Chappaquiddick Redux?

Only a Kennedy would get the type of treatment afforded to young Patrick early this morning when, after crashing his car and stumbling around like a drunk, he was handed a get-out-of-jail-free card by the U.S. Capitol Police.

Kennedy

Reminiscent of Chappaquiddick? In some respects, yes. The fact that police didn't give Rep. Kennedy a sobriety test raises many questions that police and the congressman will have to answer.

Here’s what we know from several news sources, including Roll Call, which broke the story: Kennedy was driving his vehicle around 3 a.m. when he narrowly missed a police car then hit a security barricade at 1st and C Streets near the Cannon House Office Building. He told the cop he was late for a vote, yet the last vote took place six hours earlier.

Two thoughts:

1. Another high-profile Democrat has stuck his foot in his mouth, causing his party embarrassment—just weeks after the Cynthia McKinney episode had vanished from the front pages. With the way congressional Democrats are acting—and the pace at which these incidents keep happening—the GOP might not have to do much work this fall.
2. Father Teddy, who became a national laughingstock for his drunk binges, will have the spotlight shined on him again—just as he’s peddling a new book. I wonder if this will help or hurt sales. Regardless of what happens with Kennedy’s book, it might be a boon for Leo Damore’s “Senatorial Privildge.”