Hometown paper begs Sen. John Kennedy not to cause an 'international incident'

A columnist for the home-state newspaper of Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) is going after the senator, saying he should know better than causing an international incident.

The Louisiana newspaper The Advocate attacked the state's U.S. senator in an op-ed Sunday by longtime columnist Stephanie Grace. Calling him a "smart man who likes to say stupid things," Grace explained that he loves hurling insults at appointees for federal office instead of questioning the individuals about their history he finds so objectionable.

He called one Soviet-born law professor "comrade," implying he was a communist by birth. He attacks legislation to dog urine and attacks colleagues, saying, "It must suck to be that dumb."

"Clearly, Kennedy is just fine with sacrificing his senatorial dignity at the altar of owning the libs," wrote Grace.

Most recently, Kennedy was triggered when a public health researcher schooled the lawmaker that Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri all have more firearm deaths than Chicago, which Republicans like to attack as a crime-invested, Democratic-run city.

“No disrespect, doc, but that sounds a lot like word salad to me,” Kennedy said Megan Ranney, who serves as the dean of Yale’s School of Public Health.

Grace explained that every time Kennedy begins his sentence with "no disrespect," it's about to be followed with disrespect. It's similar to a pre-emptive way of saying, "Bless your heart," to excuse the attack at the start not after.

Grace brings up the humiliation to the state saying that Kennedy crossed another line in the Senate attacking the president as a "weenie." Grace fears Kennedy is getting worse.

Such insults from people like Kennedy undermined the American position, particularly at a crucial time in hostage negotiations for those kidnapped by Hamas. After all, Kennedy has never been a world leader or a military leader, nor has he gone beyond his "tough talk."

Kennedy's attack on President Joe Biden came during the confusion about who attacked the hospital in Gaza. Kennedy said at the time that the entire ordeal was Biden's fault.

“I think we have to be honest with ourselves. America has a president who is not a defense hawk," Kennedy whined. It's a curious claim as he is one of many lawmakers opposed to spending for the war against Ukraine by Russia.

He said that because of Biden's actions in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Iran, "enemies" think they can do whatever they want without fear the U.S. will respond. Kennedy then turned around and used his soundbite in a fundraising email to supporters.

Grace walked through the posh education Kennedy had that would presumably help him know better.

"Makes you wonder what ever happened to the historical principle that routine political attacks stop at the border, something Kennedy surely learned about at Vanderbilt while studying political science," she wrote. "Or whether the subject of America’s role in the world ever came up in conversation while he was earning a degree at Oxford (the one in England, not Mississippi)."

Not long after Kennedy's rant it was revealed Biden worked to negotiate a short ceasefire to get hostages back home. Not that Kennedy would take his words back, she wrote.

Grace compared the bombastic Kennedy to new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), saying he's far from a liberal but promotes civility in politics.

"Would it be too much to ask that he at least try not to cause any international incidents?" asked Grace.

Read the full column here.