Reporting Congressman Patrick Kennedy's decision to not run for
re-election this fall for his House seat representing Rhode Island, CBS
and ABC on Friday night bemoaned the impending lack of a Kennedy in the
House or Senate - presuming no other Kennedy runs and wins this
November - as the "end of an era." CBS even created a chart to display
the timeline for Kennedys in office, as fill-in CBS Evening News anchor
Maggie Rodriguez announced:
It is the end of an era, the Kennedy era. Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy has decided not to seek re-election in November. So early next year there will be no Kennedy holding elected office in Washington for the first time since 1947, more than 63 years.
Over on ABC, Diane Sawyer plugged the upcoming story: "End of an era. The last Kennedy in Congress calling it quits."
In the subsequent report, Sawyer recalled: "It was 1946 when his uncle
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected to the House. Then, his uncle,
Senator Robert Kennedy, and then his father, Ted." Getting a bit
carried away, Sawyer then asserted: "There has always been a Kennedy in Washington."
Sawyer, with "End of an Era" as the on-screen graphic, on the
Friday, February 12 World News, leading into a clip of Patrick Kennedy
recalling his late father, Senator Ted Kennedy:
As we said, for the first time in 64 years, it looks as if there will not be a Kennedy serving in the U.S. Congress. Today, Patrick Kennedy announced he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Congress. It was 1946 when his uncle John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected to the House. Then, his uncle, Senator Robert Kennedy, and then his father, Ted. There has always been a Kennedy in Washington.
- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center