Posted on 05/30/2007 7:56:37 AM PDT by notes2005
In a recent speech to a Mississippi civic group, Sen. Trent Lott brought up Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's role on important domestic legislation, including Kennedy's latest push to overhaul the nation's immigration laws.
When Lott was finished, a man in the audience came up to him and said: "You did real good. But that part about Kennedy -- don't say that no more."
"He is the number one boogeyman for conservative Republicans," Lott said later of the longtime Democratic senator from Massachusetts. But, Lott added, "he is a good legislator, and you can't take that away from him."
That Lott would praise a liberal icon of the Democratic Party might seem odd. But Kennedy's work on the immigration bill is, in fact, the third time he has thrown himself behind a major initiative of President Bush's. Kennedy gave crucial support to two of the president's key first-term domestic achievements, the No Child Left Behind education law and a Medicare prescription drug bill. That he helped Republicans burnish their record on such trademark Democratic issues as education and health care mystified some in both parties.
"Senator Kennedy's name has been on every major immigration reform bill since 1965, and he has always teamed up with Republicans," said Cecilia Muñoz, National Council of La Raza, a Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. "The fact that President Bush is pro-reform . . . creates the political opportunity."
Bush and Kennedy have discussed immigration issues for years, but when they met in January at a White House event marking the fifth anniversary of No Child Left Behind, it seemed that the time was right for both men. "He spoke about this issue knowledgeably," Kennedy said. "And he was willing to take some political hits on this. That caught my eye."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Fat Ted may get some respect from certain Republicans -— Lott, Bush, McCain -— but he gets no respect from this conservative.
Has Kennedy ever had a good word for a Republican?
Even when they were kissing his ass in Macy’s window?
Trent Lott....wrong again.
This guy needs to be shown the way out. He is one of the Republican Party’s biggest liabilities.
If the new immigration bill passes in its current form, it means more Dim voters, much much more federal immigration bureaucracy needed to process all the paperwork and monitor everybody (if the full extent of this piece of crap bill gets through — NOT going to happen!).
Secure the borders and prosecute employers of illegals!!!
Y’all be more respectful when you talk about Ted Kennedy. He holds the “George H.W. Bush Excellence in Governing Award”.
And no, I’m not making this up.
That's not much of a compliment in my book. We are drowning in laws. My idea of a "good legislator" is one who devotes his efforts to repealing laws that are outdated, unjust, foolish, or ineffective.
-ccm
I don't think I'd accept a ride from any Kennedy. Joseph Kennedy Jr.'s Plane blew up. John Kennedy was shot while in a car. Ted Kennedy ran off abridge and killed a passenger. John Kennedy Jr. crashed his plane and killed himself, his wife, and her sister. Patches Kennedy wrecked his car in DC while under the influence of drugs. Did I miss anyone?
those Chappaquiddick jokes never get old! keep em coming!
Ted Kennedy gets a little Republican respect?...MY Ass!...Not from me.
That drunken felon fat teddie has no respect from anyone except idiots.
John Kennedy’s boat sank, too.
Y’all doin’ a heck of a job Ted!
ping
So what they're saying is that Trent Lott is still "a little" Republican?
Well, they don’t call it the “stupid party” for nothing. I used to save all of my contempt for democrats, now I share it equally between the two parties.
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