Isn't he awful? I think he's edging too far into the political, too.
indeed, way too political at some spots.
Not at all. It is entirely appropriate to discuss the achievements of the deceased at any funeral.
That the achievements of Reagan are political is just the way it is.
What differs from the Wellstone funeral is that no one is pointing out the Democrats and what they do/did wrong. No one dis-invited a Democrat. No one is handing out hotdogs and beer and yelling and screaming ala Howard Dean and making it a campaign speech.
Yes, Ted Steven's speech veered unnecessarily into the political. And what made it seem that way was the rapid, excited political way in which he spoke. At funerals you are supposed to speak slowly and dignified. Good that he was first and Hastert and Cheney saved it.