\n<\/p>\n
Kennedy contends Irish heritage is no longer an important factor in presidential elections because of the disparate, unpredictable views of the diaspora. <\/p>\n
“There is no such thing as an Irish voting block in America, there hasn’t been since, the 1950s, 1960s, because the Irish became too fully assimilated.”<\/p>\n
He pointed out Biden was proud of his immigrant ancestry and would “play that Irish liberal card” but added that current attitudes to US immigration vary widely.<\/p>\n
“Some Americans, when I interview them, they will very readily say: ‘We were immigrants once, we weren’t treated well in this country – that makes me very empathetic toward the current immigrants,” he explained.<\/p>\n
“You’ll talk to other Irish Americans and they will say: ‘Our ancestors, they came here, they were immigrants but they came the right way, not like these folks today’.”<\/p>\n
The professor believes there is a growing conservative minority within the community which is “more visible and more vocal”. <\/p>\n
“I don’t think Irish America is disappearing – it is transforming,” he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n