Dan Roberti, Patrick Kennedy and “How This Business Works.”

Fifth District Democratic congressional hopeful Dan Roberti, of Manhattan and Kent, enjoyed a day on the campaign trail with former U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy, who represented one of Rhode Island’s two districts before calling it quits in 2010. Kennedy’s calling card has long been his famous last name. His run-ins with frontline law enforcement officials also kept his name in the news from time to time.

It’s not clear what “Patches” Kennedy adds to the Roberti campaign other than to serve as a reminder that neither has much connection to the district. Perhaps they also share the same philosophy of government. Kennedy explained the nexus between influence and campaign contributions in an interview with the New York Times. According to the Times, “Patrick J. Kennedy, the former representative from Rhode Island, who donated $35,800 to an Obama re-election fund last fall while seeking administration support for a nonprofit venture, said contributions were simply a part of ‘how this business works. If you want to call it ‘quid pro quo,’ fine,’ he said. ‘At the end of the day, I want to make sure I do my part.’”

An odd message for Roberti to attach himself to, particularly in the aftermath of his attempt to highlight rival Christopher Donovan’s campaign’s troubles with federal authorities that have so far brought the arrest of the head of his campaign finance team.