With the release last night of Kennedy’s letter to Obama, it should be clear that he intended for his legacy to be used pursuing his life’s work, universal health care, after his death. Could all the people who got the vapors when health care was mentioned at his funeral please admit they didn’t know what they were talking about?
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Walker
It is more than that. They were willfully dishonoring the dead by denying him his dying wish.
Brandon
Or could all the people who got the vapors just admit that they were pretending to for political gain? That is all that was about, to stop momentum on health care reform.
donovong
Yeah, right. I am going to hold my breath waiting for any of these assholes to admit that a) they were wrong or b) they were lying or c) all of the above.
Max
I think the letter also shows the genuine affection between the two men.
But will that stop those that think that Obama is “trying to act like he is a Kennedy” or those complaining about how a Clinton didn’t give the eulogy, or why was Teddy so mean to Hillary? No, but I wish is would.
I thought it was touching to see Vicki in the First Lady’s box last night. That had to be very hard for her.
Zifnab
Unpossible! I can’t believe it! You sure Obama didn’t smoother Kennedy on his death bed before he could recant, and have this letter forged after the fact? I bet Bill Ayers and Tony Rezko were involved.
joe from Lowell
Indeed, Max. Victoria now belongs to history, another grieving Kennedy widow.
She must have loved him dearly, and gone through hell over the past year.
dmsilev
@Zifnab:
Just like his grandmother, who he had killed just before the election to gain sympathy votes.
(If memory serves, there were in fact some troglodytes who made that suggestion at the time).
-dms
Brian J
Isn’t it obvious that the president’s detractors know what Kennedy wanted better than Kennedy himself? I mean, sheesh, wake up, my friends.
Comrade Jake
Yeah well, let’s be perfectly clear: the admin is missing Kennedy’s vote and voice in the Senate, big time. Who knows what the picture would look like now had he been active in Congress over the past six months. I think a strong argument could be made that we’d be looking at a completely different picture right now.
It’s a goddamn shame that’s the case.
slag
You lie!
Oh wait, that’s actually true.
Chad N Freude
@Zifnab: Actually, Obama sent a pair of emissaries from the Justice Department to demand that he sign the letter in his hospital room.
drew42
Man, I wish I could go out like that. Very few people in history get to look back on their lives and let everyone know, loudly and proudly, “This is what I will be remembered for.”
Most of these guys, after decades in office, have nothing significant to be proud of.
“Dear Mr. President,
Before I die, I just want to thank you for realizing my life’s dream of keeping those dirty Mexican illegals away from my doctor.”
ricky
@dmsilev:
I thought Cokie Roberts explained that he killed his grandmother as an excuse to visit exotic Hawaii.
He should have gone to South Carolina to be called a liar.
Evinfuilt
@dmsilev:
He was just testing his death panels then, he obviously perfected them and killed Kennedy.
JackieBinAZ
I need to see the long-form letter before I believe it’s authentic.
CalD
Those were tactical vapors. The people making most of the noise* knew exactly what they were about. It just had nothing to do with Kennedy.
* OK, with the possible exception of cable TV anchor-blowhards. Most of them really are that clueless.
CalD
I didn’t mean for that last sentence to be boldface. My asterisk seems to have gotten parsed as a bold tag.
tc125231
@donovong: Good point. As well expect to miss work because a giant meteorite ia about to hit the earth.
I mean, it COULD happen, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
geg6
The final bill absolutely must have Kennedy’s name on it. And I want Vickie in the Oval Office when he finally signs it. And Tara, Teddy Jr., and Patrick, too. Also.
Evinfuilt
I prefer the suggestion I saw at Daily Kos, Kennedy’s name should not be on the bill, his name should be the agency that runs the new Public Option. I know Kos mentions Kennedy Care, but my partner has the better suggestion. TeddyCare, I mean honestly, who wouldn’t want to have TeddyCare Insurance?
Jay in Oregon
You’re not from around these parts, are you?
Leelee for Obama
@Evinfuilt: I saw that and loved it too! And it has the added benefit of referencing TR, who was the first President to call for a living wage and universal health-care in the 1912 election. The Bull Moose and the Lion will live on in American memory.
Jon H
Eleanor Clift was on the BBC World Service last night, and of course she couldn’t overcome the impulse to claim that the left and right were equally demented about healthcare in August.
WTF?
Jon H
@geg6: “The final bill absolutely must have Kennedy’s name on it.”
Might as well just make it a poison pill, FFS.
Do try to be realistic.
Name a public option coverage plan after him, but naming the bill after him is just wingnut bait.
I’d rather not try to sanctify Kennedy at the expense of losing a shot at healthcare reform. It’s too important for postmortem ego-stroking.
Jon H
@Comrade Jake: “Who knows what the picture would look like now had he been active in Congress over the past six months.”
Or, to be blunt, if he’d stepped down and let someone else take his seat a year ago.
horatius
It’s a sad day Mr. Cole that I have to remind you that it’s naive to hope they’ll admit anything, much less being wrong on something they’ve been screaming their lungs out for weeks. Once the screaming starts, reptiles have more brain function than these morans.
IndieTarheel
Admitting they were wrong would require that they first RECOGNIZE they were wrong.I wouldn’t touch the over/under on that one with the money Bernie Madoff with.