Ted Kennedy

I met Sen Kennedy many times – but the last time was during the 2004 campaign for John Kerry. He was at a fund raiser and even though he was hunched and in pain he was radiant – he beamed —
I told him as a kid I worked for his brother Bobby for Senate in NY and later for President – and he was so pleased — and happy in his own memories
Although it clearly meant way more to me than to him — he made me feel otherwise

He was a great man -
Thank you for letting us sit shivah with you

Only Jihad Joe Klein would put the words “Kennedy” and “integrity” in the same sycophantic sentence.

While my father (and hundreds of thousands of other young Americans) was in bloody Korea in the early 1950′s dodging bullets and armored rounds, the brave Uncle Teddy was in Paris, France for 2 years guarding the whore houses and free clinic — the reward for his having been caught cheating in school, and no other fun place for the Kennedy clan to park his sorry azz stateside.

Mind you, this penchant for personal and professional cowardice was long before JFK and RFK were shot.

Now all of us aren’t suited for combat or police work or defending the public trust, and that’s OK.

The problem with the alleged Kennedy legacy, and the whining of his liberal lemmings, remains the overwhelming evidence of corruption, narcissism, self-aggrandizement, and public “service” as a PR campaign and nothing more.

His home state is an economic and fiscal wreck, where the touted Taxachusetts model can’t handle much more than union graft and long medical lines in a mandatory misfit’s idea of Nirvana (it ain’t, never has been, never will be).

Affable and charismatic is not progress, or peace, or even basic math skills.

It is just a forgettable time at Happy Hour.

Next!

In related appeasement news, the residents of the greater Boston area will add a regional ballot initiative in 2009 that seeks to have the former stomping grounds of Paul Revere re-named New Yalta. “We’re in this for the long haul,” says local SDS chapter chairperson Bella Morte, “and we see no reason to delay any longer America’s total retreat from the physical battle against alleged terrorism. We’ve just elected the most articulate teaching socialist since LBJ, and judging by Obama’s early pronouncements on moving Gitmo to the Gurnee, Illinois town center we couldn’t be more delighted to pitch in and pee on the troops while the battle’s still being waged, not unlike our Dear Leader of old Jon Jon Kanary’s Summer Slacker rants to a doofus dem Congress back in the early 70′s.” WBZ Beanburgh polls show overwhelming and hopefully Canadian clerical support of the Yalta name change notion, pending a re-count of the latest anonymous international PayPal receipts to the DNC and Harvard coffers. “Not since the early Tom Hayden and Jane Fonda hookup have we seen such a stalwart, shrill, and strident level of self-interest in doing nothing to dispel slavery and suffering around the globe, from these morally stunted domesticated non-contributors to whatever Howard Dean typically screams,” says Big Dig ceiling steward Muzzy Norrebar. “In the tank for Obama’s executive takeover of the UCMJ, private labor votes, U.S. oil and nuke industries, and child sex education? You betcha! When wasn’t the populist pinhead left part of the problem and not the solution? If things keep going our Peabrains For The Amer-Asian Wake Way, we could have Kansas and Nebraska sold to Russia before the next professional protester cult rally in Chicago. Keep hope alive!” Now stay tuned for HOLLOW ARMY 101: THE FRANK CHURCH LEGACY after this message from the three good people remaining at Citgo…

Invoking the same keen sense of extra-legal child care as the Branch Davidian floor planners in Waco, the Obama kinda administration today leaked detailed plans to transit known killers of U.S. troops and allies, from their current confines in Cuba to a less well appointed if chillier enclave on Cape Cod. “We must show the world that freeing terrorists is not just our hope, but the real change we so dearly campaigned upon for the last 2 years,” said an anonymous almost White House spouse. “If we’re unable to provide Mullah Omar’s taxpayer protected kids the benefit of the doubt, what does that say about Howard Scream, Jane Fondle, Ted Turncoat, Alexi Ballsless, and all the other semi-Americans that fought dinner parties for so many severe limo parking minutes to help get The Once selected?” Preliminary details were sketched on the back of a cocktail napkin at the Springfield, Virgina Trader Vic’s by Rahmbo Emanuel and Cyrus Vance’s rotting corpse, but insiders describe a legal beaver combination of the old Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia with very off track betting, less the actual judgment afforded to the bleating drunks at Eagles games. “We’re not talking about perfection here, we’re just trying to create a Swiss-style political stick from thin air that we can use to bash Jeb Bush in 2012, assuming we’re not allowed to run for a third term in 2016. Mind you, nobody wants to see this devolve into actual trials with expedited results and long term incarcerations of these fine Muslim people, where they might accidentally be subjected to playground activities with the general prison population. Putting them or our leftist legacy of appeasement in dire straight jackets is simply non-negotiable,” said the young woman looking for a newer puppy that won’t whiz on the Rose Room beer keg. “Certainly the major media will get behind this, and in numbers never seen before ACORN got ahold of the PBS contributor files, but we must strive to stay focused, keep our eyes on the prize, reach the highest ground — which basically comes down to Obama empowering the worst anti-Western elements on the face of the globe, for no other reason than cheap political stuntsmanship that even a Hillary backer will love.” More later, on this same Ali Frankless Punch Bowl (coming to the BCS in 2010) network.

Is there any way the hate speech can be removed from these threads dedicated to a man who can no longer defend himself?

FORGET ALL THE PIOUS TRIBUTES!

The one thing our pathetic, posturing politicians can do to honor the memory of Edward Kennedy is to PASS A HEALTH CARE BILL WITH A STRONG PUBLIC OPTION!!!!

All the rest is hypocritical bullsh*t!

C’mon Senators and Representatives, step up and push this through NOW!!!!!

Thanks for the sentiment abw75. I’m sorry to tack on to your post, but I didn’t want to follow the disrespect below.
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I can only imagine the pain Ted Kennedy endured in his life, losing his two older brothers who almost certainly defined him during their lifetimes. After those events he could have chosen to recluse and lead a private life, but instead he made it his life’s work to be a public servant and a personal mission to better the lives of those less fortunate. That in and of itself is something to be proud of, but he went beyond that and became a leader and icon for doing so through the legislative process.
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I truly hope that if the health care plan we end up with bears his name, it will be something he would have been proud of. I will miss hearing his voice… Rest in peace kind sir.

Add ” For the Children” and you will capsulize most liberal strategies

Hula,

Put down the Mountain Dew or your sixth can of Rockstar for the day, and turn your mouth off.

Whatever your differences with this man’s political philosphy or legislation, you should show a bit of respect.

Regarding military readiness, the Republican father of a slain veteran was just on the radio paying tribute to the political and personal efforts Kennedy made on his families behalf to not only properly armor Humvees in Iraq, but to provide a whole host of other necessities GIs and marines were lacking.

Look it up.

Oh, how terrible it must be to be a Republican in America: to be so completely filled with such hatred, fear, and bitterness, to be so morally, intellectually, and psychologically twisted that everyday life seems like hell.

Hula, I feel your pain, and I know Teddy would’ve too if he were here right now instead of in heaven.

I don’t quite understand how some people’s hearts can be filled with such raw hatred and bile.

This site needs to be run like a videogame forum and bust out the banhammer more often.

Senator Kennedy’s passing provides us one last lesson – one that I’d just as soon not have learned: there is no depth to which some right wing extremists will not sink.

Hulagate’s words are meaningless and will soon slip away into the ether to be forgotten as is only right. While Ted Kennedy’s legislative legacy of over 300 bills bearing his name have become law, most dealing with the day-to-day social and economic needs of children, families, or the elderly will live on for generations. And more than a few of those laws will probably have assisted Hula in some way before he slips his mortal coil as well.

You have to understand that most of these people spewing this hateful crap aren’t real conservatives, they are the remnants of the John Birchers and precursors to the militia movement that Buckley kicked out of the movement long ago. With the numbers not on their side, the GOP has held their nose and turned a blind eye to to the infiltration of those who they used to find unacceptable and they have allowed them to take over. Whether it’s for money, in the case of Limbaugh, Fox news, Hannity or power in the case of many of the elected persuasion, they’ve put integrity, morality, and decency on hold until they can come up with another way to combat demographics and disagreement. They know they can not win an honest debate so they depend on propaganda to garner support from the unknowing.
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I would feel sorry for them, except for personal gain they are courting a danger that could render 200 years of history a moot point. That peaceful transfer of power that symbolizes the American democracy is on the edge of collapse when they encourage these fringe players. Too bad they won’t connect these dots any better than the dots of 9/11. They are going to ignore every sign of this obvious path towards violence and they won’t stop until the unthinkable happens and the country recoils from the pathetic pleas to not hold them responsible for the action of crazies, oh by the way hula you and freeinpa qualify as crazies they will be talking about. But it will be too little to late. And they will end up in that wilderness for ever. Inevitably, the country will figure out that some one willing to do or say absolutely anything for power is simply and unequivocally unworthy of it.

FlownOver:

I suggest you read the obits and stories about the death of Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms or Ronald Reagan before your limit your disgust to those on the right.

Before Yul Brynner died of lung cancer, he filmed a plea asking people to quit smoking.

I hope Senator Kennedy leaves behind some posthumous message begging Americans to rally around healthc-care reform pan that will enable all Americans to have affordable coverage. And of course that is the operative word, affordable.

I can think of no greater INSULT to America’s brave, selfless, and quiet armed forces in Arlington than the ABSOLUTE COWARD Ted Kennedy being buried anywhere near their honorable graves.

The sorry SOB spent 2 years in Paris during the height of the Korean War, guarding the whore houses as Job 1. He went on to a mediocre career of troop bashing and anti-military tirades only an Ayershead could love.

He does not deserve anything close to the media masturbation now taking place, and he sure as hell doesn’t merit burial next to people that actually contributed to the freedom of the nation instead of apologizing for it.

Joe – Thanks for these reflections. There is a lot in your experience of life that speaks to my experience in a way that no other journalist has managed, even those of our generation, and I genuinely treasure the occasional article from you that so deeply touches that.
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I appreciate your knowledge that compassion and real love comes only from having experienced personal frailty. Generally people only learn to forgive others when they learn how much in themselves needs forgiveness, and when they finally learn how to give that gift to themselves.

What is it with this whole death glorification thing? Michael Jackson dies and everybody forgets he was a child molester, Ted Kennedy dies and everybody ignores the fact that he killed a girl when he was wasted.

I don’t have a problem with lauding the man’s accomplishments, but it needs to be contrasted with his y’know, killing someone.

Order of Events for Uncle Teddy Wake 2009:

- Sunrise: Happy Hour Service at Trader Vic’s

- 8am: A toast to the people of North Korea

- 10am: Group nap outside Big Dig

- Noon: Hooter’s girls lower tube tops to half teet

- 1pm: Group nap after cash bar

- 2pm: Obama announces dissolution of U.S. Army in Teddy’s honor, will offer free quiet abortions on demand to placate liberal masses humored by Tora Bora 2009

- 3pm: Jimmy Carter calls from Habitat For Hamas to ask for 2012 endorsement

- 5pm: Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier screams out in anger at news of absolute coward being entombed within 100 mile radius of actual heroes

- 6pm: Katie Couric asks first dumb question of evening

- 7pm: Happy Hour

- 9pm: Chunk the bloated load into the clay

- 9:05pm: Evening group nap

- 10pm: Katie Couric asks next dumb question of evening

- 11pm: BloSox drop 9 games behind Yankees

- Midnight: Parisian whore houses file Chapter 7

- 1am: Golf clubs missing from cousin’s garage found in Vermont

- 2am: Bill Clinton shows up with DNA sample alleging nephew status to Uncle Teddy

- 3am: Al Franken surrenders United States to Ontario

- 4am: Paul Headstone’s ghost appears to Joe Biden, wants to know if Ashley’s coke habit is covered under Obamacare

- 5am: Wake officially over, Gubner Patrick announces formal opposition to Caroline as Senate replacement

- 6am: America wakes up from media slumber, realizes the biggest waste of Senate space since George McGovern just got a better send off than any of our dead troops, demand impeachment of New England’s entire bent crop of liberal azz clowns

- 7am: CBS thanks Katie for her time, fires her, announces Bill Ayers as new Evening News reader

Teddy was waterboarding before waterboarding was cool!

Word to Ho and Hilter in hell, that fat marshmallow you requested is en route!

Ted Kennedy was a useless Blame America First gas bag guilty of manslaughter, funding abortion on demand, and the Big Dig fiasco.

On the plus side, he did help create Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, the popularity of on-board SCUBA gear in sedans, and underwater landing lights.

If that’s hate speech, than I now cherish hate speech.

Abbie Hoffman was my favorite liberal member of the NRA. Try the pawn shop. Ask for the Petra Kelley Special.

I wonder what happens in those minutes between consecutive Hula posts. I mean, that last one couldn’t have taken 12 minutes to write. Does he take a break to go kick a puppy or something?

Thank you Joe, As usual your words are so good. I wonder how many of us will accomplish so much for the well being of others, as Senator Ted Kennedy. I still remember taking two children for doctor’s care, who had never had any medical care. They were eight and ten years old. Their mother had no insurance. Because of Mass. children’s health care insurance coverage ( Sen. Kennedy) these children finally got medical care.

Aren’t you people jumping the gun on this jerk’s burial plot?

According the the new Holder retro-legal standard, he’s going to have to be exhumed and prosecuted for waterboarding Mary Jo.

I say we save the taxpayer’s some money for once on his behalf, and let him cool his heels with MJ for awhile.

Behold the vile hatred of people like Hula, Rusty, et al. They are the products of cynical people like Rupert Murdoch and represent the mainstream of today’s Republican Party.

I strongly suggest you look in the mirror before you denigrate anyone else. You write for paragraphs on end without saying anything of substance (true essence of a liberal) and mock anyone who has the unmitigated gall to have a different opinion than you. GROW UP!

Quite frankly you are no different than the crazies you degrade. Only more long-winded.

Hagiography is profoundly wrong, as all of us are utter hypocrites. The issue is whether our more admirable traits eclipse those that are most loathsome. The New York Times captured this concept of being a HUMAN perfectly today in its obit: “He was a Rabelaisian figure in the Senate and in life, instantly recognizable by his shock of white hair, his florid, oversize face, his booming Boston brogue, his powerful but pained stride. He was a celebrity, sometimes a self-parody, a hearty friend, an implacable foe, a man of large faith and large flaws, a melancholy character who persevered, drank deeply and sang loudly. He was a Kennedy.”

[...] I think pretty well illustrates how Senator Kennedy spent much of the last year (thanks for the shout out, [...]

He was a great and respectful polician. he devoted his entire life for the promotion of social justice. Many argue that he had a lot of passions, which lead him to many failures, particularly when Carter won him on primary elections of the Democratic Party. however, it seems to me that the effort to overcome these passions helped him to become a great man with a unic sence of survival. i admire his strength and determination.

Well said.

That was to wagonjak not freeinPA