Human Events on Sen. Kennedy and Gov. Patrick.

You have to hand it to Democrats when it comes to how to fill a Senate vacancy: they have been downright shameless, at least in recent years.

Last week, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) made headlines when he wrote leaders of the Massachusetts legislature urging them to change state law and permit Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint a senator when a seat becomes vacant.

“I am now writing about an issue that concerns me deeply, the continuity of representation for Massachusetts should a vacancy occur,” wrote the 77-year-old Kennedy, in a poignant recognition of his battle with the same type of brain tumor which claimed the life of columnist Bob Novak last week. Underscoring his strong support for popular election of senators, the ailing Kennedy added, “I also believe it is vital for this Commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.”

In calling for the legislature to give the power of appointing a senator to Democratic Gov. Patrick, Kennedy was calling on them to reverse the law enacted in 2004 by the legislature (then, as now, overwhelmingly Democratic) that took away that power from then-Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican.

As polls showed John Kerry either leading or close to being elected President in the summer of ’04, the legislature changed the law that allowed a governor to appoint a replacement senator, who would serve until the next regular election. As John Fund recalled in the Wall Street Journal last week, “Senator Kennedy made two direct appeals to the state senate’s president to revive the stalled bill, including a phone call to his home over a weekend.” The calls helped move the bill, which removed the governor’s power to appoint a senator and instead provided a “snap election” in five months. Romney vetoed the measure, but the legislature passed it over his veto.

Such a change was self-serving for Kennedy and the Democrats in 2004. Changing the law again and after such a short time would be even more self-serving.

UPDATE: From Daniel J. Flynn, Patriot Games Media, and Red Mass Group.

SECOND UPDATE: From Human Events, Boston Herald, Gayle Fee, CQPolitics.com, Holly Robichaud, RealClearPolitics.com and WBZ.