Posted on 08/29/2009 2:11:13 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
As the nation offers final tributes to Edward M. Kennedy, who will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, the glowing eulogies have been accompanied by lingering ill will toward the senator from Massachusetts who came to embody modern liberalism.
Kennedy reigned as a larger-than-life political figure for nearly half a century, engendering a level of passion matched by few others. Just as he was loved for his unalloyed political views, he was also despised.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Writing an obit about Mary Jo's killer without mentioning Mary Jo -- here's how!
White House spokesman Bill Burton, asked what his boss thinks about the goofy and desperate "win one for Kennedy" push for death-care by his nutjob base, told the Boston Globe with a straight face that "the politics and implications of [Kennedy's death] are the last thing on [Obama's] mind right now." Hasn't crossed his mind even once!
And that'll be my approach in this column regarding the infamous Ted Kennedy scandals. With his passing, the scandals haven't crossed my mind -- not even for a fleeting second!
That's why you won't hear a peep from me about Chappaquiddick, a small island in Massachusetts that Kennedy made famous when, after getting drunk at a party, he made a "wrong turn" in his Oldsmobile and drove it off a wooden bridge into Poucho Pond, leaving his passenger Mary Jo Kopechne to be waterboarded in seven feet of water while the champion swimmer heroically swam to the safety of his hotel room to concoct an alibi with his lawyers. Unlike Khalid Sheik Muhammad, Kopechne actually drowned. But, as I said, nary a word about any of this from me. It's the last thing on my mind.
Not a word either about the fact that he waited until the next morning to report the little "incident" to police. Nine hours after the fatal crash. Nor will I mention the fact that, even after 9 hours, Teddy still had no believable explanation for why he swam from the vehicle, rather than walk on water. Nor any explanation regarding what had actually happened before he killed Kopechne -- to wit, he'd gotten drunk at a Regatta Weekend reunion party for the "Boiler Room Girls" at a pal's cottage. Thanks to his family connections, The Dripper got off with a two-month suspended sentence by pleading guilty to the misdemeanor charge of Driving And Killing Someone While Democrat. The Chappaquiddick scandal sealed his reputation as a drunkard, a murderer, a womanizer and the Democrats' guiding light. Of course I haven't mentioned any of this, nor will I; now is not the time.
Here's what else my lips are sealed (air-tight) about: While at Harvard, he tried to cheat by having a friend take his Spanish exam. He got caught and consequently was booted from school for two years. But I'm not going to mention that either.
Did you know that he was arrested years later for reckless driving while a law student at the University of Virginia? He was. The "incident" involved a chase with police. But I'm not mentioning that either.
And if you thought I was going to mention the 1990 bombshell by Gentlemen's Quarterly, you're mistaken. In a scathing article, the magazine cataloged the litany of Teddy scandals involving abuse of women, binge drinking, boorishness, rampant adultery (otherwise known as, 'A day in the life of a Kennedy'). He was subtly described as a man unrestrained by "the rules of decency." So lurid was his personal life, it could've qualified for NEA funding. But. I said I wouldn't mentioned any of this, and I won't.
Teddy's charming life of drunkenness, murder, serial adultery and sexual harassment was enough to make him a serious contender for the Democrat nomination in 1980, falling short only because the party already had a clown in the White House -- but not a word about this from me!
As for the rape case of nephew William Kennedy Smith, it was more of the same (which I refuse to mention). In an apparent attempt to emulate uncle Ted, Smith was accused of raping a woman (or having sex in the manner of a Kennedy) after a night of bar-hopping with Teddy and Teddy's son Patrick in Palm Beach, Fla., back in 1971. Smith insisted the rape was consensual sex. Being a Kennedy, he was acquitted on the grounds that he's a Kennedy. In any case, the scandal safely landed Teddy back on Page 1 of the scandal sheets -- but. Since all of this is the last thing on my mind, not a peep about it from me.
I suppose I could mention how he and drinking pal Chris Dodd would go for a little fondling, groping and waitress sandwich-making 'fun' at cafes, BUT! Not gonna mention it, not even once.
Look, if the purpose of this column was to write about Teddy's scandals, wouldn't I mention his outright treasonous activities during the height of the Cold War? His outreach to Soviet dictators during the Carter and Reagan administrations is confirmed by documents in Soviet archives which came to light after the fall of the liberals' beloved Soviet Union. A KGB letter, dated May 14, 1983, sent to Yuri Andropov, shows Teddy offered to help the Soviets draw up a PR plan of action to subvert American foreign policy and undercut Reagan politically. Human Events reported in December 8, 2003 (H/T: Connie Hair, Human Events article, 8/27) that KGB documents showed that in 1978, Ted Kennedy "'requested the assistance of the KGB to establish a relationship' between the Soviet apparatus and a firm owned by former Sen. John Tunney (D-Ca.). KGB recommended that they be permitted to do this because Tunney's firm was already connected with a KBG agent in France named David Karr. This document was found by the knowledgeable Russian journalist Yevgenia Albats and published in Moscow's Izvestia in June 1992." Another KBG report reveals a meeting took place in Moscow on March 5, 1980 between traitor Tunney (acting on behalf of traitor Teddy) and the KBG. Human Events: "Tunney expressed Kennedy's opinion that 'nonsense about the Soviet military threat and Soviet ambitions for military expansion in the Persian Gulf .... was being fueled by [President Jimmy] Carter, [National Security Advisor Zbigniew] Brzezinski, the Pentagon and the military industrial complex' . . . Kennedy offered to speak out against President Carter on Afghanistan. Shortly thereafter he made public speeches opposing President Carter on the issue." No wonder the Soviets thought Teddy's decades of public service was awesome! But, am I going to mention any of this? No. It's the last thing on my mind.
"We will never see the likes of him again," said Joe Biden in a statement. I hope he's right.
Anyway, that's...
My Two Cents...
"JohnHuang2"
Teddy was a shining example of how power, corruption, and greed can keep a demented and twisted person in office for half a century. (Murtha is another example.) These corrupt politicians use their power to redistribute taxpayer dollars to enrich the greedy voters in their jurisdictions; voters with no scruples or even conscience in the voting booth. Thus, like union thugs, they remain in office forever.
Witnessing this is "educational" to the increasing minority of responsible voters who can only watch and pray as their country disintegrates.
He was the poster boy for corruption. A spoiled rotten kid who never got so much as a slap on the wrist for the things he did to hurt people and this country.
It is rarely mentioned that Kennedy had the largest office staff of any Senator — ever. Thus, he could stick his nose in everything, have a speech ready on any occasion, and outspend the opposition whenever he felt like it. He was an active politician with a mediocre mind, but at least he did not follow in his brother John’s path and publish a book in his name that was actually written by a ghostwriter (Schlesinger).
Yes, I had to deal with his thuggery. At the time (1970s) I was a fan of the Kennedy family, Camelot and all. However when his thugs tried to strong arm me into sending government money his way, I crossed his name off my list of people with intelligence and integrity. His staff cared not for the country, but only for what booty they could bring home by threatening anyone who got in their way.
The other day when Teddy died I was at a large convenience stop on a major N-S Virginia highway. In three cases of spontaneous casual, and I guess cynical conversation, other drivers (all men incidentally) mentioned what a joke Teddy Kennedy was. I didn't notice anyone with great remorse.
Extending that experience driving away I think of stopping every car on the highway and polling their view of Teddy Kennedy. I'm betting that it was similar to that at the convenience center. Only a guess for sure.
Now contrast that with the prodigious verbiage in the Media of Teddy Kennedy's wonderful contributions to the nation. If my guess is valid then think of what immense psychological power the media has - it has created a view, image and issue, nation and world over, which is totally disparate from the actual one. It has created its own world of Teddy Kennedy greatness, despite the fact that he was simply a buffoon.
That phenomenon of Media Power is what has given us Barack Obama, and a tragic cover for authoritarian, capitalist hating, corrupt government. The Media is the primary window to the world for a host of truly ignorant people.
What are the antidotes? For one, this internet of course. For two, alternative broadcasts and newspapers that are not centrally controlled. For three, open convivial conversation with fellow citizens, like at Tea Parties, or at convenience centers on US highways.
A great line from Revenge of the Stith - " so this is how liberty dies, to thunderous applause."
Johnny Suntrade
Spot on comment.
The world is certainly a better place, now that he’s gone and can do no more damage...
and what has his staff been doing for the last 9 months? I hear some make up to $168,000 per year in salary and many received bonus’. Did they all stay on while ole ted was dying in his home? what a disgrace he did not resign much sooner, he milked the system till his last reprobate dying breath.
Goodbye to Edward Kennedy, we wish him success in his future endeavors. That’s what I say when I fire someone.
It’s enough now.
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