Obama’s Remarks on Kennedy

I wanted to say a few words about passing of extraordinary leader, Senator Edward Kennedy. Call Teddy colleague, counselor, friend. We awaited this day with no small amount of dread. Seen courage with which he battled illness. Let him hear from people in every corner of nation and around world how much he meant to all of us. Blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. Outpouring of love and gratitude is a testament to the way he touched so many lives. His ideas stamped on so many laws. Seniors who know new dignity, Children who know new promise. Including myself.

Kennedy name is synonymous with Dem Party. Target of campaign attacks. In Senate no one who engendered more affection from both sides of the aisle. Sense of purpose matched by good cheer. Passionately battle others but still maintain warm friendships across party lines. One of the greatest Senators, one of the most accomplished Americans. Extraordinary good that he did. Defender of a dream. Spoke earlier with Vicki, who was, to the end, such a source of strength. Thoughts with her and the entire Kennedy family.

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64 replies
  1. alank says:

    I don’t think Obama has earned the right to pay tribute to Ted Kennedy. He’s been stabbing the late senator’s HELP committee in the back, for one.

    • Broadstreetbuddy says:

      Obama earned the right to pay tribute to him, by winning the Presidency campaigning with support of and for Ted Kennedy and his biggest issue, healthcare. You are crazy man, hes the president, who better to pay tribute to Teddy?

    • RevDeb says:

      He has the right and the obligation. It’s his job to do it.

      Hopefully he will also see it as his job to get a good health care plan in place. He owes it to Teddy who came out for him over Hillary which was a HUGE boost to his campaign.

      FIngers crossed he’ll recognize that.

      • alank says:

        The late senator would’ve chosen Clinton had Clinton not offended him with remarks she made in speeches on the civil rights movement. I suppose she tried to buy an endorsement with the offer of her senate seat — bought, like a seat on the NYSE — to a member of his family (the one that was later withdrawn).

        Obama hasn’t yet reciprocated in any meaningful way and has only added insult to injury by taking an opposite tack in health care reform.

      • bmaz says:

        Regrading Obama delivering the eulogy:

        He has the right and the obligation.

        He most certainly DOES NOT. That is patently absurd. It is the decision of the Kennedy family, and if Obama is their wish, then fine. But it is not his freaking “right” in any way shape or form and if Obama thinks it is his birthrate he can go to hell.

        • oldgold says:

          He most certainly DOES NOT. That is patently absurd. It is the decision of the Kennedy family, and if Obama is their wish, then fine. But it is not his freaking “right” in any way shape or form and if Obama thinks it is his birthrate he can go to hell.

          What in the world are you talking about?

          Who said Obama thought it was his birthrite? No one. He is the POTUS and the leader of the Democratic Party. If he hadn’t said anything, one can only imagine what your comment would have been.

          This kind of comment greatly detracts from your legitimate and well written criticisms.

          • bmaz says:

            Well, the person I was responding to said that Obama “has the right and the obligation. It’s his job to do it” as to Kennedy’s eulogy . I responded to that exact claim. “Birthright” was my term and perhaps too much, granted; but the commenter I responded to specifically stated that giving Kennedy’s eulogy was Obama’s “right” and “job”. But it is not his right nor his job, it is the family’s prerogative; I simply found the assertion that it is Obama’s right and job to be crass and false. And it is crass and false.

              • DWBartoo says:

                Of course he can’t, Raven, because, as you know, but bmaz has not yet realized, it was not said.

                Considering the example of Kennedy, who chose to learn from his mistakes, let us see what happens.

                Where now, is reason, tolerance, and understanding?

        • Leen says:

          did Obama indicate something like that? Have no idea. Clearly you are right up to the “Kennedy family”

    • JGabriel says:

      I don’t think Obama has earned the right to pay tribute to Ted Kennedy. He’s been stabbing the late senator’s HELP committee in the back, for one.

      Oh good lord, it’s bad enough seeing shit like this from the right, but to see it from the left?

      Kennedy was a mentor and advocate for Obama. Whatever procedural differences they might have had, Obama doesn’t need to earn the right to praise and mourn Ted Kennedy. It’s the right of anyone who will miss him and was touched, directly or indirectly, by Sen. Kennedy’s life.

      And just to be pedantic for a moment: ‘rights’ aren’t earned, ‘privileges’ are earned.

      .

    • bonkers says:

      Yes, please keep talking. Your voice is important so people can understand more clearly which “team” they’re really on. Thank you.

  2. ghostof911 says:

    President Obama, Ted was carrying the baton passed to him by his two brothers. Will you accept it as anchor man and carry it to the finish line?

    Coincidence. 10 years ago today. The mark still holds.

  3. sunshine says:

    I cannot think of any other family that has sacrificed so much for the United States than the Kennedy’s. RIP Senator Kennedy. You will be missed greatly. My condolences to his family and friends.

    Also, after listening to the negativity from repubs on the gop CSPAN channel this morn I think we’ll hold the presidency for 20 out of the next 28 years.

  4. BayStateLibrul says:

    I want the Edward Kennedy Health Reform Act of 2009 to be enacted with
    all deliberate speed… a robust public plan… in his honor.

      • Phoenix Woman says:

        Yup. But the same media that freaked out immediately over the “partisan” Wellstone and Coretta King funerals (and didn’t freak out until prodded over the partisan and racism-approving remarks made by Trent Lott at Strom Thurmond’s birthday/going-away party) will have an attack of the vapors if we do!

  5. i4u2bi says:

    When it came to fighting fascism Kennedy was our ’Winston Churchill’. Obama is our ’Neville Chamberlain’. How could I judge someone so wrong? I hate myself.

  6. perris says:

    it seems world leaders are treating this passing as if he were a head of state, accolades coming from around the world

    rest easy, rest well, help us through the night senator Kennedy, we still need you

    perris

  7. TarheelDem says:

    Joe and Rose would be proud of what Teddy accomplished and who he was in triumph and in serious adversity. Most of all they would be proud of the fact that he lived his whole life the ethic of public service that all of their children were taught.

    We celebrate the full and complete life of Teddy Kennedy. May his legacy continue.

  8. ChuckinDenton says:

    This is just a black day for liberalism. Who will take up his causes? How many who “hate” him realize just how willing and successful he was at reaching across the aisle? He stood up for what he believed but was fair. The Senate is a strange beast and its ways are inscrutible to outsiders-all they see are shadows.

  9. greenwarrior says:

    aw. i’ve been in a news blackout. i just found out. it’s a sad day for all of us who love justice.

    • gkerby says:

      Time for a third party if health care with a public option isn’t enacted?

      Yes, I’m certain that Sen. Kennedy would want us to abandon the Democratic party now, after all of his years of working within. (/snark)

      • Leen says:

        He did start to take “half the loaf” Especially when the whole loaf was impossible.

        The “public option” is not an impossibility. Single payer is (at this time)

    • sunshine says:

      Wow, what a great article! Thanks so much for posting it Loo Hoo. I am sending it to my legislatures.

      but the notion of providing a government-backed plan for those who do not want their health and welfare tied to the same companies that have been screwing them over for decades, now that is a bridge too far.

      Let me be clear. To me, such a plan represents the very pinnacle of corruption, of corporate toadyism, and of the complete dissolution of effective government into merely being a legal framework for corporations to most efficiently extract wealth from the nation. And the day such a plan passes, I will no longer be a Democrat.

      Max Baucus is a crook. There, I said it outright. Ben Nelson? A crook. Grassley, Boehner, McConnell, Hoyer and the others? Crooks. Not “conservative”, not “fiscal watchdogs”, not “representing their own peculiar constituents”, none of that hogwash and drivel that churns up our airwaves on a daily basis. They join the long line of leaders that rake in more cash from health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and the like than you or I are likely to see in our lifetimes, and in exchange for that they are the unquestioned _kingmakers_ of reform, and all the nation must bow down to them and to those that have paid them more cash than any of their own constituents have been able to shell out. With regularity, every industry under the American spotlight will turn to “friendly” senators and representatives, where friendly means nothing more than plied with cash, and in them they will find regulatory salvation for a relative pittance. It does not represent corruption under our system of government simply because we have carefully designed our government to freely allow it. Corporations are people, after all, and people have freedom of speech, and dollars represent speech, and therefore the person with the most dollars is entitled to the most representation.

      http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..competence

  10. Boston1775 says:

    1977 Senate MKULTRA Hearings
    PROJECT MKULTRA, THE CIA’S PROGRAM OF
    RESEARCH IN BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION

    _______________

    WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1977

    U.S. SENATE,
    SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE,
    AND SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH
    AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
    OF THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
    Washington, D.C.

    The committees met, pursuant to notice, at 9:07 a.m. in room 1202, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Daniel K. Inouye (chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence) presiding.

    Present: Senators Inouye (presiding), Kennedy, Goldwater, Bayh, Hathaway, Huddleston, Hart, Schweiker, Case, Garn, Chafee, Lugar and Wallop.

    Also present: William G. Miller, staff director, Select Committee on Intelligence; Dr. Lawrence Horowitz, staff director, Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research; and professional staff members of both committees.

    Senator INOUYE. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is meeting today and is joined by the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Senator Richard Schweiker of Pennsylvania. Senator Hathaway and Senator Chafee are members of both committees. We are to hear testimony from the Director of Central Intelligence, Adm. Stansfield Turner, and from other Agency witnesses on issues concerning new documents supplied to the committee in the last week on drug testing conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency.

    *snip*

    Senator KENNEDY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We are delighted to join together in this very important area of public inquiry and public interest.

    Some 2 years ago, the Senate Health Subcommittee heard chilling testimony about the human experimentation activities of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Deputy Director of the CIA revealed that over 30 universities and institutions were involved in an “extensive testing and experimentation” program which included covert drug tests on unwitting citizens “at all social levels, high and low, native Americans and foreign.” Several of these tests involved the administration of LSD to “unwitting subjects in social situations.”

    At least one death, that of Dr. Olson, resulted from these activities. The Agency itself acknowledged that these tests made little scientific sense. The agents doing the monitoring were not qualified scientific observers. The tests subjects were seldom accessible beyond the first hours of the test. In a number of instances, the test subject became ill for hours or days, and effective followup was impossible.

    -3-

    Other experiments were equally offensive. For example, heroin addicts were enticed into participating in LSD experiments in order to get a reward — heroin.

    Perhaps most disturbing of all was the fact that the extent of experimentation on human subjects was unknown. The records of all these activities were destroyed in January 1973, at the instruction of then CIA Director Richard Helms. In spite of persistent inquiries by both the Health Subcommittee and the Intelligence Committee, no additional records or information were forthcoming. And no one — no single individual — could be found who remembered the details, not the Director of the CIA, who ordered the documents destroyed, not the official responsible for the program, nor any of his associates.

    We believed that the record, incomplete as it was, was as complete as it was going to be. Then one individual, through a Freedom of Information request, accomplished what two U.S. Senate committees could not. He spurred the agency into finding additional records pertaining to the CIA’s program of experimentation with human subjects. These new records were discovered by the agency in March. Their existence was not made known to the Congress until July.

    The records reveal a far more extensive series of experiments than had previously been thought. Eighty-six universities or institutions were involved. New instances of unethical behavior were revealed.

    The intelligence community of this Nation, which requires a shroud of secrecy in order to operate, has a very sacred trust from the American people. The CIA’s program of human experimentation of the fifties and sixties violated that trust. It was violated again on the day the bulk of the agency’s records were destroyed in 1973. It is violated each time a responsible official refuses to recollect the details of the program. The best safeguard against abuses in the future is a complete public accounting of the abuses of the past.

    I think this is illustrated, as Chairman Inouye pointed out. These are issues, are questions that happened in the fifties and sixties, and go back some 15, 20 years ago, but they are front page news today, as we see in the major newspapers and on the television and in the media of this country; and the reason they are, I think, is because it just continuously begins to trickle out, sort of, month after month, and the best way to put this period behind us, obviously, is to have the full information, and I think that is the desire of Admiral Turner and of the members of this committee.

    The Central Intelligence Agency drugged American citizens without their knowledge or consent. It used university facilities and personnel without their knowledge. It funded leading researchers, often without their knowledge.

    These institutes, these individuals, have a right to know who they are and how and when they were used. As of today, the Agency itself refuses to declassify the names of those institutions and individuals, quite appropriately, I might say, with regard to the individuals under the Privacy Act. It seems to me to be a fundamental responsibility to notify those individuals or institutions, rather. I think many of them were caught up in an unwitting manner to do research for the Agency. Many researchers, distinguished researchers, some of our most outstanding members of our scientific community, involved in

    -4-

    this network, now really do not know whether they were involved or not, and it seems to me that the whole health and climate in terms of our university and our scientific and health facilities are entitled to that response.

    So, I intend to do all I can to persuade the Agency to, at the very least, officially inform those institutions and individuals involved.

    Two years ago, when these abuses were first revealed, I introduced legislation, with Senator Schweiker and Senator Javits, designed to minimize the potential for any similar abuses in the future. That legislation expanded the jurisdiction of the National Commission on Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research to cover all federally funded research involving human subjects. The research initially was just directed toward HEW activities, but this legislation covered DOD as well as the CIA.

    This Nation has a biomedical and behavioral research capability second to none. It has had for subjects of HEW funded research for the past 3 years a system for the protection of human subjects of biomedical research second to none, and the Human Experimentation Commission has proven its value. Today’s hearings and the record already established underscore the need to expand its jurisdiction.

    The CIA supported that legislation in 1975, and it passed the Senate unanimously last year. I believe it is needed in order to assure all our people that they will have the degree of protection in human experimentation that they deserve and have every right to expect.

    Senator INOUYE. Thank you very much. Now we will proceed with the hearings. Admiral Turner?

    Next: Prepared Statement of CIA Director Stansfield Turner
    Testimony of CIA Director Stansfield Turner

  11. Leen says:

    Tears falling across our nation and around the world..(my eyes are so puffy I will be wearing sun glasses for the day)
    Some of the words that I heard on CNN this morning describing our beloved Senator Kennedy.
    “irreplaceable, tenacious, monumental, legendary”

    “genuine icon”…”enormous strength”…….”fighting from the heart”….”strength and power combined with compassion”…..”humanity evident at all times”……

    Biden’s remarks were most moving

    “spent a lifetime focused on a more fair and just America”
    “restored my sense of idealism and possibilities”
    “his enthusiasm was infectious”
    “never petty or small”
    “in the process of doing he made everybody bigger”
    “so many of his foes embrace him”
    “an anchor”
    “he changed the political landscape for 50 years”
    “it was never about him it was always about you”
    “he helped people look at themselves and look at one another more fairly”

    Senator Kennedy’s example has inspired so many of us. His example encouraged so many of us to try to be better, more compassionate and empathetic people. His endless example of walking the talk sets the bar high for all of us.

    Prayers for all of the Kennedy family. Two of the treasures in their family Eunice and Ted passing in one month is tragic. We know the spirit of giving back is deep in that family’s soul.

    • bmaz says:

      I misunderstood, I am sorry. But I am really tired of the preening Obama, he has frittered away Kennedy’s life work and allowed it to be stalled out to where Kennedy died before seeing its fruition. He has also, significantly through his chief of staff Emanuel, actively worked to undermine the critical element of Kennedy’s HELP bill, the public option. I am fucking sick over how Obama has handled this and as far as I am concerned, he has the “right” to go straight to hell.

      I am, however, sorry I mistook the comment to be about the eulogy; it was not and that was my mistake.

        • martha says:

          I am feeling very old these days–when all I want to do is counsel people to take a deep breath and have a longer-term vision than a 24 hour news cycle. Look at the sweep of Teddy’s life for such an example.

      • DWBartoo says:

        bmaz, that is a non-apology apology, which you would not reasonably tolerate in others.

        How about a little time out, for yourself?

        You are not centered and your emotions are ruling your behavior.

        Peace.

        DW

        • bmaz says:

          What I said at 41 constitutes my feelings, and I will stick by that. I apologized for my mistake about the eulogy part, what more do you want. As to Obama, he has fucked this up royally so far and as far as I am concerned he deserves to scorn. Tell me, do you disagree that Obama has been weak in his leadership on the passage of HC? You think he has exhibited strength by letting wingnuts ride roughshod over the message with blatant lies, by changing his message constantly, by letting pissant Blue Dogs from states that represent about 2% of the nation control the Democratic position? You think I am wrong about Rahm Emanuel? What exactly do you think I need to apologize further for? I apologized where I was wrong, but I sure as hell am not going to where I am right.

          • DWBartoo says:

            bmaz, you know that I agree with your rational statements.

            You need not apologize for your feelings, ever.

            However, you are in the position of example, just as was Ted Kennedy.

            That places a greater burden of circumspection upon you.

            Clearly, Kennedy, the Lion of the Senate, has been an inspiration for you.

            Use emotions to your advantage.

            That was a part of Kennedy’s wisdom.

            DW

      • bonkers says:

        I am fucking sick over how Obama has handled this and as far as I am concerned, he has the “right” to go straight to hell.

        Another important point. Thanks. Now maybe people will start seeing the light.

      • SparklestheIguana says:

        But I am really tired of the preening Obama, he has frittered away Kennedy’s life work and allowed it to be stalled out to where Kennedy died before seeing its fruition.

        Frittered? Nonsense. You really think a bill this huge could’ve been rammed through a month ago? And it was Obama’s obligation to make sure it got rammed through before Kennedy died of his extremely aggressive glioblastoma? That is ridiculous.

  12. linda4550 says:

    Everyone’s been waiting for the news of the March on Washington on Sept. 13. It’s now gone national. Go to
    marchforhealthcare.com
    I clicked on LosAngeles and it took me to OFA (Obamas grassroots arm) and the first two sentences read: “The purpose of this group is to organize a march on Sept. 13th. across the USA. Congress is wavering on the public option and we must demand one if we expect healthcare costs to go down.” Looks to me like Obama is trying to get our support for the public option showdown. Let’s march to bring Sen. Kennedy’s dream for affordable, quality health care for all Americans to fruition.

  13. ChuckinDenton says:

    For Kathryn at 22:

    B-yootiful. I think Teddy, unfortunately, will be doing the same thing from the spirit world when Obama or whoever tries to put lipstick on this pig of a Healthcare Bill.

  14. Sara says:

    Since Ted Kennedy is to be buried with his brothers at Arlington, I would find it down right strange if Barack Obama were not the chief morner representing the People of the United States. It is not a Birthright, but it is his responsibility and role as POTUS. And since it will be at Arlington, all of the various rules of protocal will dictate the various honors. I suspect several hundred thousand folk will turn out — and most of the Senate and House will find their way back to DC for the event. All the Governors will show — it will be considerably larger than Reagan’s funeral. All of the survivors of the Kennedy Administration will be there, as will all the former Presidents. I would also expect quite a number of Foreign dignitaries will come. Obama will certainly be expected to open up the public rooms of the White House for some of these visitors, and hold a reception. Senators have the right to lay in State in the Rotunda — we flew Hubert Humphrey back to DC for that, and then flew him back to Mpls for the funeral.

    Kennedy gets into Arlington two ways — he served in the US Army in the early 50’s (not in combat, but no rules about that at the time), and in addition, there is law made at request of LBJ, when Robert died, that accomodated the three brothers and their wives.

    • bmaz says:

      Obama is entitled to be the nation’s chief mourner, he can knock himself out; but the Kennedy family does not owe him anything special, that is strictly their decision.

      • Sara says:

        “Obama is entitled to be the nation’s chief mourner, he can knock himself out; but the Kennedy family does not owe him anything special, that is strictly their decision.”

        The news on NPR is reporting that the Kennedy Family part of it all will be in Boston, with the lying in repose at the Kennedy Library in Cambridge, and then Mass at a small mission church in Boston.

        The Military District of DC which supervises Arlington as a Military Reservation is making all arrangements for burial next to Robert’s grave. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, will, as commander in Chief, lead the mourners at the grave.

        At least that is what NPR is saying.

        What isn’t clear yet is date and time, and whether there will be a lying in State in the Rotunda. If that happens, it will be supervised by the leadership of the Senate.

        NPR is also reporting that about an hour after Kennedy died, Vickie his wife had a long conversation with the Obamas, and they coordinated things more or less during that phone call. I don’t think there is much daylight between the Kennedy Family and the Obamas.

        • bmaz says:

          No, I am sure Obama will make sure he gets what he wants out of the deal; he is a political creature first and foremost. As you might can tell, I rather loathe Obama for allowing Kennedy to die without having given a better effort at getting Teddy’s life work through quicker and better. Between this and his “looking forward” bullshit, I am so tired of Obama I could scream.

          • Sara says:

            “No, I am sure Obama will make sure he gets what he wants out of the deal; he is a political creature first and foremost. As you might can tell, I rather loathe Obama for allowing Kennedy to die without having given a better effort at getting Teddy’s life work through quicker and better. Between this and his “looking forward” bullshit, I am so tired of Obama I could scream.”

            Obama’s original schedule for Health Care was to have each house finish committee work before the August recess, which the House did, but the Senate did not. I suspect his last press conference about Health Care was about the time when Baucus told him he could not complete the Senate Finance Committee bill by recess time.

            I would suggest the blame for “slowing things down” should go to Grassley and the Republicans. After all that is their announced strategy. And I rather doubt if he had advanced notice of exactly when Ted Kennedy would die. But I do expect the White House had contingency plans if Kennedy could not return in September to advance the legislation.

            I also believe that in the long run there may be a distinct advantage in allowing all the nasty rot the organized right has deployed during recess to be on public display. I don’t think they are winning any significant support, particularly when they show up in militia drag at Town Hall Meetings. But it is out there, is dangerous, but I suspect can be more easily dealt with once it is fairly obvious.

            I agree that Obama is a Politician — that’s why I supported him. I think he has great skills, but I also realize that those who want him to be a more partisan advocate are probably disappointed. I am not at all certain the way to get major legislation passed is to futher polarize the environment in DC.

            As to the “looking forward” stuff — I too want all the rot from the Bush Administration’s torture programs and all laid on the table. But I would rather have it happen as it is — mostly by court order, rather than by an Obama Executive Order, for tactical reasons. I still believe the argument that “torture” kept us safe has considerable currency. Just listened this morning to a call-in program with Mark Danner who has been writing about this for years, and even on MPR, which tends to have a slightly better educated class of listners, at least two callers were more convinced of this than Dick Cheney. Danner at least took the callers more or less seriously, and took apart their arguments and pushed back in a logical way — but that argument can still stir up Cheney’s troops.

  15. sunshine says:

    we Americans are apparently supposed to believe that our government providing insurance to a seventy year old is a noble service, but providing that same service to a fifty year old is socialism, and providing that same service to a twenty year old or a ten year old is something that only a goddamned Hitler would do. We can have public fire departments, public police departments, federal disaster relief, flood insurance and whatnot, but keeping you alive and out of bankruptcy if you get sick is an abomination. Never mind that we are alone among the most advanced countries in this regard; never mind that our current system is both among the most expensive and least effective.

    The government of the United States should not have to bargain to get an abusive industry to be slightly less abusive. What a fucking insulting thought. Especially when (1) the industry in question has a historical pattern of rampant customer abuse, and (2) when our Noble and Brilliant Goddamn Legislators have no recent history of being able to enforce corporate competence or fairness on any industry, at any point in the last several decades. The notion that suddenly, in exchange for a windfall of a trillion dollars or so, one of the most hated, manipulative, dishonest industries in America will suddenly become worthy of nationally mandated fealty is so preposterous that it could only be dreamed up by someone as crooked as a politician.

    It is this fight, or nothing. We have been asked to put up with war crimes, because “moving forward” is the more conciliatory path. We have been asked to stomach the politicization of the highest offices in our system of justice, because investigating it would be divisive. Time and time again we have asked for nothing more than our government to enforce its own goddamned laws, or to take action against the worst and most corrupt abusers of its citizens, whether done by government or by balance sheet, and we have gotten between nothing and jack-squat in return. We have gotten worse than nothing: we have gotten corporate immunity for lawbreakers, we have gotten tacit approval of the methods of murdering thugs, we have set in stone the notion that there is absolutely no corporate fuckup so damaging to the economy of the entire nation that it would result in substantive regulatory restraints.

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..competence

  16. Gitcheegumee says:

    “When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.” — Archbishop Helder Camara

    To paraphrase:

    “When you give food to the poor,they call you a liberal.When you ask why the poor have no health care,they call you a socialist”.—Gitcheegumee

    Kennedy understood the concept of “noblesse oblige.”

    He understood and exemplified its intrinsic meaning.

    And he wore the moniker “liberal’ proudly and honorably.

  17. Gabriele says:

    We will never forget
    We will never give up
    Let’s march on Washington in Senator Kennedy’s memory

  18. revday says:

    Wonderful posts. Is it me or is anyone else having a hard time even wanting to hear what our President has to say? I am loath to listen to him. His obvious corruption makes me nauseous. Such a sad time for our country, morning a good and decent man.

Comments are closed.