Proverbs 26:
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Reasonable men may disagree as to which proverb is appropriate to a particular occasion.
Beat me to it.
Amen
This "particular" was the occasion of the Senator Kennedy’s words.
A different particular occasion may call for a different particular response.