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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Sometimes, Things Just Suck

Sometimes, Things Just Suck

by Michael D.|  May 21, 20085:32 am| 56 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Wishing Ted Kennedy the very best in a very difficult situation – a malignant brain tumor (glioma) and possibly less than a year to live.

The diagnosis cast a pall over Capitol Hill, where the Massachusetts Democrat has served since 1962.

“All of the oxygen went out of the room,” when the news broke, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who called Kennedy “a mentor.”

Some senators later wept as they publicly considered the potential mortality of a man who was at the center of nearly a half-century of some of the nation’s most important legislative issues.

Man, that sucks… big time.

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Reader Interactions

56Comments

  1. 1.

    drag0n

    May 21, 2008 at 5:44 am

    No kidding…. John McCain put it perfectly:

    “I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate,” a tearful McCain said on his campaign bus in Florida. “And I have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the Senate.”

    As did Obama:

    “I would not be sitting here as a presidential candidate were it not for some of the battles he fought as a senator: He battled for voting rights and civil rights when I was a child. I stand on his shoulders,” Obama said.

    And Clinton:

    Sen. Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Kennedy’s “courage and resolve are unmatched, and they have made him one of the greatest legislators in Senate history.”

  2. 2.

    montysano

    May 21, 2008 at 5:45 am

    I’m one of those Boomers who remembers exactly where he was (4th grade class) when we learned that John Kennedy was dead, so this news about Sen. Kennedy seems like the end of something. Very sad. Even to those who disliked him, there could be no doubt that he always had the best interests of our country and its citizens in mind.

  3. 3.

    Gus

    May 21, 2008 at 6:48 am

    I’m sure right wing blogs will show tons of class when talking about this sad story.

  4. 4.

    Fulcanelli

    May 21, 2008 at 6:56 am

    I hope to God he lives long enough to see Obama and a Dem majority elected. With everything he and his brothers fought and stood for, for over 50 years, I’d hate to think he goes out with Bush, Cheney and that loathesome pack of ratfucking cocksuckers in the white house, and don’t tell me I’m being too nice.

    Say what you will about the Kennedys, this one’s gonna hurt.

  5. 5.

    linda

    May 21, 2008 at 7:06 am

    and rupert murdoch’s ever classy ny post has a screaming front page ‘TED IS DYING’.

  6. 6.

    Conservatively Liberal

    May 21, 2008 at 7:10 am

    This just sucks to no end. We all know that he is getting up there in the years, and sooner or later that time comes, but you hope that if you are going to go out then going out from old age sure beats the heck out of cancer.

    I have read comments at RedState and Hillaryis44, and they are remarkably about the same. Some are sorry to hear about it and offer Ted and his family their prayers, even if they disagree with him. Others are bitter and still spew their hate at him while not giving even the tiniest bit of humanity to the guy.

    It is times like this I hope there is a special place in Hell for jerks like them.

    I wish Ted and his family the best, and I hope they get to spend a lot of time together. The Kennedy family is the American family. They have given their lives in service to our country, or lived their lives doing so.

    The Last Lion of the Senate. Deservedly so.

  7. 7.

    PeterJ

    May 21, 2008 at 7:14 am

    I’m sure right wing blogs will show tons of class when talking about this sad story.

    Most of them will. A lot of people commenting probably won’t though.

    Blogs on the left didn’t gloat about Tony Snow’s cancer, but a lot of commenters did.

    And Taylor Marsh did have a post up about what her commenters wrote about Kennedy. (And some of them probably weren’t right wing trolls…)

  8. 8.

    Bobzim

    May 21, 2008 at 7:27 am

    I can’t believe all of the talking heads using the past tense when talking about Kennedy. He ain’t dead yet.

  9. 9.

    Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop

    May 21, 2008 at 7:48 am

    I’m sure right wing blogs will show tons of class when talking about this sad story.

    It will be handled with infinitely more class and compassion than the left ever shows when misfortune (or, hell, even a simple trip overseas) befalls a Republican, you can bet on that.

  10. 10.

    zoe from pittsburgh

    May 21, 2008 at 7:56 am

    I was incredibly sad when I heard the news yesterday. I was later annoyed by how many pundits were talking about him in the past tense already. He’s still a sitting senator and he’s not dead yet, dammit.

    I’m not a boomer but I’ve always had a strong sense of Teddy carrying the legacy of the Kennedys on his shoulders– even more poignant after the untimely death of JFK Jr. Oddly enough Teddy sort of represents the end of dynasty politics (please-o-please) although he sort of “knighted” Obama with his endorsement and support.

    I just hope he’s well and around long enough to see Obama win in November.

  11. 11.

    dslak

    May 21, 2008 at 7:57 am

    It will be handled with infinitely more class and compassion than the left ever shows when misfortune (or, hell, even a simple trip overseas) befalls a Republican

    Getting caught soliciting gay sex in bathroom stalls or keeping a family on the side aren’t really “misfortunes” in the same way that a cancer diagnosis is.

    A demonstration

  12. 12.

    cleek

    May 21, 2008 at 7:57 am

    …you can bet on that.

    you can bet on anything.

  13. 13.

    zoe from pittsburgh

    May 21, 2008 at 7:58 am

    Ellison + 6 other names…

    Go away and troll somewhere else, k? Leave this thread alone.

  14. 14.

    JGabriel

    May 21, 2008 at 8:04 am

    Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop:

    Gus:

    I’m sure right wing blogs will show tons of class when talking about this sad story.

    It will be handled with infinitely more class and compassion than the left ever shows when misfortune (or, hell, even a simple trip overseas) befalls a Republican, you can bet on that.

    I guess not. Michael Savage is already playing songs from the Dead Kennedys on his radio show to celebrate. (h/t TBogg)

    Classy bunch of guys there on the right, EEEL.

    .

  15. 15.

    dslak

    May 21, 2008 at 8:05 am

    EEEL has always been the best of the trolls, I think.

  16. 16.

    Punchy

    May 21, 2008 at 8:06 am

    Paging Ann Coulter for some comment like “See? Liberalism turns your brain to shit”, followed by 6 pundits’ jaws hitting the floor, and then every news station east of the Rockies demanding an interview with her.

    If you think the wingers will keep this classy, I want what you’re clearly smoking.

  17. 17.

    Dennis - SGMM

    May 21, 2008 at 8:07 am

    Kennedy’s unimpeachable Democratic credentials have allowed him to reach out to Republicans. He has been one of the few Senators willing and able to broker compromises that result in legislation. I hope that he is able to return to the Senate but, in the mean time, his ability to reach across the aisle will be sorely missed and his absence may well affect the Democratic president’s ability to move his agenda through Congress. The Dems will doubtless pick up seats in both Houses but achieving a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate seems like a long shot.

  18. 18.

    Andrew

    May 21, 2008 at 8:10 am

    I guess not. Michael Savage is already playing songs from the Dead Kennedys on his radio show to celebrate. (h/t TBogg)

    That is classy compared to much of their usual behavior.

  19. 19.

    zoe from pittsburgh

    May 21, 2008 at 8:18 am

    I wish Jello Biafra would call up Michael Savage and tear him a new one.

  20. 20.

    b. hussein canuckistani

    May 21, 2008 at 8:19 am

    I do know someone who survived a malignant brain tumour. The odds aren’t good, but they aren’t zero either. And it’s not like he won’t get the best medical care available.

  21. 21.

    Genine

    May 21, 2008 at 8:22 am

    I’m so sorry to hear about Senator Kennedy. I wish him a speedy recovery and an auspicious return to the Senate.

    And, when its his time to leave this plane of existence, I hope he lives long enough to see this nation going to into a positive and more hopeful direction. I hope he lives to see the fruits of his labor, the labor of some others in his family, the labor of the Party, and the labor of everyday Americans.

  22. 22.

    b. hussein canuckistani

    May 21, 2008 at 8:23 am

    I guess not. Michael Savage is already playing songs from the Dead Kennedys on his radio show to celebrate. (h/t TBogg)

    I was just thinking of taking the DK’s out of my iPod playlist mere seconds ago when “We’ve Got a Bigger Problem Now” popped up and I thought “Listening to a band kick so hard against Reagan and the religious right is not the least respectful think I could do right now, and Michael Savage probably doesn’t know what he’s doing”.

  23. 23.

    The Moar You Know

    May 21, 2008 at 8:28 am

    Michael Savage probably doesn’t know what he’s doing

    That’s Michael Weiner’s life story.

  24. 24.

    zoe from pittsburgh

    May 21, 2008 at 8:45 am

    Right now on MSNBC they have a live feed on the hospital doors where Kennedy is supposed to exit so he can go home– it’s moments like these where the MSM really seems like little more than creepy stalkers.

    Leave the man and his family alone, for pete’s sake.

  25. 25.

    dr. bloor

    May 21, 2008 at 8:51 am

    I was just thinking of taking the DK’s out of my iPod playlist mere seconds ago when “We’ve Got a Bigger Problem Now” popped up and I thought “Listening to a band kick so hard against Reagan and the religious right is not the least respectful think I could do right now, and Michael Savage probably doesn’t know what he’s doing”.

    Developmentally speaking, Little Mikey hasn’t quite gotten past that stage where kids smear their own feces on the wall because it gets such a rise out of the grown ups. He’s not capable of comprehending DK lyrics, much less appreciating the irony involved in playing their songs on his show.

  26. 26.

    Fwiffo

    May 21, 2008 at 8:52 am

    I can’t believe all of the talking heads using the past tense when talking about Kennedy. He ain’t dead yet.

    It’s not even a terminal diagnoses yet. Yes, the prognosis malignant brain gliomas is generally on the scale from “horrible” to “really horrible” particularly at his age, but we don’t yet know what kind of glioma it is, nor how operable it is.

    When I first heard of Kennedy’s seizure, I was immediately reminded of my Dad’s illness several years ago. He also suffered a seizure caused by a malignant glioma; in his case, a grade 3 oligodendroglioma. After surgery and follow-up chemo and radiation, he’s alive and basically cured today. He was extraordinarily lucky; the tumor was in a very operable part of the brain, and was lucky enough to cause the seizure before it had gotten out of control. He was also able to get in on a trial of Temodar, which is a chemotherapy drug that has turned out to be quite effective against oligodendrogliomas with a particular gene marker (which my Dad had).

    My Dad’s case represents pretty much the best possible outcome for these cancers. He was ruined financially, even with insurance, and spent months suffering the super-fun effects of chemo and radiation (which didn’t include loss of hair, but did include vomiting of blood). But he’s alive today with no significant long-term health effects.

    If Senator Kennedy’s got the same kind of glioma, he might be OK, but the odds are not great. If it’s the wrong kind, it might be a matter of weeks.

  27. 27.

    vwcat

    May 21, 2008 at 8:52 am

    It is so sad and heartbreaking. It does suck.

  28. 28.

    Breschau

    May 21, 2008 at 8:57 am

    Honestly – following some of the right wing blog links from memeorandum yesterday on this topic made me so disgusted that I actually took the rest of the day off from reading anything. The blogs themselves have stayed pretty classy about it – but the commenters seem to have no soul or human decency.

    Like this from HotAir:

    We are obliged to fight against any canonization of Ted Kennedy and further mythologizing about the Kennedy family. The pols & the MSM will generate tons of puffery about the “Lion of the Senate”, curses and public service. It will be untrue and utter nonsense.
    God is the final judge of a man’s life, and I don’t pretend to know the state of Kennedy’s soul but in the earthly realm Ted Kennedy has a lot to answer for. A clear bright light must be shone on the toll that Kennedy has extracted from the Common Good.

    thegreatbeast on May 20, 2008 at 6:33 PM

    or this..

    I’m sorry, but I just can’t muster the sympathy. I would not be saying this if it were John Kerry or Obama or some other lib with the diagnosis. But this man drove a woman into a river and then left her there to die while comtemplating his political future. He should have gone to prison for a long time. Instead he went to the Senate for a lifetime.

    From what I’ve seen, all of the Kennedy men, including St. JFK were and are scum. Why America is so fascinated with this group of lechers, addicts, and criminals is beyond me.

    ashleymatt on May 20, 2008 at 7:45 PM

    And that’s just from one post, from one site. There are worse – much worse – out there. So much for Christian compassion, eh?

  29. 29.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    May 21, 2008 at 8:58 am

    I’m sure right wing blogs will show tons of class when talking about this sad story.

    This will be an interesting benchmark. I’m pretty sure even most of NRO will be civilized about it, but a couple will stand out. D’Souza, I’m certain, will be one of them. O’Reilly will probably stick his head out of the swamp, somewhere, as well.

    I have read comments at RedState and Hillaryis44, and they are remarkably about the same. Some are sorry to hear about it and offer Ted and his family their prayers, even if they disagree with him. Others are bitter and still spew their hate at him while not giving even the tiniest bit of humanity to the guy.

    It is times like this I hope there is a special place in Hell for jerks like them.

    Being unfazed from hearing that a man just found out — the hard way — that he’s T-minus 365 days, means you already are in hell. Or 12 years old.

  30. 30.

    joe

    May 21, 2008 at 9:00 am

    Moses never reached the Promised Land, but he got to see it.

  31. 31.

    Punchy

    May 21, 2008 at 9:03 am

    My Dad’s case represents pretty much the best possible outcome for these cancers. He was ruined financially, even with insurance,

    glad to hear about your dad’s recovery. However, there’s something extraordinary about the bolded statement above. Even with insurance, he’s broke.

    If that isn’t a textbook example of how fucked up health care has become, I dont know what is.

  32. 32.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    May 21, 2008 at 9:03 am

    It will be handled with infinitely more class and compassion than the left ever shows when misfortune (or, hell, even a simple trip overseas) befalls a Republican an authoritarian, anti-democratic fear-monger, you can bet on that.

    If that’s what you meant to say, then yes. If you included any upstanding American, then shut up: it’s morning and your home ec. class is starting; go make me some angel’s food.

  33. 33.

    Fulcanelli

    May 21, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Conservatively Liberal says… “It is times like this I hope there is a special place in Hell for jerks like them.”

    There is.

    It’s in the Eighth Circle:
    Bolgia 9: A sword-wielding demon hacks at the sowers of discord. As they make their rounds the wounds heal, only to have the demon tear apart their bodies again.

    Fuckers.

  34. 34.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    May 21, 2008 at 9:08 am

    If that isn’t a textbook example of how fucked up health care has become, I dont know what is.

    I’m sorry to say, that’s a textbook example of how much it costs to fight death. I’ll grant you in a perfect world, society would have the resources to fight all illnesses indefinitely until the body simply breaks down, but we’re not there yet. Still working on feeding people, etc.

    The moral of stories like that is: be happy with where you are in life, or you’re going to pay out the ass to get in another day to make things right.

  35. 35.

    Bob In Pacifica

    May 21, 2008 at 9:08 am

    A little Dead Kennedy political history. In the late seventies, after Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone were assassinated by right-wing asshole Dan White, there was a special election. Dianne Feinstein, who’d been the head of the board of supervisors was temporarily named mayor. In the special election she didn’t get 50% so she had to go into a runoff against her nearest challenger–Jello Biafra, lead singer of the DKs.

    Feinstein built her reputation on her mayorship and then got the senatorship by running as a middle to right Democrat.

    Imagine an alternate history with Senator Biafra. At least he wouldn’t be voting to protect the telecoms.

  36. 36.

    Lupin

    May 21, 2008 at 9:27 am

    To quote the old man in the cart in MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL: “I’m not dead yet! I’m not!”

    The other Senators are crying because they realize they’re old as Herod and they’re going to die soon. Nothing like being reminded of your own mortality.

  37. 37.

    Grand Moff Texan

    May 21, 2008 at 9:32 am

    I think we should celebrate the senator’s life, instead.

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    Nothing to cry about.
    .

  38. 38.

    r€nato

    May 21, 2008 at 9:42 am

    In the special election she didn’t get 50% so she had to go into a runoff against her nearest challenger—Jello Biafra, lead singer of the DKs.

    Wikipedia sez Jello finished 4th and was not part of the runoff election.

  39. 39.

    b. hussein canuckistani

    May 21, 2008 at 9:44 am

    Wikipedia sez Jello finished 4th and was not part of the runoff election.

    I like the not-quite-so-true story better.

  40. 40.

    joe

    May 21, 2008 at 9:49 am

    Imagine an alternate history with Senator Biafra.

    It would be neat to see CSPAN 2 lead the Neilsons.

  41. 41.

    Ted Kennedy

    May 21, 2008 at 9:52 am

    Grand Moff Texan:

    I think we should celebrate the senator’s life, instead.

    ‘Ere, I’m not dead yet!

    .

  42. 42.

    Genine

    May 21, 2008 at 9:54 am

    Grand Moff Texan Says:

    I think we should celebrate the senator’s life, instead.

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    Nothing to cry about.

    True. At least when one goes, s/he should go fulfilled. :)

  43. 43.

    RampantSexism

    May 21, 2008 at 9:55 am

    1. I had an immediate family member die of the same ailment that Ted Kennedy has, so I know the drill all too well. Suffice it to say, as deadly illnesses go, this one is remarkably predictable. I’ll just leave it at that.

    2. Where was I when JFK died? In a college chemistry class.

  44. 44.

    Zifnab

    May 21, 2008 at 10:02 am

    I think we should celebrate the senator’s life, instead.

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    Nothing to cry about.

    He lived the American Dream.

  45. 45.

    RampantSexism

    May 21, 2008 at 10:09 am

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    Aside from the fact that this describes a lot of people, I find the highlighted passage to be gratuitously sexist.

    But it was awfully well written.

  46. 46.

    sean

    May 21, 2008 at 10:15 am

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    …and he has the sweetest set of manboobs this side of Azamat Bagatov

  47. 47.

    Krista

    May 21, 2008 at 10:29 am

    As one guy wrote somewhere else, Kennedy’s drunk more high-dollar scotch, eaten more surf ‘n turf, and run his dick through more high-dollar trim than any man on this board.

    This diagnosis is sad as hell, but yeah…that man has lived a very, very large life.

  48. 48.

    Louise

    May 21, 2008 at 10:36 am

    I hope to God he lives long enough to see Obama and a Dem majority elected.

    Me, too. There’s something eerie in the air when the last of the Kennedy brothers faces death just as the heir apparent to that legacy seems ready to become President.

  49. 49.

    RampantSexism

    May 21, 2008 at 10:46 am

    There’s something eerie in the air when the last of the Kennedy brothers faces death just as the heir apparent to that legacy seems ready to become President right after my third bong hit.

    Truthified.

  50. 50.

    Gus

    May 21, 2008 at 10:46 am

    Leave it to Grand Moff Texan to sum up the situation perfectly.

  51. 51.

    Calouste

    May 21, 2008 at 11:14 am

    So Savage played “California Uber Alles”? I’d have thought that “Kill the Poor” would be the song of choice for people in his corner.

  52. 52.

    Kevin

    May 21, 2008 at 11:26 am

    I dunno, “I Kill Children” would also be appropriate for asses like Savage.

  53. 53.

    Grand Moff Texan

    May 21, 2008 at 11:27 am

    Leave it to Grand Moff Texan to sum up the situation perfectly.

    I was just paraphrasing something I’m too lazy to check my browser history to cite.

    But thank you.
    .

  54. 54.

    RampantSexism

    May 21, 2008 at 11:56 am

    Some senators later wept as they publicly considered the potential mortality of a man

    We wouldn’t expect Senators, of all people, to get that all people have a 100% chance of mortality.

  55. 55.

    Tax Analyst

    May 21, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Fwiffo Says:

    I can’t believe all of the talking heads using the past tense when talking about Kennedy. He ain’t dead yet.

    It’s not even a terminal diagnoses yet. Yes, the prognosis malignant brain gliomas is generally on the scale from “horrible” to “really horrible” particularly at his age, but we don’t yet know what kind of glioma it is, nor how operable it is.

    When I first heard of Kennedy’s seizure, I was immediately reminded of my Dad’s illness several years ago. He also suffered a seizure caused by a malignant glioma; in his case, a grade 3 oligodendroglioma. After surgery and follow-up chemo and radiation, he’s alive and basically cured today. He was extraordinarily lucky; the tumor was in a very operable part of the brain, and was lucky enough to cause the seizure before it had gotten out of control. He was also able to get in on a trial of Temodar, which is a chemotherapy drug that has turned out to be quite effective against oligodendrogliomas with a particular gene marker (which my Dad had).

    My Dad’s case represents pretty much the best possible outcome for these cancers. He was ruined financially, even with insurance, and spent months suffering the super-fun effects of chemo and radiation (which didn’t include loss of hair, but did include vomiting of blood). But he’s alive today with no significant long-term health effects.

    If Senator Kennedy’s got the same kind of glioma, he might be OK, but the odds are not great. If it’s the wrong kind, it might be a matter of weeks.

    Well, let’s hope for this “best case” then. It’s very sad when ANYONE has this type of illness and diagnosis…even people you don’t particularly like or agree with.

    Question: Does it really cost anyone anything to show just a modicum or perhaps a tiny smidgen of grace, taste or compassion?

    Maybe the folks who dance, prance, celebrate and yuk it up at this type of sadness when it befalls a perceived “enemy” need to take a peek down the road a spell. Shit can happen to anyone and late-recognized irony can be a real bitch-and-a-half to reconcile with.

    I had a diagnosis several years ago that quite conceivably could have had me pushing up daisies by now. I’ve been fortunate that it has not, but it still could. Unless you’ve experienced that clear, crystalline moment where you are seriously contemplating your mortality and eventual passing all you can do is wonder what it feels like and try to be supportive. But what sticks in my mind more than the fatalism is how many people – people with very little actual connection or emotional ties to me – did everything they could to make my load lighter and easier.

    So my cynicism remains fairly well intact and I can still cast a jaundiced eye in pretty good company, but you won’t find me throwing insults and anchors at the seriously ill. Nobody “deserves” a malignant brain tumor and if you think so then, well, guess what? – yeah, you have your very own brain malignancy festering right up their in your noggin as you read these very words.

  56. 56.

    Jess

    May 21, 2008 at 1:40 pm

    Honestly – following some of the right wing blog links from memeorandum yesterday on this topic made me so disgusted that I actually took the rest of the day off from reading anything. The blogs themselves have stayed pretty classy about it – but the commenters seem to have no soul or human decency.

    Before we get too outraged about this, we should remember what commentators here were saying when Jerry Falwell died last year–as I recall there were a certain number of us whose reaction was “about time.” I was one of them, and I’m generally a pretty compassionate and forgiving sort, so considering that Ted is such a solid icon of the liberal tradition, I really can’t muster up much shock and outrage about those particular comments. They actually seem pretty restrained for the right.

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