Should Kennedy Retire or Be Fired?

[Annie]

Think Taranto says it pretty well:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/

A Degenerate Dynasty
Ted Kennedy's latest rant got us to thinking about the contrast between the two greatest American political dynasties of the past half century, the Bushes and the Kennedys. Look at the two most prominent members of each dynasty, and in both cases you will see a study in contrasts.

The first President Bush was a decent man but decidedly not a visionary. His most famous rhetorical moments are anodyne tributes to American goodness ("a kinder, gentler nation," "a thousand points of light"), a blustery promise destined to be broken ("Read my lips"), and a promise that was kept, but only just ("This will not stand," referring to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. Indeed it didn't, but Saddam kept standing for more than a decade).

George W. Bush, on the other hand, was called by history to do bold things, and answered with possibly more boldness than history had expected--more, certainly, than some of his supporters are comfortable with.

Now look at the Kennedys. John F. Kennedy's presidency is hard to evaluate because it was so brief, but he is best known for the soaring rhetoric of his 1961 Inaugural Address:

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge--and more.

Kennedy's brother Ted, whose 15,423 days of service make him the second most senior U.S. senator, is best known for driving off a bridge and leaving a young woman to drown. His attitude toward America's role in the world is the opposite of his brother's; it's best summed up as an inversion of FDR: We have nothing to offer but fear itself.

Here he is yesterday at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies:

The war in Iraq has become a war against the American occupation. . . . The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution. . . . The first step is to confront our own mistakes. . . . No matter how many times the Administration denies it, there is no question they misled the nation and led us into a quagmire in Iraq. . . . As in Vietnam, truth was the first casualty of this war. . . . As a result of our actions in Iraq, our respect and credibility around the world have reached all-time lows. . . . Never in our history has there been a more powerful, more painful example of the saying that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. . . . The nations in the Middle East are independent, except for Iraq, which began the 20th century under Ottoman occupation and is now beginning the 21st century under American occupation.

And on and on and on. That last sentence we quoted is really something when you realize that the 21st century began more than four years ago, when Iraq was under Baathist occupation.

And the idea that "the nations in the Middle East are independent" really sums up the EMK worldview. Terror-sponsoring tyrannies are just peachy, suggests brother Ted, so long as America does not have to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe.

Such harangues are to be expected from the malignantly magniloquent Massachusettsan, but why now? "It's remarkable that Sen. Kennedy would deliver such an overtly pessimistic message only days before the Iraqi election," said Republican spokesman Brian Jones in a statement. "Kennedy's partisan political attack stands in stark contrast to President Bush's vision of spreading freedom around the world."

But that's exactly the point. A successful election in Iraq will be a triumph for the Bush doctrine and the strongest rebuke yet to those Democrats who learned from Vietnam that America is a force for ill in the world. Ted Kennedy is, as The Wall Street Journal puts it today, "cheerleading for America to fail" because his ideology leaves him unfit to cope with American success. If he has his way, democracy in Iraq will suffer the same fate as Mary Jo Kopechne.

 

[manu1959]

teddy should go swimming with a golf club

 

[KarlMarx]

John - "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country......"


Robert - "Some see things as they are and ask why, I see things as they never were and ask, 'why not?'"

Ted - "hey Chris, wanna make a waitress sandwich?"..... "make it a double".... "Bush is a liar, liar pants on fire!".... "what do you mean, you don't know how to swim?"..... "you gonna eat that?"....

 

[wolvie20m]

John - "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country......"


Robert - "Some see things as they are and ask why, I see things as they never were and ask, 'why not?'"

Ted - "hey Chris, wanna make a waitress sandwich?"..... "make it a double".... "Bush is a liar, liar pants on fire!".... "what do you mean, you don't know how to swim?"..... "you gonna eat that?"....

:rotflmao:

I'm tired of hearing ranting and raving, how about some solutions. We know we have problems instead of just pointing them out, come up with a plan to solve them.... :blah2: <<Ted

 

[Merlin1047]

The good people of Massachussetts have given us Kennedy for decades. Then, as if to add insult to injury, they give us kerry.

We need a constitutional amendment. The amendment would permit the rest of the country to suspend the voting rights of any state which re-elects a senator or representative who proves to be nothing but a total embarrassment to the nation.

If that ever comes to pass, the folks in Mass. can put their voting machines into long term storage.

 

[manu1959]

:rotflmao:

I'm tired of hearing ranting and raving, how about some solutions. We know we have problems instead of just pointing them out, come up with a plan to solve them.... :blah2: <<Ted

that would require the fat drunk to actually work....new englanders just like to bitch

 

[KarlMarx]

The good people of Massachussetts have given us Kennedy for decades. Then, as if to add insult to injury, they give us kerry.

We need a constitutional amendment. The amendment would permit the rest of the country to suspend the voting rights of any state which re-elects a senator or representative who proves to be nothing but a total embarrassment to the nation.

If that ever comes to pass, the folks in Mass. can put their voting machines into long term storage.

Unfortunately, being as stupid as you want to be is a constitutionally protected right. You can't stop stupid people from voting any more than you can stop them from breeding.

 

[Comrade]

Here he is yesterday at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies:

The war in Iraq has become a war against the American occupation. . . . The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution . . . The first step is to confront our own mistakes. . . . No matter how many times the Administration denies it, there is no question they misled the nation and led us into a quagmire in Iraq. . . . As in Vietnam, truth was the first casualty of this war. . . . As a result of our actions in Iraq, our respect and credibility around the world have reached all-time lows. . . . Never in our history has there been a more powerful, more painful example of the saying that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. . . . The nations in the Middle East are independent, except for Iraq, which began the 20th century under Ottoman occupation and is now beginning the 21st century under American occupation.

These are quotes you've heard on video from:

A: An American Senator

B: An Al-Qauda Terrorist

???

FIRE HIS ASS!

 

[Annie]

These are quotes you've heard on video from:

A: An American Senator

B: An Al-Qauda Terrorist

???

FIRE HIS ASS!

Here's to hoping! :cof:

 

[Adam's Apple]

One thing we know for sure about Ted Kennedy: he will always be a part of the problem, not a part of the solution. When George and Laura Bush first arrived in Washington, they tried to change the tone in Washington by starting with Ted Kennedy. What was his reaction to the kindness they extended to him? He kicked sand in their faces. The people of Massachusetts should give serious thought to retiring Senator Kennedy when he next presents himself as a candidate to represent their views in Washington. If they are trying to pay homage to John F. Kennedy by continuing to send his brother to Washington, they should forget it. Judging by the views expressed by Ted and John about America, it's easy to see thatTed was never influenced by his brother.

 

[queenie74]

Unfortunatly, they won't fire his lousy ass, they will give him a plush retirement though...

 

[hylandrdet]

He should retire out of a general principle; out with the old, in with the new. I'd stopped listening to him a long time ago and so has everyone else. He never was, nor ever will be, the voice of the Democratic party.

I'm surprised that the Republicans would want him to step down; his presence had done more harm than good to the democratic party. When he speaks, you run the other way!

 

[Adam's Apple]

I noticed that the Democrats on the Sunday morning talk shows all said they did not agree with what Kennedy said in his speech this week.

As far as Republicans being glad to have Senator Kennedy around to make the Democrats look bad, anyone who makes America--not just the Democrats-- look bad is not good for the Republicans to have around either. I don't believe either the Republicans or Democrats would be too unhappy if we didn't have to contend anymore with Senator Kennedy and his insane speeches.

 

[hylandrdet]

I noticed that the Democrats on the Sunday morning talk shows all said they did not agree with what Kennedy said in his speech this week.

As far as Republicans being glad to have Senator Kennedy around to make the Democrats look bad, anyone who makes America--not just the Democrats-- look bad is not good for the Republicans to have around either. I don't believe either the Republicans or Democrats would be too unhappy if we didn't have to contend anymore with Senator Kennedy and his insane speeches.

Fair enough. He's starting to give me the creeps.

He's like William Shatner's "Denny Crane" on ABC's "Boston Legal". Everytime you give him a good political challenge, he responds to you by saying, "I reject your ideas because I'm Ted Kennedy", then walks off arrogantly like he'd taken over the world.

The road to redemption for the us Democrats lies within the restructuring of our image; that means changes.

It's time to put that "Teddy" where it belongs, under a sleeping child's arm.
:baby4:

 

[acludem]

I'll defend Senator Kennedy since no one else will. Sen. Kennedy has ably, energetically, and tirelessly representated the people of the Commonwealth of Massachussetts in the United States Senate for more than 30 years. He has been a champion of education (including working with Pres. Bush on the "No Child Left Behind Act", Health Care, co-sponsoring historic legislation with Kansas Republican Nancy Kassebaum, and Senior Citizens issues. He is well respected by both Republicans and Democrats alike. In fact, his closest friend in the Senate is Utah Republican Orrin Hatch. The people of Massachussetts have sent him to the Senate time and time again. His lowest margin of victory was 58%..his opponent is now Governor of Massachussets, Mitt Romney.

acludem

 

[Gem]

Interesting that so many of the pet projects he worked hand-in-hand with the Republicans on are the very issues whose failings he blames solely on Bush and the Republicans.

 

[Adam's Apple]

He is well respected by both Republicans and Democrats alike. In fact, his closest friend in the Senate is Utah Republican Orrin Hatch.

Surely you jest! When I have heard Senator Hatch speak about Senator Kennedy, it is more like someone who pities or feels sorry for another than anything else. Senator Hatch is a very compassionate man who makes the effort to get along with people on both sides of the aisle, not qualities I have seen displayed by Senator Kennedy. I doubt very much that Senator Kennedy is well respected by both Republicans and Democrats.

 

[acludem]

Watch the A&E Biography of Ted Kennedy. There is a genuine respect and affection between he and Sen. Hatch. As for those bills, Kennedy-Kassebaum was the basis for the Family and Medical Leave Act, I'd hardly call that a failure. No Child Left Behind became a failure because Bush decided to use it a political sledgehammer instead of doing the right thing.

acludem

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Watch the A&E Biography of Ted Kennedy. There is a genuine respect and affection between he and Sen. Hatch. As for those bills, Kennedy-Kassebaum was the basis for the Family and Medical Leave Act, I'd hardly call that a failure. No Child Left Behind became a failure because Bush decided to use it a political sledgehammer instead of doing the right thing.

acludem

Please explain how No Child Left Behind was used as a political sledgehammer?

 

[rtwngAvngr]

That was easy. Just another day in the life of the biggest internet pimp that ever lived.