Senator Kennedy has died

I'm watching his procession to the JFK Library. It's amazing to see how many people have stopped their cars on the highway and on overpasses just to catch a glimpse of his hearse.

So we have a person who's calling the dead a coward. I think it's pretty safe to say that we who are grateful for his service are far greater in number than those who choose to speak ill of him. Look at buck1's posts. Clearly this troll is here to stir shit up.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by OTW

I'm watching his procession to the JFK Library. It's amazing to see how many people have stopped their cars on the highway and on overpasses just to catch a glimpse of his hearse.

The crazy thing is, it's not so amazing for Boston. It's hard to accurately describe how much that city (and the Commonwealth, for that matter) loves the Kennedy family. It's something you don't fully get unless you've lived in Boston, or in MA. Today is essentially a Commonwealth Day of Mourning.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by buck1

He was 36 at the time of the accident. Not exactly a kid was he?

No, but since he lived to be 77, it was before the midway point in his life, which is what I said.

Was Chappaquiddick part of his "entire" life or do you exclude that part of his entire life?

Of course it was part of his entire life. I do not exclude it from my assessment of him -- I said I do not base by assessment of him solely on one incident.

You, however, seem to want to exclude every part of his life of 77 years except Chappaquiddick.

[KSigkid]

For those who are interested - CNN is airing the Kennedy documentary right now (it started at 7). It originally aired on HBO.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/...nedy.kunhardt/

[Psi U MC Vito]

What a shame. One of the last few career politicians with integrity left.

[Psi U MC Vito]

It is a real shame more politicians can't be like Senator Kennedy. I was reading the Daily News today and it had some of his colleagues telling stories about him. He was the kind of person who could have his own beliefs without being a zealot or condemning others for what they think. The paper was saying how some of the staunchest Republicans considered him a personal friend, because he was always friendly to them regardless of beliefs.

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Maybe I'm giving people too much credit, but I think people fully understand the flaws in Kennedy's background, the dark parts in his past. People understand about the cheating at Harvard, Chappaquidick (and the lack of reacion afterwards), the William Kennedy Smith trial, etc. In each of the retrospectives I've seen on Kennedy's life (both on TV and in the news), those topics have been addressed.

I think the other side to it is addressed in comments like buck1, and comments I've heard from friends in conversation, on Facebook, etc. The whole of his life wasn't the mistakes, just like the whole of his life wasn't the work he did in the Senate. I think the problem is when people say "Well, Mary Jo died, so nothing he did since then is important."

Amen!

The coverage I have seen thus far has addressed these areas. And perhaps I, too, am giving people too much credit, but I think most people can comprehend that his life consisted of great triumph and horrible tragedies, extraordinary accomplishments as well as major mistakes. He was hardly a saint, but I believe he did do a lot of good for a lot of people and he will be missed.

[Nanners52674]

I thought that memorial service was just fantastic. It was so nice to see a celebration of an amazing life and hear such honest human stories from people whose public lives often lead one to forget their side as a parent, friend, loved one.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

I thought that memorial service was just fantastic. It was so nice to see a celebration of an amazing life and hear such honest human stories from people whose public lives often lead one to forget their side as a parent, friend, loved one.

I completely agree. My mom and I watched the service and at the end I did have tears in my eyes. I'm not going to claim I know really anything about the Kennedy family, except the obvious things that you learn in History class. But watching the eulogies given by Patrick and by President Obama (we changed the channel while Patrick was talking, so we didn't see anything before that) I learned a great deal more than I knew about Sen. Kennedy's life.

What I did not like, nor appreciated was from my friends yesterday after we left our youth group. We assumed that the church had their flag @ half-staff due to Sen. Kennedy and the 1st thing out of my friends' mouths were "....and the Republicans breathed a sigh of relief." Seriously? Yes Kennedy was a liberal, yes he lived a flawed life (seriously, who hasn't?), but he deserves more respect than that.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by epchick

I completely agree. My mom and I watched the service and at the end I did have tears in my eyes. I'm not going to claim I know really anything about the Kennedy family, except the obvious things that you learn in History class. But watching the eulogies given by Patrick and by President Obama (we changed the channel while Patrick was talking, so we didn't see anything before that) I learned a great deal more than I knew about Sen. Kennedy's life.

What I did not like, nor appreciated was from my friends yesterday after we left our youth group. We assumed that the church had their flag @ half-staff due to Sen. Kennedy and the 1st thing out of my friends' mouths were "....and the Republicans breathed a sigh of relief." Seriously? Yes Kennedy was a liberal, yes he lived a flawed life (seriously, who hasn't?), but he deserves more respect than that.

It was a very nice service - I'll give the President credit, I thought he gave a nice eulogy. It was also obvious that Mrs. Reggie Kennedy very much appreciated it.

As to what your friends said - that's pretty awful (and, untrue, as he had a lot of respect from members of the Republican party).

[epchick]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

As to what your friends said - that's pretty awful (and, untrue, as he had a lot of respect from members of the Republican party).

Isn't it? I didn't want to get into an argument with them, but I just felt like questioning them on their statement. especially knowing that people like Sen. Orrin Hatch, had immense respect for Kennedy. But they are the type of people who think they know everything, and I really just didn't want the headache of having to listen to them.

[UGAalum94]

Are you sure they meant it in the completely crappy way we're taking it? It was in bad taste to say it no matter what, but I think if you look at things from a purely partisan perspective, it actually shows a great measure of respect for his influence as well.

Their adversaries, as they see it, are weakened by his passing.

I actually find it more insulting to Republicans, if you like Kennedy, than to him.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Are you sure they meant it in the completely crappy way we're taking it? It was in bad taste to say it no matter what, but I think if you look at things from a purely partisan perspective, it actually shows a great measure of respect for his influence as well.

Oh yes, knowing these people they completely meant it the way we are talking it. They were upset that the church would lower the flag for him, and after one of them made that comment, the other 2 laughed. Then they talked about Kennedy and the KGB and made a comment about how we are better off w/o someone like Kennedy (but by that time I was walking away from their conversation).

[AGDee]

I'm watching CNN coverage now. They are very delayed so the reporters are having to talk and talk about their memories of Kennedy. They are just telling stories and rambling to fill time and I'm finding it to be some of the most interesting coverage I've heard. They will be replaying the HBO Documentary tonight at 8 pm on CNN.

The Styx song keeps running through my head. I don't even know if younger people would know it. "Teddy, now don't you run, you know, you're a bootlegger's son and you just what they've done to your brothers"

In many ways, this man did not get away with Chappaquiddick. It haunted him always, it cost him a chance to be President. Although, many believe that, in not becoming President, he was able to live until his life ended naturally. I clearly remember the general consensus being that, had he been elected or even gotten further in the election process, he would have been assassinated.

I think the way this is affecting people has much to do with the three brothers. Remembering the other two funerals and how tragic the other two events truly were. This is about so much more than Teddy himself. So much more. This last brother was left with carrying on the the legacy of his brothers who were assassinated during one of the most tumultuous times in our recent history. Whether you agree with their politics or not, this family, as a whole, has given much for their country. I don't think anybody is watching all of this and not thinking of those other tragedies.

The family, greeting the lawmakers and staffers who are on the Capitol Building steps... very moving. Senator Byrd, Representative John Dingell.. people who have worked with him for decades.

And, while they sing America the Beautiful, my own tears have come to the surface. We have had but a handful of men who have served their country for so long and given so much of themselves to us all. It is right to honor that, even if they've made mistakes in the past.

[KSUViolet06]

I'm not a crier, but listening to the grandkids talk about him made me cry, as did the letter he wrote to the Vatican.