)). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/36 "2026-06-03T23:45:01Z")
Try mixing the relish and the ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/37 "2026-06-03T23:45:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > severe mental breakdown or he is in a long very intensive inpatient drug rehab Must be something like this, but I would have thought the NY Times could maybe track that down. Anyway, I hope he’s OK and loses the election. Totally useless nepo baby. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/38 "2026-06-03T23:46:15Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Try mixing the relish and the ketchup. Kinky! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/39 "2026-06-03T23:50:53Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > These are both things that I hope people here wouldn’t make fun of. I wouldn’t make fun of him for having a mental breakdown, but I would still hope that he would resign, or failing that get voted out. Mental stability is a job requirement for high government office. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589/40 "2026-06-03T23:59:39Z")
Is it? Doesn’t seem to be… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-there-are-no-fun-speculations-about-why-tom-kean-jr-has-vanished/1030589.md?page=3)