Another Perspective
Honoring Teddy By Opposing Health Care
The Lion of the Senate would expect his opposition to roar.
If you grow up in Massachusetts, as I did, and you are of a certain age — there was no time without the Kennedys.
My father, who was a conservative Republican City Councilman holding Calvin Coolidge’s seat on the Northampton City Council, loved to tell his favorite JFK story. Dad would chaperone kids from Northampton High School when they went to Washington for a school trip. They were scheduled to meet with Senator John F. Kennedy, but kids being kids, the group wasn’t ready and Dad had time to kill. JFK invited him to the Senate restaurant for a cup of coffee.
The two, alone, got their coffee and sat down for a considerable period of time to talk Massachusetts politics. When it was time to go — JFK asked if Dad could pick up the check. He had no cash on him.
The story always got Dad a laugh, but there was more here than met the eye. In 1952, when Congressman JFK was challenging Republican icon Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, my conservative parents had voted for Kennedy. Why? It was my first understanding of the intramurals between conservatives and “moderates” or “liberals” in the GOP. It seems that the liberal Senator Lodge had gone out of his way to lead the moderates’ Eisenhower victory over “Mr. Republican” — the conservative Ohio Senator Robert Taft — for the 1952 GOP presidential nomination. A lot of Massachusetts Republicans, Taft supporters, took out their wrath on Lodge by voting for JFK. In the midst of the Eisenhower landslide that November, Congressman Kennedy scored an upset with help from a lot of conservative votes. And so began in 1952 the hold of one Massachusetts Senate seat by the Kennedys — Jack and Ted - in almost unbroken perpetuity from that day to this.
I first saw Teddy as he was campaigning for senator in the crisp, fall air of an October, 1962 rally in neighboring Greenfield. The sight was riveting for a kid. Nighttime, thousands of people in the town square, bright lights, Ted Kennedy, sounding and looking like his brother the President, forefinger jabbing the air. The excitement was palpable.
A year later, I got to meet him. Playing tennis at a resort in the Berkshires my father managed, he was with the historian James McGregor Burns. A picture was promised as soon as he cleaned up. The photo, still in good shape with accompanying autograph, shows in the summer of 1963 a very handsome 30-year-old Teddy next to a suit and tied eleven year old who was clearly agog.
I was well on my way to my youthful engagement with the American left, to my father the Goldwater/Nixon guy’s tolerant chagrin. A year after that, JFK’s assassination not even a year old, my hometown awakened to the news that Teddy’s plane had crashed during the night on its way to the Democratic State Convention in Springfield. The pilot and a Kennedy aide had been killed, and Teddy and Indiana Senator Birch Bayh (father of Senator Evan Bayh) were in the local hospital, Teddy with a broken back. I hightailed it over there on my shiny red bike to see a remarkable sight over the next few days. There was Bobby. Then Jackie. Eunice. Joan. The entire clan had descended on our town. Somewhere I have my color pictures of Bobby walking the lawn in some sort of shell-shocked silence.
Time moved on. There was the six hours of standing in line at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York as a teenager to touch the flag on Bobby’s casket. And then the slow, sloooooooow motion move right, Reaganized at last.
May, 1998. The opening of the Ronald Reagan building in Washington. Cocktails and dinner, the requisite black tie. I walk into the private cocktail party filled with Reaganites. I knew almost everyone. Yet over by the bar, standing alone, (and yes, sober as a judge for the acerbic amongst my brethren) was — Ted Kennedy. The Reagan building was in fact the last piece of the puzzle of the drive to make Pennsylvania Avenue the grand Main Street of America’s capital that had begun on JFK’s inauguration day. The story went that as he rode down the parade route, JFK — and particularly Jackie — were so appalled at the ratty condition of the buildings on the street that a move was launched to redevelop it, restoring old buildings and putting up new ones. It had taken four decades to accomplish. As fate would have it, the last building wound up being named the Ronald Reagan Building. So Teddy was there for opening night, the proverbial political thorn among the roses, to celebrate.
Over I went to chat. Nancy Reagan breezed by with a happy “Hi Ted.” So, says Teddy, what exactly brought me there? I told him I worked as a political aide in the Reagan White House. He rolled his eyes with a twinkle, laughing. But then the conversation turned serious. I told him that I had once given money (it was a measly hundred bucks, I think I left that out) to a memorial for his brother Bobby. That got his attention! Since we were in the midst of the Clinton-Lewinsky saga, with Ken Starr in the news every day (and possibly there that night), Teddy and all kinds of liberals were raging about out of control special prosecutors. I made the point that I agreed — but where were they when all those prosecutors were running wild in the Reagan-Bush era? “Your brothers inspired so many people to come here, myself included, Senator,” I said. “Nobody who works in government is entitled to the job. But what’s the point in inspiring kids to come to Washington if, when they get here, someone they work for or they themselves make some dumb mistake and spend years of their life and money they don’t have fighting some special prosecutor gone wild? What kind of idealism is that? Even your brother’s administration couldn’t have survived this kind of thing.” He was clearly taken aback. Eventually, I could see others wanted to chat so I let him go. But he smiled that smile — and as I recall, I think he came around, eventually going along in a bipartisan group that finally killed the idea of lawyers with unlimited budgets and endless time regularly prosecuting every administration for some trumped up political reason. Not coincidentally destroying the lives of a lot of innocent young people who served in them.
The last time I encountered him it was during a fight over the Bush 43 nomination of a Third Circuit Court of Appeals judge. Holding no office of any kind beyond friend to the nominee, a Reagan appointee who was being elevated from the district court, I had plunged in to help because I knew the nominee — Judge Brooks Smith — well and knew the process. The ins and arcane outs of a judicial nomination. Judge Smith, deservedly respected in his home Western Pennsylvania, was caught up in the whirlwind of a Washington judicial food fight. We had to get at least one vote in the 2002-Democrat controlled Senate Judiciary Committee. There was not much chance to get Teddy’s vote, I didn’t think. In fact, as I would later write, I think one of the black marks on his Senate copybook was his treatment of Robert Bork and the “Borkification” of the judicial confirmation process.
Be that as it may, my youthful Kennedy enthusiasm surfaced. What did I want from Teddy? I wanted him to personally spend time on this nomination, not just staff it out and read a couple briefing papers cribbed from special interest groups. To really know something about the nominee he would probably vote against. To live up to that Kennedy idealism I had believed as a kid.
As it happened my friend the judge had a friend on the bench who was a friend of Teddy’s. Operating under the old theory that it’s better to apologize than ask permission, without saying anything to the nominee, I called the judicial friend shared by Teddy and Judge Smith, introduced myself and said I just wanted Teddy to pay attention. To do the right thing. The long and the short of it is the judge felt he couldn’t call a Senator on this kind of matter. He paused. But, he said, were Senator Kennedy to call him…
Taking the hint, I got the judge’s message to Teddy through the Senator’s fellow Judiciary Committee member and friend Republican Senator Orrin Hatch. Without missing a beat, I was told, Senator Kennedy called the judge who was his friend as well as Judge Smith’s. Within a day or two, the nominee’s fax machine started humming with a list of questions from Senator Kennedy. This behind the scenes questioning went back and forth, totally removed from the canned and (as I suspected) interest group–supplied questions coming from other Democrats on the committee.
The answers did not persuade. But at the end, Senator Kennedy called his judge friend and said he couldn’t vote for the nominee — yet he was sure the nominee was going to make it anyway. The nominee did — Judge Smith sits today on the Third Circuit confirmed by three votes, all Democrats, but not Teddy. On the other hand, there was no borking of Judge Smith from Ted Kennedy, something I was told his Democratic colleagues noticed. Somewhere my 11-year-old self felt vindicated.
About the Author
Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com.
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Rocco| 8.27.09 @ 6:50AM
The Liberal Lyin' in the Senate.... I knew it wouldn't be more than an hour after his death that congressional lefties would exploit his death to pass this health care monstrosity...."we gotta pass it for Kennedy..." The shamelessness of these people knows no bounds.
God help any Republican who allows himself to be flim-flammed into signing on to Obamacare because of this bullshit emotional appeal!!!
drudge ette obama| 8.27.09 @ 7:04AM
Jeffrey Lord: You're still under the spell. Be careful. Don't look at the light.
The conversion from "Obamacare" to "KennedyCare" is either a brilliant rebranding effort or a last ditch, "step away from what stinks" effort by Obama to distance himself from the eventual loss. I hope it is the latter because that means they know it's a goner.
GringoBob | 8.27.09 @ 9:03AM
Ted Kennedy had a great career as power broker of the Senate due to his perpetual elections back to back forever -
OJ Simpson had a great career as a running back in football due to his extrodinary individual talents and skills -
both men snuffed out the life of a former lover - neither man saw any jail for their homicide - one never even saw a court room -
two great careers and two dead women - is this the American dream ?
Mary Jo Kopechne and Nicole Simpson Brown could not be reached for comment -
GringoBob in the republic of Costa Rica - remember those days ?
Glenn Beck - Fox news channel - Monday thru Friday - 5:00 pm EST
here is the Voting matrix = [url]http://Group912.org[/url]
help stop the EPA = [url]http://StopEPA.com[/url]
Joe| 8.27.09 @ 9:09AM
I agree let's oppose it for Teddy.
Oldefarte| 8.27.09 @ 9:48AM
I have absolutely NO respect for the man, his party or their hypocritical policies. Hard working, tax paying Americans [mostly conservative or at least moderate] have the financial burden of PAYING FOR SAME. Indeed, now is the time to increase the political pressure, beginning with the 2010 elections, and begin the process of reversing/defeating this socialistic, liberalistic insantiy that we're faced with presently!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul McGrath| 8.27.09 @ 10:59AM
You're a treasure, Mr. Lord. An absolute treasure.
Rocco| 8.27.09 @ 11:13AM
Oldefarte, you have me on board. Let's hammer a stake in its heart and kill it!!!
Tim| 8.27.09 @ 11:21AM
Interesting tribute. It reminds me why it is important not to hate political rivals. You can see some of Ted's humanity in your piece, at a time when even his allies are just pimping the stereotyped images.
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com| 8.27.09 @ 11:30AM
El Rushbo is now pushing the idea that if konnedy-kare is revised so that absolutely every American Citizen gets exactly the same medical plan teddy-boy enjoyed in his spirited battle to defeat death, then just maybe it will pass. Unfortunately, while this is what they will promise, what we’ll get is a lengthy wait on the street for an ambulance which will finally arrive a minute too late. Not hope and change; despair and chains.
Gill O’Teen ✝✡
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com
Don’t Tread on Me!!
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 12:19PM
Mr Lord --
Excellent piece. This is the kind of essay that the death of an important national figure ought to prompt in a writer, and I appreciate your personal reminiscences.
I'm sorry to say I wish your some of your colleagues had either followed your lead or remained silent for a day or two. Some of American Spectator's response to Sen. Kennedy's death has in general been nasty and actually really dishonorable.
Alan Brooks| 8.27.09 @ 12:39PM
hath been nasty nasty, and quite really dishonirible-- oh those nasti nasti boys at AS!
BOO HOO
Alan Brooks| 8.27.09 @ 12:42PM
some of de response hath been dishonerable nasty in genewal, and quite nastily nasty.
oh heavens to Betsy!
Bob Miller| 8.27.09 @ 1:54PM
In the great beyond, Ted probably realizes by now how wrong his liberal program was. Let's honor this realization by acting accordingly.
Nick| 8.27.09 @ 2:01PM
Mr. Lord,
I almost always enjoy your essays, but (monkey), I'm sorry to see you also were corrupted by the Kennedy spell.
The Swimmer knew all he had to do to get conservatives to say nice things about him when he died, was to throw them a bone here and there so they would feel special.
Better put - he knew what they were, and as long as he left $10 on the night-stand, he would have their unending gratitude.
We like to politely call it "inside-the-beltway-itis", but I call it political prostitution.
Splash was a person of low character, personally and professionally. But, hey, he did you a favor and helped get your friend on the third circuit. I guess he wasn't that bad after all.
You disappoint, Mr. Lord.
Jeffrey Lord| 8.27.09 @ 2:24PM
Nick....
"I'm sorry to see you also were corrupted by the Kennedy spell"
Gee, Nick...when I first learned about the Kennedys I couldn't spell "corrupted"! But I'll give you a pass on your childhoold if you give me one on mine! Not to fear: I believe strongly in principle, and I have, as Churchill once said of Shakespeare, the grammar of conservatism in my bones. But I also believe when a public figure passes from the scene...we will have eternity for the debate. But on the few days in which families grieve, whether I agree or not with the politics, silence and/or respect is in order. Remember that when I go! Then get back at it!
Tim| 8.27.09 @ 3:11PM
Dear Mr. Lord:
I have noticed that you only respond to posters who insult you, am I correct, you stupid F*ck?
Nick| 8.27.09 @ 3:18PM
Mr. Lord,
"Gee, Nick...when I first learned about the Kennedys I couldn't spell 'corrupted'!"
Ditto also for myself.
The Kennedys were saints, as far as I was concerned growing up. When I was 4 or 5, my mom took me to a suburban Detroit mall to see the Swimmer in...must have been '71 or '72. All I saw was the top of his head, my mom could only lift me so high. But I knew he was Jack's little brother.
I also grew up believing the President and Senator Kennedy were both killed by conspiracies. And that Chappaquiddick was probably a setup too, thanks to the stupid movie "Blow Out" with John Travolta. I even refused to believe they were philanderers.
Luckily, my parents were pro-life Reagan-Democrats. By the time I was in my mid-to-late-twenties, the curtain had been pulled down and I saw The Great Oz's for what they were- rich playboys, who probably never heard the word "no" growing up.
I have even tried to convince my parents that JFK was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. I'm still working on my dad, but my late mother was starting to turn, I think.
I didn't mean to imply you were less conservative by sharing your personal anecdotes. But Teddy's smile shouldn't blind you to the fact he shouldn't have been blocking your friend's nomination in the first place, unless you're omitting something pertinent?
How much time did you have to waste with this political theater to get a just result?
I'm not cold-hearted, by the way. I pray for his family and for the repose of his soul. I hope he saw the light before he finally saw the Light.
But, like Michael Jackson, I'm not going to pretend Splash was someone he was not.
White Biker Trash| 8.27.09 @ 3:19PM
Imagine, Teddy Kennedy under view of the "Health Care Board" That Obamacare will spawn. The first board member would say "He's to old, treatment should not be paid for." The second, "The cancer is more than likely terminal, treatment should not be payed for." The third, "Give him a pain pill and wait"
He got the best treatment avalable here and now in the United States! This, that I have described will be the best avalable, if Obama Care passes!
Dustoff| 8.27.09 @ 3:26PM
Lib reader
Sen. Kennedy's death has in general been nasty and actually really dishonorable.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yeah and Teddy was so nice to others. I bet you can say Bork, Thomas and yes even Reagan. This souless man had no problem using what ever words he could find to smear others, but that was ok by people like you. Well guess what. What comes around, goes around.
Mary Jo isn't here because of this pig. And that will never change.
Shame on you and people like you.
Jeffrey Lord| 8.27.09 @ 3:30PM
Nick...
"How much time did you have to waste with this political theater to get a just result? "
Enough ...infuriatingly enough...that I wrote a book about it. Senators are entitled to oppose. (I'm warming up here so I will control myself!) But Teddy's Borking of Bork basically launched an epidemic of borking that filtered all the way down to the lowliest federal judge. The system, in my view, was turned over to liberal special interests. But in the specific event, knowing he would vote "no" I wanted him to go through the process himself and treat the nominee with due respect. He did, indeed, do just that. By doing so he sent a signal to his fellow Democrats -who were in control -that they were on their own in opposing the nominee. We needed one vote and got three. Senators Kohl of Wisconsin...and...drumroll please...John Edwards of North Carolina and someone named Joe Biden.
But it was work....and it shouldn't have been.
Tim...I'd respond but you need to insult me first.
Big J| 8.27.09 @ 3:44PM
Liberal Loser:
If you were h*ll bent on reading / hearing a slobbering review on the wonders of Dear Teddy's career, might I direct you to a certain Chris Mathews over at MSNBC, or any other alphabet news outlet on the lower channels of your idiot box? You shouldn't have a problem finding one.
Us "nasty boys" over here at TAS are quite comfy, thank you very much.
"...the death of an important national figure..."
Snort.
You liberals are a thick-headed bunch, aren't ya?
Tim| 8.27.09 @ 4:26PM
"You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? "
W. Shakespeare, Julius Ceasar.
Jeffrey Lord| 8.27.09 @ 4:38PM
Tim for Senator from Massachusetts!
Todd| 8.27.09 @ 4:59PM
Interesting for the most part but you lost me big-time Mr. Lord when you said that Ronald Reagan will be welcoming Ted Kennedy home since these men will be in two different places and Ted Kennedy will be inconsequential. I am not his judge but I can see the evidence before me and justice will be served.
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 5:16PM
Todd --
Tell me. How do you reactionaries acquire this absolute knowledge of Almighty's plans and intentions?
You've somehow acquired information about the ultimate destiny of a man's immortal soul.
How?
Are you just wiser than everyone else? Are you special? Do you hear voices?
Or are you privileged in some other way?
Or are you just a fearful, resentful, angry man looking for someone on whom he can project his faults?
Josie| 8.27.09 @ 6:11PM
All I know, LR/Jeremiah--we Conservatives are a lot closer to the Good Lord than you Liberals struggling under the monstrous moral burden of 51 million aborted babies.
Sucks to be you, sinner.
Pingback| 8.27.09 @ 6:24PM
UK Health Care Scandal Breaking: Neglectful, Cruel Treatment of 1 Million Patients R links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Todd| 8.27.09 @ 6:42PM
Liberal Reader,
You ever read the Bible and see what it says about unrepentant adulterers? It says they will be cast into hell where they will will and gnash their teeth. Now you undoubtedly think the Bible is outdated and Jesus was probably just some well-meaning guy like Ghandi except with long hair. Go ahead and call me judgmental but I am not doing the judging, Christ will but I know what he taught about unrepentant sinners.
Todd| 8.27.09 @ 6:43PM
Should be will weep and gnash their teeth, in a bit of a hurry.
Quartermaster| 8.27.09 @ 6:51PM
From his actions, Kennedy is in the hot place without a fan. His Christianity was Catholicism and cafeteria at that. There was no sign of true contrition for his various sins. Heaven? Not if scripture has any meaning at all.
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 7:01PM
Dear Mr Lord.
I admire your thoughtful and eloquent prose. However
I wonder if there were any touching tributes to THE Ronald Reagan upon his passing by liberals who had grown up vicariously next to him. I certainly never read any of them.
The late Sen Kennedy was a despised icon to the majority of the conservatives that I know. I disagree with you that Mr Kennedy would have wanted a strong opposition from the Republicans simply for the sake of opposition. He would have wanted us to roll over and capitulate like the good little moderates he had grown accustomed to.
Sen Kennedy was a career politician and reveled in his power-player role for far to long. I will never forgive him for his supporting the murder of countless unborn children. I will never forgive him for the many times he heaped scorn and ridicule upon our country only to serve his own purpose. I will never forgive him for being a part time Catholic. I will never forgive his treason to the United States by seeking support from the Soviets to oppose the very man you worked for.
He was a pig. I hope he rots in Hell for all of eternity.
Perhaps you should be a little more introspective in your convictions sir. In case you havent realized it yet ,our country is locked in a fight to the death for its very survival. If you wish to help then maybe you should open your eyes to whom the enemy is( progressive/liberal/socialists like Mr Kennedy) and save the nostalgia for later.
Jeffrey Lord| 8.27.09 @ 7:16PM
Bydand76...
"He would have wanted us to roll over and capitulate like the good little moderates he had grown accustomed to."
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...but if he's being lauded as a fighter for principle....there's nothing wrong with fighting for principle, is there? Keep fighting!
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 7:22PM
Liberal Reader,
Its called the bible, I suggest you read it and attempt to understand it. You will find the answers to your questions there.
Yes, I am fearful. Because Liberals have run amok for far to long and are destroying the things that I hold dear. Not only that but you would have me finance it as well!
Yes, I am resentful. I have stood by and let the liberal socialist pigs ruin America, with out doing enough to stop them.
YES, I am very angry. Liberals seek to bring about the end of the most prosperous and generous nation ever to exist. I will not allow that to happen while I have a shred of resistance left in me. Molon Labe!
Perhaps a better question to ask yourself would be. "Why arent YOU angry Liberal Reader?"
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 7:26PM
Todd --
You're knowledge of the Bible is truly impressive, and I'm sure holiness itself was born with you.
I seem to remember something else, though .... about adultery. What was it?
Wait ... please, your holiness, just one moment while I think back ... because it's been so long, and the years of exuberant fornication and wine drinking have dispelled my memory ...
But wait! Oh yes, I remember:
John 8 ... What was it? Ah, yes. Here we go: John 8:7.
"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 7:41PM
Bydand76 --
Exactly which part of the Bible are you referring to?
Todd was very interested in adultery. How about you?
CS Lewis| 8.27.09 @ 8:00PM
Principles... Teddy's Principles? His whole life was one big lie. His conscience was dead and he was every bit the walking dead but he didn't know it. A sad waste of a life.
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 8:13PM
One does evil enough when one does nothing good. ~German Proverb
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 8:19PM
Liberal Reader,
No. I not interested in adultry. Happily married for 15 years and counting thank you. You can keep the topic for yourself if you dont mind.
As far as the bible goes, I was referencing the book of Genesis and Revelations. And pretty much everything else in between.
Pingback| 8.27.09 @ 8:24PM
ObamaCare, The Charade That Will Destroy Health Care in America (video) « Frugal Caf links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 8:32PM
Is there not some chosen curse, Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven, Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man Who owes his greatness to his country's ruin? - Joseph Addison
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 8:33PM
So ... for example, Bydand76, you are "referencing" Exodus 4:24:
"And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him."
Do you remember this story?
What does it mean to you, and how might you apply it to the Kennedy, whom, in your view, the ENTIRE Bible stands ready to convict?
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 8:41PM
Senator Kennedy began his career fighting on behalf of those citizens of this country who were being denied voting rights.
He then worked closely on a variety of landmark civil rights cases, a cause he championed throughout his career. He even managed an expansion of civil rights legislation in the early 80s when Republicans controlled the government and initially opposed the act.
Kennedy is personally responsible for the quadrupling of government spending on cancer research conducted in public universities. This research has made the US the leader in cancer treatments in the world. No, Kennedy did not "cure cancer," but he did help fund research that led to cures.
Kennedy worked with Orrin Hatch on SCHIP, a government program that guarantees CHILDREN from poor families medical insurance.
Kennedy never worked on behalf of corporations; Kennedy never championed war; Kennedy worked for what he believed were the best interests of the poor.
You can disagree with some or all of his policy positions, but you will be a dwarf nipping at the heels of a giant.
The man attended mass 3 or 4 times a week, and a priest heard his confession regularly. How so many of you can be so certain about the condition of his soul at the hour of death is beyond me.
But you people specialize in factlessness.
If Rush said it, it must be true, which is why so many of your postings echo his phrases, jokes, predictions, and so on.
I like Rush too; but slavishly imitating him is unmanly.
You have -- I'm saying -- no BALLS.
And I'm certain some of your irrational, paranoid, and debased hatred for Kennedy is motivated by that lack.
Alan Brooks| 8.27.09 @ 8:47PM
we are mean at AS to counterbalance squishy liberals such as yourself.
To go into a bit more detail, we live in a world of Darwinist segmentation. In economics this translates as market segmentation. You are in the squishy lib segment; some of us are in the conservative segments. Yet there are many subsegments of conservatism: everything, that is, everyone, from neoConfederates Northeast Rockefeller Republicans.
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 9:05PM
Liberal Reader
Sorry, Due to my location I can't listen to Rush, Glenn, Sean, or anyone else. (Afghanistan, US Army)
You left out some important details regarding Mr Kennedy's legacy.
You forgot the part where he sought out the support of the Soviet Union in order to undercut a sitting United States president. You forgot the part where he raised money for the IRA (Terrorists). You forgot the part where he opposed school choice for minorities. Civil rights my ass! The list can go on and on. I havent started on taxes yet which your so called precious quadupling of cancer reasearch relied on. You forgot to mention that the majority of the money that is raised for cancer research is gotten from PRIVATE DONATIONS !!!!
I didnt like Kennedy because he was a gross, bloated, Goverment fat cat who never had a real job for one day other than living off of his families wealth which his anti-semite father made and who stood opposed to everything I believe in! Every Goliath has his David!
Oh yeah one more thing
It not just the bible who speaks about douchebags like Mr Kennedy
The evils of the body are, murder, theft, and adultery; of the tongue, lying, slander, abuse, and idle talk; of the mind, covetousness, hatred, and error.”
(Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)
Eat a Richard you FAQing POS!!
Sue| 8.27.09 @ 9:05PM
Perhaps someone could point to a web site where I can find "Kennedy Scholarships" for the poor, downtrodden masses?
I thought not. Maybe point me to his trust funds?
The only thing Mr. Kennedy accomplished was spending your tax dollars on programs he championed. I don't believe he spent his own money on anything but booze, women, and sailboats.
If so, please correct me.
JFK Peace Corps, Kennedy Americorps?, and on and on.
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 9:08PM
Sue --
What's wrong with booze, women and sailboats, you cantankerous, purse-lipped celibate?
Sue| 8.27.09 @ 9:10PM
Nothing as long as you're pretending you're something you're not.
Like remorseful about leaving a woman to drown in a car - reporting it 10 hours later and blaming it on the "Kennedy" curse.
Sue| 8.27.09 @ 9:13PM
Besides, the comment was he used "taxpayer" funds to make himself look good.
Why do you liberals always miss the point? You don't get the point, or you're incapable of getting the point, or you learned somewhere in your childhood that if you change the point, you will succeed?
That's it. That's what Kennedy was successful at!!
Sue| 8.27.09 @ 9:14PM
Kennedy's last prayer: Lord, may I be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows I'm dead.
Sue| 8.27.09 @ 9:17PM
I'll take that from a humorless, dip-your-wick in anything that moves, crabby liberal.
Nobama| 8.27.09 @ 9:25PM
Jeremiah/LR, you tough little Beta Boy B!tch, you!
Good job, Sue, you ran the little "Richard" (LMAO, Bydand76; oh, and thank you for your service, doll!) off like the mangy little poodle he is. Love it!
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 9:29PM
Sue --
That's EVERYONE'S last prayer, my dear.
Nobama --
Hush. I told you, dog. No more barking.
SoCon| 8.27.09 @ 9:32PM
Jeremiah, the verbal slaps are coming at you so fast and furiously your head must be spinning--kinda like Linda Blair in the Exorcist.
Did you projectile vomit green puke all over your computer screen, too, little Lucifer?
Nobama| 8.27.09 @ 9:35PM
LR/J, just make sure "everyone" is over ten years of age, okay Lib? We know all about you liberals' proclivities and such.
Liberal Reader| 8.27.09 @ 9:38PM
It's a cliche I've always tried to avoid, but I find it impossible to reading this website today:
Conservatives lack heart. The reactionary ethos is tight-fisted, vindictive, and without compassion.
What are you about? Consumption, aggression, and ceaseless self-congratulation in the form of meaningless patriotic bathos.
You literally fear a country that took care of its sick and gave all people the opportunity to have a first rate education.
You hate Kennedy because you hate political idealism.
Nobama| 8.27.09 @ 9:56PM
LR/Jeremiah, I don't hate anyone--that's what you liberals do best.
I disliked Kennedy because he was a HYPOCRITE! Moron. And so are you. You blithely announce you're a "Catholic" as you savagely pimp for a party that pushes partial birth abortion.
All of your bleating and braying about liberal compassion and tolerance are lies, you sleazy scum bucket of a human being. Heartless monster.
Bydand76| 8.27.09 @ 10:07PM
Liberal reader.
You Sir are nothing more than a trivial little boob who would'nt know the meaning of "patriotism" if your life depended on it.
You now NOTHING of heart other than your own apparent lack there-of.
Do not speak to me about something which you would have no way of knowing with out having met me or seeing who I am.
My patriotism is the very basis for my dislike of Mr Kennedy. My patriotism is what has taken me on 3 different deployments to fight in 2 different wars only to be defecated on by those very people who you would hold up in such high regard.
I fear a country where eventually the resources will be used up due to the constant re-allocation by people who steal in the name of the unfortunate. I fear a country where I am to be ridiculed because I love my country. I fear a country where mindless morons will eventually reduce me to a second class citizen simply because of my race or my religion.
Perhaps you should turn your jaundiced eye towards the party of consumption, aggresion, and self appreciation. The DFL.
You could not be more wrong LR
It was precisely because of my political idealism that I disliked Mr Kennedy and people of his ilk so much!
and just for the record I live my life by the Warrior Ethos look it up!
Todd| 8.27.09 @ 10:08PM
Liberal Reader,
I thought you would bring that up, I was going to bring that up but I had somewhere to be. The pharisees there were guilty of adultery as well, that is how rotten they were. What was it that Jesus told the women after they left? Go and sin no more. Now if Ted had done that after killing Mary Jo, maybe I would think there was hope for him but he continued down the same path of sin.
Interesting to read about what happened to his ex-wife Joan, she is as much a victim as Mary Jo. I was very upset that Andrew Cline seemed to think it was her fault for being an alcoholic and ruining the marriage when it was Teddy's serial adultery that led her to that misery.
The only reason to feel sorry for him was him having a truly despicable Father who was a serial adulterer as well along with being a bootlegger and a rabid anti-Semite. Face it, the myth of the Kennedy's and Camelot was built on lies that dopes like you have bought into all these decades.
Nobama| 8.27.09 @ 10:52PM
Lies and hypocrisy lie at the heart of liberalism; if liberals had a heart.
Kakis| 8.28.09 @ 12:57AM
For those of you who seem to be impressed with Ted's humanity, may I remind you as to how Russians wept and despaired over the death of their beloved father and leader Joseph Stalin. One could supply necessary number of those stories about humanity of those leaders, Lenin, Stalin, etc. Of course, no one compares Ted to Joseph, but the damage to this country he did is commensurate to his statue, please spare me from all this humanity syrup.
Curtis Rasmussen| 8.28.09 @ 1:43AM
The left talks of compassion and charity yet they selfishly work to destroy the middle class and the future of my child through excessive debt and forced taxation. What a bunch of effin hypocrites.
Yeah, I used to believe that the government should be more involved as a means to standardize specific aspects of society, that is until I listened to the entire Hillarycare speech in the early 90's. Within 2 hours, I went from politically neutral to hardcore conservative while listening to this disgusting shrill demon and her Marxist utopian ideal.
Curtis Rasmussen| 8.28.09 @ 1:51AM
Where in the heck does the ubiquitous lib reader get all the time to troll this site?
No friends?
No job?
No hobbies?
No sanity?
hans meiser| 8.28.09 @ 3:45AM
Curtis Rasmussen,
"Within 2 hours, I went from politically neutral to hardcore conservative".
No matter what the trigger, if it only takes 2 hours to turn you around "hardcore", that's a sad statement about your convictions.
And mind you, I have no love in me for Hillary or Bill Clinton. That didn't stop me from considering that those two clowns do not define a political compass.
Josie| 8.28.09 @ 4:53AM
hans meiser--you're wrong! Curtis had a flash of brilliance elucidate his mind; sometimes that's all it takes to crystallize your thoughts into hardcore beliefs.
The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways.
Why does everything have to be slow and plodding? Dullsville.
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