The Hiller Instinct: Hiller Instinct: Patrick Kennedy

Once again a Kennedy is driving us crazy.

If you hate the Kennedy's, you're rolling your eyes, wondering, "what's new?"

Of you love the family, you're staring straight ahead, saying nothing.

This is just the latest episode of the political soap opera that's been playing on TV since 1960. The Kennedy's have become a real life version of a reality show, a mix of American Idol and Survivor.

Today Patrick Kennedy did his best damage control, trying to defuse his latest crisis, but he can't. For him, rehab is a rerun.

If he truly doesn't remember anything about the incident, then his earlier statements were dishonest.

His promise to cooperate fully with an investigation is empty; that's what we all have to do.

It's part of a pattern of Patrick behaving badly: this is the illegible accident report he filled out after another car crash three weeks ago in Rhode Island.

Then there was the nearly $30,000 worth of damage to a rented yacht in the summer of 2000.

The same year, he was caught on tape pushing a female security guard at the L.A. airport. Initially he denied the allegation, but the evidence forced him to apologize and settle out of court.

"While it doesn't show me in the most flattering light it does explain what happened," Kennedy said.

There's no flattering light for his capitol car crash. We could be blind and still see disregard of the law, special treatment, and unearned arrogance.

Patrick Kennedy doesn't have to ask anyone ever again, "do you know who I am?"

We do.

I'm Andy Hiller and that's my Instinct.

(Copyright (c) 2006 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)