Ted Kennedy Gets a Little Republican Respect

Washington Post ^ | May 30, 2007 | Elizabeth Williamson

[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."

[notes2005]

Republicans in Washington DC - Detached from reality

[KarlInOhio]

Something bad happens to Republicans when they have been baptized in the waters of the Potomac.

[Mr. K]

More blather from mindless Trent ‘Vacant’ Lott.

[Al Gator]

“, “he is a good legislator, and you can’t take that away from him.”

Trent V. Lott speaks again, unfortunately.

V = vacant.

[Jeff Head]

If Lott is giving him respect...then Lott himself has lost mine.

Kennedy and others may get credit for the new immigration legislation, but it is credit for legislation that will destrroy this nation. They have nothing but my scorn and abject opposition in any such plans.

[TexasCajun]

Kennedy -- Bush -- MeCain -- Lott

A liberal and 3 conservative sellouts!!

[Reaganesque]

Well, I for one, am giving him as little respect as possible.

[dirtboy]

That Lott would praise a liberal icon of the Democratic Party might seem odd.

Hardly. Lott's a poster child of what's wrong with the GOP.

[TChris]

I’m increasingly convinced that our legislators believe their job is to represent Washington to their constituents.

[DesScorp]

"Ted Kennedy Gets a Little Republican RINO Respect"

There, fixed it for you.

[mirkwood]

[Resolute Conservative]

Hit that nail squarely. Most GOPers have become pansies and more interested in self-preservation that fighting the good fight.

I for one am so sick of PC stuff. I wish I could have 2 minutes of tv time to say what needs to be said, I wouldn’t waste it giving praise to a criminal.

[rod1]

From ANY Kennedy. With Teddy you get wet then dead, with Patches you get to kiss the concret barricade and/or enter a police car from the rear at high speed.

Would not want Patches as my limo driver (that is if I had a limo....and a driver).

[Diogenesis]

Was not Lott a Democrat who was planted to shift the GOP left? and he did.

[massgopguy]

Ted Kennedy can address any problem that he started by making it worse. He condemns HMO’s yet he wrote the Bill creating them. He said we’d never need Immigration Reform again....in 1987.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

"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, senior vice president of policy for the National Council of La Raza, a Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. "The fact that President Bush is pro-reform . . . creates the political opportunity."

Yep, Ted Kennedy's firing up the old Oldsmobile again.

The sad part is that George Bush is the one trying to escort America into the back seat.

[jammer]

That headline says a hell of a lot more about Republicans than about Teddy boy.

[Paradox]

Don’t be naive folks, DC is all about the ole boy network, now girls too! Its all nudge, nudge, wink wink.

[MBB1984]

Exactly. Lott’s praise of a degenerate liberal speaks more of Lott than the degenerate liberal.

[MBB1984]

Yes, it needed to be fixed. Should we be surprised when a RINO praises a leftist?