Source is admittedly not that great - Matt Drudge citing the National Enquirer. But it has profound implications for the political landscape of the senate if true, as the governor of Massachussetts is a Republican (I think).
Umm… what’s the question again? Ted Kennedy has a well-documented history of substance abuse. If he eventually develops cirrhosis of the liver, it shouldn’t surprise anyone.
The Acting Governor in Massachusetts is a Republican in name only - Jane Swift. She has no real authority or power to influence policy. The state is really run by Tom Birmingham.
Until there’s a press release from the Senior Senator, there isn’t any way to answer this question with authority. Off to IMHO we go …
Actually, wouldn’t it be more accurate to state that the state is run by Ted?
No. Ted holds a federal office and has no authority at the state level other than to occassionally wave the bloody flag.
Kennedy doesn’t run the state. His nephew, former Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III started working on a run for governor a couple years back, and backed out pretty quickly. Another nephew, Max Kennedy, decided against a run for Joseph Moakley’s recently vacated Congressional seat, presumably because the family didn’t feel he was electable.
Birmingham, on the other hand, seems to have almost single-handedly gerrymandered Marty Meehan’s seat in Congress out from under him, out of revenge for Meehan’s support for election reform. And it’s not even a year that we’re losing or gaining a seat.
Not sure what Massachusetts law says about replacing a senator mid-term though.
Although not part of the state government, he still has a lot of political influence in state affairs.
And that’s what I meant. Duh.
The answer to the OP is yes. Because, after all, we’re all dying - it’s just a matter of time. 