Daily Kos: Patrick Kennedy should resign

And Congressman William Jefferson (D-LA), too. Hat tip Michelle Malkin.

From the Kos site:

Patrick Kennedy's in a lot of pain; I feel sympathy.

But if he can't remember even getting into his car, if he was in rehab over Christmas, if there's an allegation he'd been drinking before the accident -- well maybe he needs to resign.

Here's the problem folks: most Americans who aren't partisans truly believe the democrats and The Republicans are "all the same" and that the power-elite takes care of its own.

Democrats can talk about Abramoff and Cunningham and the Republicans' toothless ethics bill, but so long as the People see us as just the "other side of the coin", they have little reason to go to the polls to vote for Dems.

Now we've got Congressman William Jefferson who despite allegations of bribery won't resign, and Patrick Kennedy who announces he's "going to vote" and so dodges a Breathalyzer test, and now will go into rehab rather than resign.

This gives all the justification in the world to independents who will say that the Dems are "just as bad" and that "all of them are corrupt".

The Democratic Party needs to show it's different, that it's not a club of the elite taking care of the elite.

Much as I feel for Congressman Kennedy, it's time for him for his own good and for the good of the Party, to resign with dignity.

I'd like to add more. Kennedy should not be driving a car. He should hire a chauffeur, he can afford it. What if there was a pedestrian in the path of his car?

The Abramoff scandal is a legitimate political issue for the Democrats to use for the 2006 elections, but Kos is right, they'll be hypocrites if they attempt to portray themselves as "the honest alternative."

Here are a few more ethical issues for the Democrats to worry about:

Ill. Cong. Bobby Rush under fire for $1 million charitable grant from SBC/AT&T

Jan Schakowsky's politico husband, Robert Creamer sentenced to prison for check kiting.

Foundations that U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan has supported helped his friends

Technorati tags: Kennedy Politics William Jefferson Corruption Bobby Rush Mollohan Jan Schakowsky Schakowsky Abramoff Democrats