Mr Joseph Kennedy, a six-term US Congressman, has decided "reluctantly" he will not be a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts next year, he announced yesterday. But he will be a candidate for re-election to Congress for a seventh two-year term.
The congressman (44) was expected to run and was a favourite to win until his former wife, Ms Sheila Rauch Kennedy, published a book, Shattered Faith, in which she said she was forced to accept an annulment of their 12-year marriage because her husband lacked "due discretion" in marrying her.
Ms Kennedy said she did not understand the phrase. Mr Kennedy is married again.
Ms Kennedy also quoted the congressman as describing church doctrine as gobbledygook. She used the terms "nonsense" and "hypocrisy" to describe the annulment process.
Mr Kennedy made a public apology last April for "the mistakes" he had made in his marriage. But the apology did not halt the fall in his popular ratings. He also said: "I just feel that this seeking of an annulment is effectively asking for a Catholic divorce."
More damaging, perhaps, was the resignation of his brother, Michael, as manager of his campaign, reportedly for having an affair with his children's babysitter. The continued bad publicity obviously forced Congressman Kennedy to rethink running for governor and he decided to drop out.
