EDWARD KENNEDY’S legislative talent and family name weren’t the only reasons why he was a national leader. The people of Massachusetts want their senators and representatives to achieve real prominence. More than that, they expect it.
Yesterday’s filing deadline made official what had been merely obvious: The Kennedy era is over, and the seat that once belonged to John and Ted Kennedy will pass to one of four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination or - less likely in deep-blue Massachusetts - to the lone Republican in the race. All these candidates will be judged not on their ability to mimic the Kennedys’ unique charisma, but to lead in their own right.
In other states, senators are discouraged from playing national roles; it makes them instantly vulnerable to the charge that they’re neglecting local needs, as most recent Senate majority leaders can attest.
Massachusetts thinks otherwise. It believes that its interests are best served when its legislative representatives are national figures. It believes its values should be given full expression on the global stage. It demands senators of both influence and distinction. And it has been prepared to give its senators and representatives the luxury of time in office, free of constant campaigning, to build a larger portfolio.
Henry Cabot Lodge Sr., Leverett Saltonstall, Paul Tsongas, and John Kerry didn’t achieve prominence because of their last names; Massachusetts voters provided the platform from which they could weigh in on national issues. Joseph Martin, John McCormack, Tip O’Neill, Joe Moakley, Ed Markey, Barney Frank, and other powerful speakers and committee chairmen didn’t take the House by storm; they were given the time and mandate from the voters to achieve real power.
The qualifications for Kennedy’s seat should be the ability to articulate a vision, write important laws, and bring the fruits of those labors home to Massachusetts.
An important career in law enforcement, effective service as a mayor of a changing city, a lucrative business career, and a record of innovation in promoting volunteerism aren’t proof of success in the US Senate.
Ted Kennedy is gone. The most appropriate tribute to him will be to measure his potential replacements by his impressive standards. The Senate candidates should be on notice that over the next seven weeks they will be judged as leaders. Kennedy left large shoes, and the people of Massachusetts will support whichever candidate is best able to fill them.
