Hayden, Weiss Battle Over Kennedy Ties

It was an exchange reminiscent of Lloyd Bentsen’s put-down of Dan Quayle in 1988, when he said “I knew Jack Kennedy . . . you are no Jack Kennedy.”

The latest Tom Hayden-Jack Weiss tiff in the 5th Council District race involves who is more representative of the Robert F. Kennedy legacy.

It started earlier this week when Weiss invoked the Kennedy name several times at a candidates’ forum in Bel-Air, noting that his parents were federal prosecutors under Kennedy and that Kennedy inspired him to enter public service.

By about the fourth Kennedy reference, Hayden was bugged.

A former state senator, Hayden said Wednesday that he was an honor guard at Robert F. Kennedy’s funeral and has been politically and socially involved with the Kennedy family for more than three decades.

Hayden announced that he has the endorsements of two sons of the former U.S. attorney general and presidential candidate: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Max Kennedy.

“Weiss’ attempt to associate himself with the Kennedy family seems to fit a pattern we have noticed of his padding or doctoring his resume,” said Rocky Rushing, Hayden’s campaign manager.

The Weiss campaign dismissed Hayden’s attack.

“It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad,” said Larry Levine, a campaign consultant for Weiss. “All Jack did was quote Bobby Kennedy as someone he admired on the subject of cities. If I were Hayden’s consultant, I’d take away his keyboard.”