Democrats showed a video at the DNC Tuesday night showing the late Ted Kennedy criticizing Mitt Romney during their 1994 Massachusetts Senate race, which drew a strong reaction from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “Classless Dems use tribute video of deceased Ted Kennedy to attack Mitt Romney,” Priebus ripped on Twitter. The video began with Kennedy’s legislative highlights but turned political two minutes into the seven-minute package, with extended clips from a debate between the nine-term senator and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in 1994.
Romney touts his healthcare plan and champions abortion rights during the debate, saying, “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country.” Kennedy responds, “I am pro-choice, my opponent is multiple choice.” Kennedy says in a speech shown later, “Now he’s for family leave, now it looks like he’s for a minimum wage, now he’s for education reform, and if we give him two more weeks he may even vote for me.”
Call it classless or crafty, the content of the video at least had the blessing of Joe Kennedy III, Ted Kennedy’s 31-year-old nephew who’s running for outgoing congressman Barney Frank’s seat. Kennedy III introduced the video, saying of his uncle: “Make no mistake he is here with us this evening.” And still campaigning!
