Politics

Kennedys and Bidens show democratic dynasties weakening

AJ Contributor
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Admittedly, after the Bush debacle, the concept of American political dynasties has lost a bit of its allure (sorry, Hillary!). Nonetheless, once upon a time, the Democrats actually benefited from their political aristocrats’ treating elected office as a birthright.

But that’s no longer the case. Indeed, one of the reasons Democrats are in such bad shape at the moment is because their leading families such as the Kennedys and the Bidens have suddenly lost their sense of entitlement. Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, announced he will not to run for his father’s former U.S. Senate seat in Delaware. After Ted Kennedy died in August, Martha Coakley’s campaign didn’t pick up steam until Teddy’s widow, Vicki, and his nephew Joe made clear that they weren’t interested in occupying his old Senate seat themselves.

Full story: The Question of Democratic Dynasties — New York Magazine