Joe Kennedy III Wins Primary for Barney Frank's Congressional Seat

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Days after Joseph P. Kennedy III stood in front of the Democratic National Convention to offer a tribute to his great-uncle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, he found himself on a smaller platform just outside Boston, shaking hands with commuters at a public transit station here on the first day of his general election campaign in the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts.

Mr. Kennedy, 31, handily won his primary election Thursday, taking 90 percent of the vote in a contest with two relatively unknown rivals, Rachel Brown and Herb Robinson, and once again keeping the Kennedy name prominent in Massachusetts politics.

A former assistant district attorney and Peace Corps volunteer, Mr. Kennedy is hoping to take the seat occupied by Barney Frank, who announced last fall that he would retire after representing the district for more than 30 years.

“Those are very, very, very big shoes to fill,” said Bobbi Fox, 58, a software engineer who, like Mr. Frank, lives in Newton, Mass., and was chatting with Mr. Kennedy on Friday evening. She said that she planned to vote for Mr. Kennedy but that he still needed to prove himself to voters who probably knew more about his family than about him.

Mr. Kennedy’s challenger, Sean Bielat, shares the sentiment.

“Based on what I’ve seen from his résumé, it’s pretty thin,” said Mr. Bielat, who defeated Elizabeth Childs, a former state health commissioner, and David Steinhof, a dentist, in the Republican primary.

Mr. Bielat, 37, a businessman and a former Marine, ran an aggressive race against Mr. Frank in 2010.

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At Barney Frank's Wedding, Vegan Soba and Pelosi on the Dance Floor

Gretchen Ertl for The New York TimesRepresentative Barney Frank, left, with his husband, Jim Ready, during their wedding reception in Newton, Mass.

NEWTON, Mass. — Senator John Kerry and Gov. Deval L. Patrick left early. But Representative Nancy Pelosi stayed late — and swayed on the dance floor to “It’s Raining Men.”

Elizabeth Kucinich snapped photographs, as her husband, Dennis, chatted up Representative Steny H. Hoyer by the hors d’oeuvres. And Terrence McNally, the playwright, joined in the hora and a group singalong of “Low Rider” by War, with President Obama-themed lyrics written for the occasion.

There was no shortage of boldface public servants here on Saturday, when Representative Barney Frank was married in what one guest described as “the wedding of the century for liberal gay Democratic politics.” And the reception, with music, vegan dishes and general sentimental gushing, offered its own display of the liberal Democrat establishment celebrating the first-ever same-sex wedding of a congressman.

Eschewing more glamorous locales, Mr. Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, and his husband, Jim Ready, chose a nondescript Marriott in his Congressional district to host the occasion. The hotel overlooks a bend of the Charles River — and a busy, honking intersection of two major highways. (Mr. Frank said he liked the convenience for out-of-town guests.)

The ceremony, which began at 6 p.m., took place in a garden outside the hotel’s first floor. Mr. Kerry sat by Ms. Pelosi, the House minority leader, in the first few rows.

Gretchen Ertl for The New York TimesRepresentative Nancy Pelosi congratulated Mr. Frank.

Mr. Frank, famous for his tirades, appeared close to tears as his sister, Ann Lewis, walked him down the aisle. He was trailed by a few hired photographers and by Ms. Kucinich, who leapt with joy as the bridegrooms appeared and snapped dozens of photos for an album that she planned to present as a gift to the couple.

“You could see the joy on their faces,” Ms. Kucinich said. She and Mr. Ready had become close friends at Congressional retreats and picnics. “He’s humble, and at the same time, he carries a sense of joy about himself,” she said.

Later, at an outdoor cocktail reception after the ceremony, Ms. Kucinich ran up to a reporter and gestured toward a nearby meadow.

“Did you see all the rabbits?” Ms. Kucinich asked. “It’s a sign of fertility for their marriage.”

Senator Kerry and Governor Patrick, who officiated, were nowhere to be found by the time the party moved indoors, to the Marriott’s grand ballroom. There, guests dined on a four-course meal that included New England clam chowder, vegan soba noodles and a vegetable strudel.

Ms. Pelosi, in pearls and a pantsuit, sat next to Representative Rosa L. DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut. The groomsmen wore brand-new Joseph Abboud suits, gifts from the couple from the Massachusetts-based manufacturer. (The wool, however, was by Loro Piana, a premium Italian mill.) The dark floral ties were designed by Baruch Shemtov, a close friend of the couple.

After cake, a lyrics sheet was passed out to the guests. It was a reworked version of the 1970s hit “Low Rider,” with politically themed lyrics co-written by Mr. Ready. Excerpts:

“All. My. Friends. Are voting O-ba-ma. … Take a little trip. Take a little trip. To help the e-con-o-mee. / Take a little trip. Take a little trip. To help beat the G-O-P.”

The gift bags included salt-water taffy from Maine, where Mr. Ready lives, and Necco wafers from Mr. Frank’s Bay State district.

Representative Hoyer, the Maryland Democrat, said he and Mr. Frank had been elected to Congress within a year of each other. Asked if he thought Mr. Frank would be the last member of his Congressional class to get married, Mr. Hoyer laughed.

“If I had been betting, I’d have bet yes,” he said.

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Barney Frank's 2012 Slogan for Democrats: 'We're Not Perfect, but They're Nuts' (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Barney Frank announced a few weeks ago that he would not be seeking reelection in his home district in Massachusetts in 2012, ending a 32-year congressional career. But it hasn't stopped him from being as outspoken as ever. In an appearance on MSNBC Monday evening, Frank told Lawrence O'Donnell that the Republican candidates were making statements as if they were "kings" and that the GOP had moved further to the right. He also jokingly implied that voters in 2012 should vote for Democrats because Republicans were "nuts."

After telling O'Donnell that the Republican race thus far had been "entertaining," he suggested that the Democratic slogan for 2012 should be: "We're not perfect, but they're nuts."

Given Frank's moderate to liberal views, there is reason to believe that he was only partially joking. The GOP candidates have been only too willing to build a foundation for the argument that they're slightly eccentric, deranged, or mentally imbalanced.

Take, for instance, presidential hopeful and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum's insistence that abortions were responsible for less money being taken in by the Social Security Administration and causing the prognosticated upcoming crisis of a broke system.

Then there are the multiple statements from Rep. Michele Bachmann about gays, including that homosexuals were "part of Satan" (as reported in the Daily Mail). CNN reported that she told an audience member at one of her rallies in Iowa that the landmark Kinsey Report was unfounded, agreeing with her husband's remark that the findings were a "myth." She also once stated before Congress (captured on C-SPAN) that there was no scientific evidence that carbon dioxide was a harmful gas.

Texas governor Rick Perry made headlines -- a spawned a viral video, like that posted by the Associated Press -- with his reply to a child's question about evolution that it was a theory that was "out there." The fact is, it is a proven theory (as opposed to the creationism he said was taught in Texas public schools -- but is not).

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich also has sounded off on odd beliefs, such as the time when he told a group of evangelicals in San Antonio, according to Politico, that he feared his grandchildren would one day live in "a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American." Secular atheist and Muslim? As strange as that sounds, what about the grandchildren so easily reconditioned to forget that the "American way of life?"

Although these statements and positions are not indicative of Republicans as a collective and do not reflect upon candidates in the 2012 Republican nomination race as a whole, they should give voters pause -- especially with regard to future elections where these presidential contenders might compete. That is, unless voters choose to believe that it is outgoing Rep. Barney Frank who is "nuts" and that statements such as those made by several of the presidential candidates are reasonable.

Because, as is so much in the realm of politics, labeling persons, positions, and issues as "nuts" is most assuredly relative...

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How Frank's Retirement Hurts Democrats and Helps Republicans (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | When Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., announced today he would retire at the end of his current term, it was a serious blow to the Democrats. As a former political consultant, I know the damage of this retirement goes beyond the committees he sat on or the legislation he attempted to pass. One of the major faces of the party is turning off the lights and going home.

Frank is someone people have gotten to recognize over the years due to the fact he is often a guest on news shows. At times, he has been a voice of the Democrats and has been the go-to-guy in stressful times for his insight. He has gained a reputation for being quick on his feet and strong in his resolve. While I rarely agree with the congressional leader, I have always respected him.

People feel comfortable when they see commentators on the news they recognize. There is something odd in the human psyche that causes us to be more likely to trust people we recognize over those which are unfamiliar to us. With Rep. Frank moving on, the Democrats lose one of those familiar faces that people have learned to trust, or at least semi-accept.

At the same time, Frank works with many of the younger Democrats in Congress and has helped them stay firm in their resolve. These up-and-coming politicians will wake up tomorrow to the reality of one of their leaders giving up on the system. What does this tell them about the future of the Democrats in Congress?

At the same time, since he is walking away due to the redistricting, this may cause some of the other leaders in Congress to become convinced to do the same. Frank thinks the next election will be too difficult due to the redistricting in his state. How many Democrats will become discouraged by the redistricting in their states and place an undue amount of concern on the issue?

Even if Frank's seat goes to another Democrat, the Republicans can still chalk up a win. With one of the loudest voices in Congress being silenced, the Republicans are able to gain more strength. Instead of worrying about battling Frank, now they can focus on whoever had the best chance of carrying his torch.

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