Sen. Ted Kennedy dead at 77

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by BringBackJoeT

I think that's a little bit dramatic. I will at least say, though, that I'm not sure it's entirely unfair to evaluate what particular events in his life most define his legacy, seeing as how he spent the better part of forty years in a very powerful position, one in which he was able to drive policy in this country. From my own political vantage point, he was a policy hero and I consider his death a great loss to the Senate and country as a whole. However, if we were discussing Richard Nixon's death in its immediate aftermath, I don't think it would be unfair to bring up Watergate, so I think it would be similarly not-unfair to, in a thread on Senator Kennedy upon his death, question the degree to which some of his less-than-stellar personal moments overshadowed his accomplishments.

Of course, had this been Nixon, I doubt Buster would have approved of anyone making any negative comment.

Fair points though. It was really Buster's last line that was especially unnecessary in my opinion.

"Now I just fear, and predict that the Democrats led by the President will attach his name to any bad healthcare bill...or bill of any kind...so they can push their plans through using the death of one of their own. It would not be the first time they've exploited a death of one of theirs."

That's really just a 3-0 fastball down the middle to start up another political debate, and fortunately no one is taking him up on it.

Senator Kennedy need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life...but can we just refrain from turning into every other poltiical thread for at least a little bit?