Eric Alterman brought up an exciting political opportunity yesterday: Senator Barney Frank.
If John Kerry gets the Democratic nomination and ultimately wins the White House, there’d obviously be a vacancy in the Senate. Apparently, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), one of my favorite House members, is prepared to make a run for Kerry’s seat.
If for no other reason, this makes a compelling case for Kerry’s campaign.
If Kerry’s the president, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, would have the authority to name a replacement to serve temporarily (as John Furcolo did when JFK won the White House in 1960). But Frank could run the following November against Romney’s Republican candidate. Since there are no Republicans in Massachusetts other than Romney, I suspect Frank’s chances would be pretty good.
My ideal scenario is to see Frank win and have his official desk on the Senate floor placed directly across from Sen. Rick “Man on Dog” Santorum’s seat. The poor schmuck would probably develop a nervous twitch.
Imagine the entertainment value of watching Santorum every day, as he furiously rubs his temples, outraged that he has to serve alongside an openly gay senator.
Hell, I’d probably start using Tivo to record C-SPAN.