By Andrew Allegretta
BOSTON, MA - The Massachusetts governor picked former Democratic National Committee chairman Paul Kirk Jr. as the temporary replacement for late Senator Ted Kennedy. That's according to Democratic aids who'd been told of the decision.
"He is intimately knowledgeable and supportive of the work that
Sen. Kennedy was doing," said one of the aides. "He can start right away on that work."
Who is Paul Kirk Jr.?Kirk, 71, spent eight years on Sen. Kennedy's staff early in his career. More recently, he's a Boston lawyer and a registered lobbyist for the pharmaceutical companies. He was also the master of ceremonies last month for a memorial service the evening before Kennedy's funeral.
60th Vote
This temporary appointment brings the Democrats and President Barack Obama back to the critical 60th vote in the Senate.
With 60 democratic senators, Obama and the Democrats have a super-majority and can avoid filibusters by the Republicans, meaning it becomes simpler to pass difficult legislation like health care.
