Comments on: The Wind And The Lion: Ted Kennedy Mans Up To Mortality http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/ Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:48:32 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: 300SDL http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182768 300SDL Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:41:49 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182768 <p>How sad for you that you are so poisoned by cynicism that you think this is some self serving ploy. Maybe you should look at the many worthwhile things he and his family accomplished instead of being an intractible cynic. Good thing Ted Kennedy did not adopt your ideology. He never would have run for anything.</p> How sad for you that you are so poisoned by cynicism that you think this is some self serving ploy. Maybe you should look at the many worthwhile things he and his family accomplished instead of being an intractible cynic. Good thing Ted Kennedy did not adopt your ideology. He never would have run for anything.

]]> By: 300SDL http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182763 300SDL Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:34:34 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182763 <p>“Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet, it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change.”</p> <p>Robert F. Kennedy, 1966</p> <p>His brother said it and I think it applies equally for all the Kennedys to whom much was given, gave much in return. In the sordid and selfish mess that we call a political system today their other centered service and leadership stood out as a beacon of light guiding us to a higher calling–the calling that public service through politics was indeed the highest and best form of service to your fellow man.</p> <p>While I fear I shall never see their like again—let us also remember that “the hope still lives—and the dream shall never die.”</p> “Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet, it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change.”

Robert F. Kennedy, 1966

His brother said it and I think it applies equally for all the Kennedys to whom much was given, gave much in return. In the sordid and selfish mess that we call a political system today their other centered service and leadership stood out as a beacon of light guiding us to a higher calling–the calling that public service through politics was indeed the highest and best form of service to your fellow man.

While I fear I shall never see their like again—let us also remember that “the hope still lives—and the dream shall never die.”

]]> By: VJBinCT http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182711 VJBinCT Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:28:06 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182711 <p>Thanks, Barbara (@32), for the compliment. What I should have said was ‘a band of angels’, an Irish band of angels with fiddles, bodhrans, whistles and spoons; with kegs of booze and waterdogs galloping all around. I want Teddy to go out with STYLE!</p> Thanks, Barbara (@32), for the compliment. What I should have said was ‘a band of angels’, an Irish band of angels with fiddles, bodhrans, whistles and spoons; with kegs of booze and waterdogs galloping all around. I want Teddy to go out with STYLE!

]]> By: argo0 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182654 argo0 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:45:43 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182654 <p>What’s stopping Kennedy from resigning today, effective upon the conclusion of the special election (or his death), so the election can be scheduled now? And what stopped him from doing this earlier? Does the law prohibit him from doing this (I think it’s here — <a href="http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/54-140.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/54-140.htm</a>)?</p> <p>I hate to say this, because I have a lot of respect for him, but IF it’s legal for Kennedy to do/have done this, he’s being fairly selfish in holding onto his senate seat and asking that the state dance around his wishes in keeping it until the last minute (especially when he’s been too ill to really represent the state for a few months now).</p> What’s stopping Kennedy from resigning today, effective upon the conclusion of the special election (or his death), so the election can be scheduled now? And what stopped him from doing this earlier? Does the law prohibit him from doing this (I think it’s here — http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/54-140.htm)?

I hate to say this, because I have a lot of respect for him, but IF it’s legal for Kennedy to do/have done this, he’s being fairly selfish in holding onto his senate seat and asking that the state dance around his wishes in keeping it until the last minute (especially when he’s been too ill to really represent the state for a few months now).

]]> By: bmaz http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182634 bmaz Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:20:53 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182634 <p>So you are in favor of denying the State of Massachusetts full Senate representation on the crucial healthcare vote. How charming and democratic of you.</p> So you are in favor of denying the State of Massachusetts full Senate representation on the crucial healthcare vote. How charming and democratic of you.

]]> By: ThurmanHart http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182632 ThurmanHart Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:13:16 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182632 <p>You know, Ted Kennedy could just resign and quit depriving Massachusetts - and Democrats - of a vote right now. He’s sick and dying. But he won’t let go of his power. No, let’s change the law instead.</p> <p>Sorry, I’m not a fan of celebrity. Ted Kennedy has done a lot in his very long career. But neither he, nor the rest of his family, is worth our adoration. He’s just a man.</p> You know, Ted Kennedy could just resign and quit depriving Massachusetts – and Democrats – of a vote right now. He’s sick and dying. But he won’t let go of his power. No, let’s change the law instead.

Sorry, I’m not a fan of celebrity. Ted Kennedy has done a lot in his very long career. But neither he, nor the rest of his family, is worth our adoration. He’s just a man.

]]> By: SparklestheIguana http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182630 SparklestheIguana Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:03:23 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182630 <p>It must be killing Hillary to watch from the sidelines as Obama, Sebelius et al float their sad “public option is <em>not that critical</em>” trial balloons.</p> It must be killing Hillary to watch from the sidelines as Obama, Sebelius et al float their sad “public option is not that critical” trial balloons.

]]> By: sptatt http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182626 sptatt Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:56:55 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182626 <p>kinda ironic that his boy Barack is selling it out.</p> kinda ironic that his boy Barack is selling it out.

]]> By: SparklestheIguana http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182624 SparklestheIguana Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:47:31 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182624 <p>It is a terrible irony that just at the moment in history when Ted Kennedy’s voice, passion, intelligence, fervor, and commitment are most needed, he got this awful cancer. </p> <p>Ted Kennedy killed a woman through his carelessness and negligence. He allowed a woman to die because he was selfish. I actually think that was a truly evil act. Do I forgive him for this? It’s not my place to forgive. Only God and Mary Jo Kopechne in heaven, and her family here on earth, can forgive.</p> <p>At the same time, I have enormous respect for his legislative career and the dedication he has brought to so many critically important issues. It helps me to imagine these years as an atonement for his earlier evil.</p> <p>I will be very sad when he dies. I wish he could live another two decades.</p> It is a terrible irony that just at the moment in history when Ted Kennedy’s voice, passion, intelligence, fervor, and commitment are most needed, he got this awful cancer.

Ted Kennedy killed a woman through his carelessness and negligence. He allowed a woman to die because he was selfish. I actually think that was a truly evil act. Do I forgive him for this? It’s not my place to forgive. Only God and Mary Jo Kopechne in heaven, and her family here on earth, can forgive.

At the same time, I have enormous respect for his legislative career and the dedication he has brought to so many critically important issues. It helps me to imagine these years as an atonement for his earlier evil.

I will be very sad when he dies. I wish he could live another two decades.

]]> By: lllphd http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182619 lllphd Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:43:19 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/08/19/the-wind-and-the-lion-ted-kennedy-mans-up-to-mortality/#comment-182619 <p>bmaz, i also like your addition that the appointee should be from the elected party. absolutely; will of the people.</p> bmaz, i also like your addition that the appointee should be from the elected party. absolutely; will of the people.

]]>