Joe Kennedy Defends His Family, Says Markey Is 'Weaponizing Their History'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Rep. Joe Kennedy III's famous family has become an increasingly hot topic in the Democratic race for Senate in Massachusetts. Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey brought up the Kennedy family during last week's WBZ-TV debate and has referenced them in recent campaign ads.
Rep. Kennedy, who is the son of former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II and grandson of Robert Kennedy, said in a statement to the media at City Hall Plaza Monday that Markey is attacking the Kennedy family by "questioning their integrity, weaponizing their history, appropriating their words."
Kennedy highlighted his family's work during the Civil Rights era and continued his criticism of Markey on racial issues, saying the senator has been wrong "over and over" on issues like school integration and criminal justice.
"If he wants to talk about the Kennedys, then I will talk about the Kennedys," Kennedy said.
During the WBZ-TV debate on Tuesday, Markey asked Kennedy if his father is funding a super PAC responsible for attack ads.
"Tell your father right now, that you don't want money to go into a super PAC that runs negative ads. Just tell your twin brother and tell your father you don't want any money to be spent on negative ads," Markey said.
Markey's campaign used that moment for a social media ad, in which he wrote "Free advice for Joe Kennedy. Don't rely on the old man's money." Another Markey spot referenced President John F. Kennedy's iconic "Ask not what your country can do for you" quote.
"We asked what we could do for our country. We went out, we did it," Markey says. "With all due respect, it's time to start asking what your country can do for you."
WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller says the race is a toss-up and it's unclear who will benefit from putting the spotlight on the Kennedy family.
"With his attack on Kennedy's family, Markey doubled down on a key strategic assumption – that the number of voters offended by the notion that the son of a famous, wealthy family would try to take out a longtime, reasonably-well-liked incumbent is greater than those who think well of the Kennedys," Keller wrote. "And after Tuesday night, he has to hope that the margin those attacks might provide will exceed the number of voters disturbed by police violence who may have gagged on Markey's contention that signing a couple of letters was evidence that he really did try his best to help the family of slain black Easton college student DJ Henry find justice, despite the family's claim he gave them short shrift."
