Kaufman tapped to fill Biden's seat

[onehandle]

Source: The News Journal

DOVER — Gov. Ruth Ann Minner said today she will appointed Ted Kaufman, a longtime, close adviser to Sen. Joe Biden to fill the senator's seat until a 2010 special election, a move that some warned could leave Delaware’s Democratic party feelings bruised for years to come.

The selection of the former Biden chief of staff was widely seen as a move by Vice president-elect Biden to protect his seat for his oldest son, Attorney General Beau Biden, now deploying to Iraq with his Delaware National Guard unit.

Snubbed with the choice was Lt. Gov. John Carney, considered a party favorite for the appointment. Carney as recently as last week had said he would take the job under any terms offered, including as a "placeholder" who would serve only until the 2010 regular election.

Those assurances apparently fell short of Biden's requirements. Minner had said several times since Biden's election to the vice-presidency that she would seek his guidance for the appointment.

Read more: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20081124/NEWS01/81124022/1058/DCP

[LynneSin]

1. Kaufman may be a placeholder to save the seat for Beau but another reason it was him...

Carney is way more moderate than Joe Biden. The nice thing about Kaufman is that he will respect the way Joe Biden was a senator and probably align more towards the Biden way than with Tom Carper.

If John Carney was picked then we'd basically have a Tom Carper clone. I like Carper, I'll vote for him, but he's a bit too moderate for my taste and on the leadership board at the DLC.

[4lbs]

2. I agree. Kaufman, being a close adviser, would essentially be Biden-lite until Beau can run for the

seat in 2010.

[SteveG]

3. Excellent point

I'm surprised that it is Kaufman, but I agree with you that he will be far more a "Biden" than Carney. The party in DE is changing, it is moving away from the old guard. Kaufman may be more than a placeholder. I think that Beau may want to do two terms as AG, and then go for Castle's seat in the House. He is young and could shoot for Gov. after Markell leaves office.

[the other one]

5. More moderate?

Is that more conservative, or more liberal. My guess would be the latter. What say you?

[Cha]

6. Good to know..thank

you, Lynne!

[Judi Lynn]

4. Longtime Biden aide picked to fill his Senate seat

Longtime Biden aide picked to fill his Senate seat
10 mins ago

WILMINGTON, Del. – Edward "Ted" Kaufman, a former aide to Sen. Joe Biden, was named Monday by Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to fill the Senate seat Biden is leaving for the vice presidency. Kaufman is president of a political and management consulting firm based in Wilmington. Kaufman served on Biden's Senate staff from 1973 to 1994, including 19 years as chief of staff. He is an advisory board member to President-elect Barack Obama's transition team.

Speculation on Biden's successor had centered in recent weeks on his son, Attorney General Beau Biden. Last week, however, the younger Biden announced that he planned to fulfill his National Guard duties and wouldn't accept an appointment to his father's U.S. Senate seat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081124/ap_on_go_co/biden_senate