February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Irish-American leaders from across the country made their opening salvos on Sunday night at a jubilant joint rally of Irish and Italian Democrats organized by Stella O’Leary at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. An impressive lineup of political figures took the stage, including Reps. Richard Neal, Joe Crowley, and Linda Pelosi, along with Govs. Jim McGreevey from New Jersey and Janet Napolitano from Arizona.
On the floor, stalwart Irish-American leaders like New York attorney Brian O’Dwyer and AFL-CIO chief John Sweeney began their behind-the-scenes efforts to convince Kerry campaign strategists to develop a stronger Irish-American platform.
O’Dwyer expressed confidence that “the Kerry people get it” when it comes to understanding the Irish issues, citing insiders like Mary Beth Cahill, a former Kennedy staffer whose father is an Irish immigrant. O’Dwyer said the two main issues for Irish Americans are “how to keep an American presence in putting the Northern Ireland Agreement back on track” as well as the “tremendous problem of illegal immigrants in the wake of 9/11.”
AOH national director David R. Burke of Lawrence, Mass., expressed concern that the two-sentence Irish clause in the Democratic platform was “too bland and too brief” for comfort, touting an Irish Forum the AOH plans to host in Pennsylvania to clarify the Democrats’ position.
Irish activist attorney John Foley from Boston credited O’Leary for creating a political action committee to involve Irish-Americans in supporting Northern Ireland issues.
It was O’Dwyer who helped build the Clinton/Gore Irish platform in 1992, along with his late father, Paul O’Dwyer, Bruce Morrison, Ray Flynn and others. He said if Kerry gets elected he should consider a special Irish envoy, ala George Mitchell, to tackle the Irish issues. O’Dwyer cited Mike Sullivan, former ambassador to Ireland, and Bill Clinton himself as ideal candidates for the post.
If John Kerry fails to win the election, many Irish Americans are putting their hopes on Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was the main draw at the Irish-Italian event, which was attended by more than 500 people. Described as “Ireland’s best-loved senator,” Clinton listened on stage as Irish-American leaders praised the Clintons for taking the Irish agenda further than any other administration in history. In turn, she promised to stand by Irish Americans while urging them to get out and support the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
Kennedy country
The Irish-American star of the convention thus far has been Sen. Edward Kennedy, who helped bring the convention to his home town and who last spring commissioned his key staffers to revive the Kerry campaign as it struggled before the primaries.
Many believe this to be the start of Kennedy’s long last hurrah as his career in the U.S. Senate spanning five decades comes to a close. It was clear he wanted to mark the occasion. His extended clan gathered at the Hyannis Compound over the weekend and then came to Boston to dedicate the new Rose Kennedy Greenway project along the waterfront. More than 100 Kennedy members attended as he led the crowd of 1,000 in a rendition of “Sweet Rosie O’Grady,” his mother’s favorite song.
On Tuesday, Kennedy was feted at Boston Symphony Hall by the Boston Pops and guest singer Bono of U-2, who also managed to score an opinion piece on the African AIDS epidemic in The Boston Globe.
The Boston Globe, and much of the local media, seemed adamant about proclaiming “The New Boston” of minorities, high-tech and financial wizards, students and immigrants in its convention coverage, relegating the Boston Irish to the negative public-school busing controversy of the 1970s. Globe reporter Kevin Cullen was the exception, providing an affectionate portrait of South Boston and local representative Brian Wallace.
Many local pols weaned on loyalty as a democratic principle were dismayed that Michael Dukakis, the 1988 presidential candidate, was left on the fringes during the tightly scripted prime time, as if the Democrats were ashamed of their own failures in the past.
Boston Irish leaders were also sidelined during the convention. Ray Flynn, former mayor and Vatican ambassador, who once championed the Irish issue, may be a victim of his strong pro-life stance, which is at odds with the party. William Bulger, who dominated the state senate for three decades and most recently was president of the University of Massachusetts, has kept a low-profile. Brian Donnelly of Irish visa fame is nowhere to be seen.
Former Rep. Joe Kennedy, who briefly reentered the public glare at Monday’s Rose Kennedy Greenway dedication, caused a media buzz about whether he might run for Kerry’s Senate seat, which many hope will open up in the fall if Kerry prevails. Kennedy would be a favorite choice among Irish-American activists because of his strong views on Northern Ireland.