Sen Edward Kennedy dies at 77

Sad indeed. He will be greatly missed especially this time in need. M.H.S.R.I.P

A true legislator. His ability and willingness to work with members of the opposite party made him a legend. He will be sadly missed, not just by the Democratic party, but by all Americans. He has affected more lives in his tenure in the Senate than probably any other political figure. The Americans with Disabilities Act, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Civil Rights Act of 1964, minimum wage increases, No Child Left Behind, and countless other pieces of legislation that affects us all were supported by Sen. Kennedy. Rest in Peace, Teddy.

I am old enough to remember, with great sadness, the assassinations of both JFK and RFK. The Kennedy brothers were charismatic and the media fawned on them. It was a different era, when Americans were cocky and self-assured and their view of politics was much less cynical --- and their right-wing goofballs were marginalized instead of belonging to the mainstream, as it appears they are now.

All of his accomplishments will be balanced with the cover-up of his involvement in Mary Jo's death at Chappaquiddick in 1969. She died, he lived, but the suspicion was always there, and prevented him from reaching higher office.

What may or may not have happened at Chappaquiddick pales into insignificance when compared to Kennedy's unrelenting support for Irish terrorism.

He's got some explaining to do at the Pearlies if his oft-proclaimed Catholicism turns out to be the one true faith.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1159475/ANDREW-ROBERTS-The-obscenity-giving-Ted-Kennedy-knighthood.html

ilcub76:

His ability and willingness to work with members of the opposite party made him a legend.

Eh? More like his eagerness to be a partisan bully. His idea of bipartisanship was "Teddy gets his way".

Rest in peace... Mary Jo Kopechne.

Ed Kennedy was from an older era of doing politics - loudly voice disagreements in public, but later in the background, sit down with the opposition, set aside the 20% in differences, and work on the other 80% they agree with. (That's how Bush was able to work with him.)

That was before the 1980's when politics increasingly became partisan and harder to work with your opposition.

Well this is certainly an end of an era. Least the Sox, Pats and Celtics gave him something to smile about.

Dear JT Community,

I would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt apology to any and all JT posters. I am so very very sorry. I have let JT down, I've let the boards down, but worst of all, I've let myself down.

It's interesting to watch people struggle to insult this man. The rest of us know better. RIP, Kennedy. The end of an era, for sure.

smith - I thought we were all agreed that terrorism is a Bad Thing? And Kennedy espoused the murdering IRA for many years. Raising funds and whatnot via Noraid.

No applause from this corner.

Never cared for the man's politics, but did admire his ability to really reach out to other side in getting legislation passed or tried to get passed that he really cared about.

I don't think I could say this any better about the man than this article did in Time did about a year and a half ago.

Indeed, almost every bipartisan bill in the last seven years has had Kennedy's signature on it, from No Child Left Behind and the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, to pension reform and a collective bargaining bill for first responders passed by the Senate just last week. Kennedy's legislative belief has always been to "never let the perfect be the enemy of the good," as he's said on many occasions. Even with bills that had major flaws, such as immigration reform, he believed it was better to pass something and then work to fix it later on. It was thanks to Kennedy's willingness to work with the other side that the immigration legislation came as close as it did to passage two years in a row. Kennedy "is a legendary lawmaker and I have the highest respect for him," Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for President and Kennedy's partner on immigration reform, said in a statement Saturday. "When we have worked together, he has been a skillful, fair and generous partner."

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1807447,00.html

Rest in Peace, Senator.

He helped enact measures to protect civil and labor rights, expand healthcare, upgrade schools, increase student aid and contain the spread of nuclear weapons. This is taken from the Drudge Report. Enough said.

Oh the tragedy! I'm just now getting over the death of that magnificient American icon Michael Jackson. Now this happens.

Ted Kennedy, the personification of high moral principles and ethical character, whose lifestyle everyone around the world should emulate, has passed on. I'll always remember him for his heroic actions at Chappaquiddick.

RIP Ted Kennedy (as we all should). President Obama's on it (health care).

America is a little worse today.

R.I.P. Senator.

Damn. This just hurts.

Taka

Ivan,

From one JTer to another, apology accepted. It takes courage to admit fault and I appreciate that you did so. Thank you.

If only Sen. Kennedy's other detractors here at JT could show even a modicum of decency while the body is still warm. The underneath of the bridge is filling up. I'm glad you decided not to join the other trolls under it.

Taka

Ted Kennedy left a young woman in his car at the bottom of Lake Chappaquiddick overnight, and only after he got to his family compound, to safety and got a good night's sleep, did he tell someone about Mary Jo Kopechne in his car....underwater.

Kennedy's abandonment of Mary Jo is inexcusable.

He wasn't a decent person, no matter how the MSM will try to spin it for the next few days.

I love all of the Kennedys! RIP Edward!

Really ramen,

Who is more immoral, Sen. Kennedy for leaving her there or you, who couldn't care less about Mary Jo Kopechne, except to use her as a political prop?

Really? I double-dog dare you to ask that question of yourself and to do so with a modicum of honesty and introspection.

What does Mary Jo Kopechne mean to you, other than a tool to bash a great, but flawed man?

That you couldn't bring yourself to just remain silent on the matter, shows a lack of class that well...has been evident for years.

Taka

RomeRamenII: You're right there was no excuse for his actions at Chappaquiddick but that scandal has played itself out over the last 30 yearsand probably kept him from reaching the Whitehouse. You can not deny that although blemished his career stands as a great testimate to the way politics used to work before the shrieking of Rush Limbaugh or Ed Schultz. Kennedy was what a politician should be, aman who fights for what he believes in but knows how to cut a deal with the other side to get legislation done. RIP Edward Kennedy.

Who is more immoral, Sen. Kennedy for leaving her there or you, who couldn't care less about Mary Jo Kopechne, except to use her as a political prop?

Not a political prop, but a humanity marker. If Sarah Palin, George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan had done that, there would be no forgiveness for them either. It happens to be that it was a hero of the Left who did that. Clearly, the Left can forgive someone when it suits their political agenda, while a Republican would have been driven out of politics by both sides.

Indeed, almost every bipartisan bill in the last seven years has had Kennedy's signature on it, from No Child Left Behind and the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, to pension reform and a collective bargaining bill for first responders passed by the Senate just last week.

That's more an example of Bush's reaching out to Kennedy than it is Kennedy's reaching out to Bush. But hey, the Left wants to believe it was Gorbachev who single-handedly ended the cold war while Reagan slept and ate jelly beans, so why not rewrite Kennedy's history too?

R.I.P. to the last of the sons of Joe Kennedy. Teddy's legacy is inseparable from the Kennedy dynasty. Although he was a powerful U.S. Senator in his own right his place in the bigger picture must include the tragedies of his brothers and the triumphs of his father. I think this is what made Edward Kennedy a great Senator. Once he gave up his aspirations for the presidency he focused on his place in the U.S. Senate. In my opinion he successfully reinvented himself as a Senate leader, no longer striving for higher office he began to excel. Contrary to those who would only show bitterness toward a man who has made many mistakes in his life, as we all have, he did reach across the aisle. He was deeply concerned about children, focusing on education and their welfare. Amoung his chief concerns towards child welfare was their access to medical care. He later focused those concerns toward every American asking that everyone had access to affordable health care.

Many a Republican Senator and many former Republican Senators will be raising a glass of Irish Whiskey to toast to Teddy as they and so many Democrats have been doing since his death. As for me, I roasted a batch of Hawaiian Peaberry Kauai Reserve Coffee beans last night and will be drinking nothing stronger.

As a footnote he only lasted two weeks after is older sister died (11 years older).

When you can let a person drown in your car and not bother to tell anyone about it until the next day, it goes to the question of that person's core being. In Ted Kennedy's case, his core was rotten.

if his last name had been anything other than Kennedy, Ted would have been just another ex-convict.

It appears he is still hated, even in death, by the staunch Republicans on JT! Kennedy seemed a very honourable politician to me, speaking as a non-American... I wonder who will be the next in the Kennedy Dynasty to take the famous name to Congress?

There was a time when the death of an American politician would lead to expressions of sympathy and compassion from all Americans, regardless of personal ideology or political affiliation. After all, a life has been lost. It is a testament to the vitriol and hatred that has taken root between the dominant parties in the American political system that there can be people pleased with the senator's death. I did not share Senator Kennedy's political views, and was often in direct opposition to his political agenda and personal lifestyle. But while I can't mourn him in the same way his supporters will, I also can't allow myself as a human being to rejoice that he's dead. Life is precious, and the loss of any life means that something's been taken out of the world that will never return in that same form again. Maybe that's good and maybe that's bad. It's not my place to judge him on a personal level -- I believe a higher power than me will do that, with a far steadier hand -- and I've already said that he and I were on opposite ends of the scale in ideology and politics. Beyond that, I can only say my condolences go out to his family and friends for having lost a loved one. I don't feel it's right nor appropriate for me to say anything further.

I am sorry he is dead, but now he has to face judgment because of Mary Jo. Rest in peace Mary Jo.

mnemosyne23:

There was a time in America when politicians actually worked for the people, believed in what they did, were fairly honest and upright citizens and were working for our common good. I would have lamented the death of any of them. That day seems very long gone. The Kennedys were a prime example of what could be termed as American power politics where attaining and keeping that power becomes more important than realizing that is wielded for the people.

And please; if Bush or Chenney were dead the liberals on here would be unashamedly dancing in the streets. Once upon a time people supported a president once he was elected - whether they agreed with his politics or not. That has proven a travesty as of late, so excuse me if we don't bow down in awed reverence that one died just because you respected him. My family is not rich - if I was drunk, drove off a bridge and left a girl in a car to drown and went home to sleep it off I'd likly be in jail rather than being a senator.

What sad hateful creatures have gathered on this thread. I'll be saving this one for posterity, that is for sure.

Taka

And all this vitriol toward a man, who did what to deserve all this?

PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CRIME HE WAS ACCUSED OF.

Losers.

Taka

RomeoramenII

Just because you are a Republican, it doesn't mean you shouldn't show some decency by offering condolences or simply saying RIP. No class at all.

I was always neutral about Kennedy. The good seemed very good, and the bad seemed very bad...

I think Chris Mathews said it best."Barack Is Now the Last (Kennedy) Brother"

Here's to hoping he and the rest of teh team at MSNBC can use the tragic passing of John F Kennedy's beloved brother to shame the republicans into passing the universal health care that Theodore fought so hard for.

And please; if Bush or Chenney were dead the liberals on here would be unashamedly dancing in the streets.

Funny, I don't recall any dancing in the streets over the deaths of any conservatives. What I do see is wishful thinking coming from a complete fantasy that paints decent people acting as lowlife as some of these conservatives here.

Just because you are a Republican, it doesn't mean you shouldn't show some decency by offering condolences or simply saying RIP.

The Republicans are hurting enough as a party these days without folks pointing out the large segment of their base composed of people who have no sense of dignity or class.

Growing up, I recall the diehard Republican family next door who absolutely hated JFK. Devout Baptists, who, I presume have something to do with Christ, they always appeared to me (as a middle-school student at the time) to be absolutely gloating after his assassination.

Then, in 1968, there was the other diehard Republican small-business owner who pulled me aside and told me that he thought RFK had it coming to him. (These two incidents began for me a desire to stay far away from a party that could attract people who truly disgusted me.)

Nice to see how some things never change.

WhiteHawk at 11:55 PM JST - 26th Augus That's more an example of Bush's reaching out to Kennedy than it is Kennedy's reaching out to Bush. But hey, the Left wants to believe it was Gorbachev who single-handedly ended the cold war while Reagan slept and ate jelly beans, so why not rewrite Kennedy's history too?

If that is your idea of the far reaching out then you guys need to work on your diplomacy. No child left behind was not funded by the Bush admin. That little sucker was left high and dry.........Reaching out with a knife in your right hand while smiling....LOL

I really have to wonder if it's the death of Mary Jo Kopechne that bothers these guys so much or was it that Sen. Kennedy fought for civil rights and stuck up for minorities and the less fortunate.

And then these same people wonder why they're considered the party of old bitter white guys. It's like they have no mirrors or something.

Taka

If Kennedy had really cared about the people in his state having a voice in the Senate, he'd have resigned when he was diagnosed with a form of cancer that had <5% survival rate in 2007. But instead, he decided to collect a paycheck from the taxpayers till the day he died. A true democrat.

Actually ramen, Sen. Kennedy's presence up into the end, along with his legacy of reaching across the table and passion for health care, will, in all likelihood, grease the skids for healthcare reform to pass.

Only a fool would think Kennedy wasn't aware of that in his final months.

That puts you, once again, on the wrong side of reality. But at least it's a familiar place. ;-)

Taka

"Sen. Kennedy's presence up into the end" blah, blah, blah ....

His illness kept him away from Washington for the last 14 months of his life, missing all but a handful of 270 roll-calls in the Senate this year alone. Instead of doing the right thing by his employers, i.e., the people of Mass., by stepping down when he was diagnosed with a form of cancer in 2007 ...

... that had <5% survival rate, he selfishly chose to circumvented the democratic process and collect a paycheck from the taxpayers till the day he died. In other words, he was a true democrat. ;-)

"Sen. Kennedy's presence up into (sic) the end" blah, blah, blah ....

His illness kept him away from Washington for the last 14 months of his life, missing all but a handful of 270 roll-calls in the Senate this year alone. Instead of doing the right thing for his employers, i.e., the voters of Mass., and resign, he decided to continue collecting a paycheck from the taxpayers till the day he died. In other words, a true Democrat. ;-)

It was unfortunate that Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away about a week or so ago.

I understand she actually leaves a valid legacy of havin' done a lot of good for retarded children.

Again, maybe Sen. Kennedy was away all the time because his only other option was going home to a bitter person who would have driven him to the grave even faster with their nastiness and desire to commit felony. Who knows, maybe he had someone who was so bitter in his life, that it made the cancer even worse, driving him to an early grave. We'll never know.

Taka

JoeBigs:

If that is your idea of the far reaching out then you guys need to work on your diplomacy. No child left behind was not funded by the Bush admin. That little sucker was left high and dry.........Reaching out with a knife in your right hand while smiling....LOL

Going off topic, but you can prove that with respectable sources, right? That wasn't (yet) another case of Democrats wanting to increase funding by 15%, the Republicans only allowing a 12% increase, and the Democrats calling it a "funding cut", was it?

Taka313:

What sad hateful creatures have gathered on this thread. I'll be saving this one for posterity, that is for sure.

What hate? Reminding he party faithful that the man wasn't a saint, wasn't a fighter, but rather a coward and a bully? Reminding all of you trying to cannonize him for his stated ideals and goals that he never lived up to them? Environmentalism? Not in his sailing waters. Soak the rich? Not his family's tax-sheltered wealth. Go after Big Oil? Not the segment the Kennedy family was invested in. And the list goes on and on. Teddy Kennedy wasn't just a mere hypocrite, he was a fraud. That's not hate, those are facts. Just because the party faithful hates those facts, just because they hate being reminded of those facts, does not make the facts into hate. Neither does his death. You want to save something for posterity? Save the truth, not a post-production rewrite.

And all this vitriol toward a man, who did what to deserve all this? PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CRIME HE WAS ACCUSED OF. Losers.

Really? I don't remember him pleading guilty to DUI, vehicular manslaughter, or obstruction of justice. That's what he was guilty of. No, he plead guilty to leaving the scene after causing injury, a deal his father worked out for him. Remember, he swam to shore, swam another 500' across the channel and went back to his hotel room to sleep it off. HE DIDN'T CALL THE POLICE.

He also slandered a man who didn't deserve it (Bork), and used his power as a weapon against anyone who dared get in his way. He abused the system to protect his power and exploited those he claimed to be "fighting for".

You want to hold him in high regard? Then you'll always lose.

Actually ramen, Sen. Kennedy's presence up into the end, along with his legacy of reaching across the table and passion for health care, will, in all likelihood, grease the skids for healthcare reform to pass. Only a fool would think Kennedy wasn't aware of that in his final months.

Well Taka, at least you can admit that Kennedy was a partisan political opportunist to his dying breath. That includes changing the state law about how his successor would be chosen. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if his memorial service is "Wellstoned".

You know white hawk. I used to respect you, right up until Sen. Kennedy's death. I thought we disagreed but that you were a person of honor.

I'll adjust my opinion downward.

Taka

Things changing fast in USA,with Michael Jackson era and Edward Kennedy/Kennedy era disappearance.

Who is more immoral, Sen. Kennedy for leaving her there or you, who couldn't care less about Mary Jo Kopechne, except to use her as a political prop?

At a guess I'd say it's the person who left a young woman to die, then waited 10 hours before reporting it to the police.

Actually, I think that that is one of the most remarkable things that I have read on this board. To compare the morality of someone who may or may not have committed murder with someone taking cheap shots for political shots is, well, remarkable. I'm not American and I have no interest in what his politics were but I am stunned at the logic of that question.

5 decades of noble service from Ted Kennedy. I guess the way it works is now it is Senator Robery Byrd who has to pick up and carry the torch,lead the fight for civil rights and sticking up for minorities.

Heda,

These men are not honoring this woman, they are making her a martyr, without any consent from, or concern for, her family. I shudder to bring it up because I'm sure most of them will love the idea; but we're about 2 weeks away from one of these people demanding her body be exhumed to search for DNA evidence of further wrong doing.

If Ted Kennedy showed one ounce of remorse over Mary Jo Kopechne's death, he showed far more than the people perverting her name on these boards. I truly and honestly believe he did feel remorse, and a lot of it, which makes him better than these people.

To them, she's a hammer.

Taka

Taka, what's all this talk on threads about 'honor' with you.

For gosh sakes, lad, you live in cyberspace.

Anyhoo, how do you know what he felt? Are you aware of his past history of coverin' up his own crime and those rapes committed by his nephews and Lord knows who else in the family over the decades?

Next you'll be tellin' me what an ally he was to women's causes. Sick.

Newsweek's Ed Klein gave a moving remembrance of the Liberal Lion on radio yesterday. He said that one of Ted Kennedy's charms was his great sense of humor.The late senator actually loved to hear and to tell Chappaquiddick jokes,and he was always eager to know if anyone had heard any new ones.I have the link:http://wamu.org/programs/dr/09/08/26.php#28408

With Ted Kennedy's passing, they'll probably "honor" him by naming the socialized health care bill they're going to ram through after him, the irony being that he would never have wanted TedCare inflicted upon him.

taka313:

You know white hawk. I used to respect you, right up until Sen. Kennedy's death. I thought we disagreed but that you were a person of honor. I'll adjust my opinion downward.

Weeelllll, you could try proving me wrong. Or, failing that, admitting I'm right. That would be respectful.

Look, I have sympathy for his family. They've lost both Eunice and Ted, two people I'm sure they loved, within such a short time. It has to be rough on them. But does that mean that he deserves my respect? Sorry no, it's not an entitlement. As someone said earlier on this thread: And while yes I will admit that it's rather bad form to speak ill of the dead it is equally bad form to cannonize them when there are so many more deserving.

I'm not going to dance on his grave, but I'm not going to ignore that he was a fraud who abused political connections to get into power, remain there (including having state laws changed so a Republican governor couldn't pick his successor), and get away with destroying others. Does a person like that, who clearly didn't earn my respect while he was alive, suddenly deserve my respect just because he died? Not if it means I have to ignore that he was a fraud who never lived up to his stated ideals, and trivialize the death of a young woman.

seijichuudo9sha:

I guess the way it works is now it is Senator Robery Byrd who has to pick up and carry the torch,lead the fight for civil rights and sticking up for minorities.

You think it's still 1963 here?

taka313:

These men are not honoring this woman, they are making her a martyr,

We honor her more than Teddey Kennedy ever did. According to sejichuudo, Teddy liked to tell Chappaquiddick jokes. Oh yeah, that's really charming. Yeah, he "honored" her. A real class act there.

Teddy Kennedy's death is troublesome also because he had THE best staffers in the Senate.When his party was in the minority he still worked important liberal provisions into bills,ensuring that real democracy still exists and the people are heard and have choice.But I don't worry.I think Patrick Kennedy will replace his father as the new senator from Massachusetts.

Teddy liked to tell Chappaquiddick jokes. Oh yeah, that's really charming. Yeah, he "honored" her. A real class act there.

I never heard a Chappaquiddick joke that didn't have Ted as the butt of it. The National Lampoon VW ad was pretty darned funny.

Again we see the typical sanctimonious hypocrisy of the conservative on display. There is a very primal reason that people laugh at tragedy and at themselves, but it's conservatives who actually (and falsely) believe that they are above all that.

yabits You make an excellent point.I think conservatives just don't get it.I heard some wingnut saying Democrats want the CIA operatives who waterboarded Sheik Khalid Mohammed sent to jail but the man who is responsible for Mary Jo Kopechne's drowning sent to the Senate.They keep trying to tie Kennedy's death and the events of his life to their agenda.It's all politics all the time with these people.

They keep trying to tie Kennedy's death and the events of his life to their agenda.It's all politics all the time with these people.

As one blogger put it, you could have a Republican drive a fully loaded schoolbus full of children over a bridge and as long has he had a solid record of gutting the environment, being anti-gun-control, pro-tax-cut, pro-big business, he'd be totally forgiven.

I'm sure that's how some blogger put it, yabits.

I don't see anything wrong with Kennedy joking about Chappaquiddick.He pled guilty to the crime he was guilty of.

But I was a little disturbed to find that in defending DEREGULATION (back in 1978) he once said this,in all seriousness:"The problems of our economy have occurred not as an outgrowth of laissez-faire, unbridled competition. They have occurred under the guidance of federal agencies, and under the umbrella of federal regulations."

"I don't see anything wrong with Kennedy joking about Chappaquiddick"

I do.

Hey, yabits.I liked the blogger's quote.Can you pass the link?Thanks.

he committed at best manslaughter but got away with it because of his name. simple plain fact. not a hero.

The Kennedy Healthcare reform act of 2009 will soon pass Congress and be signed by Obama. A fitting tribute to the man who was the greatest senator of his era.

As far as his personal life, all the wingers who are posting nonsense here should live through having two brothers assassinated in your family. One being the President and the other a future president. No, did not think you could relate.