Senator Ted Kennedy
- Thread starter Carol
- Start date
OP
- Thread Starter
- #3
I didn't know that. That is cool.
I don't want to turn this in to a debate because he has been debated many times before. I respected him, and I am sorry to see him go. I especially feel for the family as his sister Eunice passed away in recent days.
Godspeed, Senator :asian:
I don't want to turn this in to a debate because he has been debated many times before. I respected him, and I am sorry to see him go. I especially feel for the family as his sister Eunice passed away in recent days.
Godspeed, Senator :asian:
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harlan
2nd Black Belt
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Steve
Mostly Harmless
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Live True
Brown Belt
Whether you agreed with his politics or not, he was definatley quite the personality and a Large man of stature. From what I've read, he was tough but often generous to his allies and opponents. He was a breed that believed that great wealth demanded great responsibility. I kinda like that concept.
Rest in peace Senator. Rest well man and fighter.
Rest in peace Senator. Rest well man and fighter.
Ah Senator. Peace, rest and some cold ones with your brothers tonight.
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aedrasteia
Purple Belt
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2006
- Messages
- 384
- Reaction score
- 133
Godspeed Senator
this is for Don.
from former Senator Alan Simpson, Republican - Wyoming (1979-1997)
"We met in the summer of 1960, at Svilar's Bar and Dining Room in Hudson, Wyo. The owner was an old friend of mine, a Democrat, and Ted was there campaigning for Jack. He was the same age as me. I remember he said he would ride a horse, and later on he did that -- went down to a rodeo and got on a bucking bronc, and he managed to stay on for seven seconds. The minimum is eight seconds.
My dad [Milward Simpson] was elected to the Senate the same year that Ted was, and they became friends. We were only a few months apart in age, and Dad used to say, "I like the kid, he's caused his parents as much pain as you have." I remember after I was elected to the Senate, it was 1979, and I had brought my mom and dad up to Washington. There was an announcement that there would be a little reception for us in the Mansfield Room, and do you know, Ted was the first person there to see us. Dad had Parkinson's; that's why he quit the Senate. And when I got to the Senate, he said, "What can I do for you?" We worked together on immigration. And what a staff. I remember at the same time he had David Boies, Stephen Breyer and Ken Feinberg.
Then we did the radio show, Face-Off, five days a week for eight years. I remember one show, both our mothers had just died, each within five days of each other -- mine at 93 and his at over 100. We were both a handful for our parents, and we talked about that. Ted said, "Well you know, we had great mothers, and they stuck by us, even when we weren't exactly great sons." And I said, "Yep, they're probably up there, Ted, clearing the way for us." And he said, "well, if they are, they'll need a bulldozer." I'll never forget that one. We had a lot of fun together. He is a special friend, and I loved the guy.
Most of the time we were on different sides. We'd be like cats and dogs. But in the Senate, you can do that and still like each other. You're not there to cut each other to ribbons, and level bombast and grandiloquence. You're there to get things done, and that's what he did.
If people could realize that you don't have to hate somebody because they're a Democrat or a Republican! This [notion] is stupid. You have these left-wing kook-os, and these right-wing kook-os -- they ought to be chained and put in a cage. Put them in a burlap sack with a bobcat, and let them fight their way out!
The first obligation of a U.S. senator or congressman is to legislate. It's not to raise money all day on the phone. It's not to cut ribbons. It's not to harass your staff in various ways. It means putting an idea into writing and then amending, and then hearings, and then floor management, and conference committees, and warding off vetoes. That's what Ted did. He was a master legislator. I always considered myself a legislator -- I was never a master -- but we sure as hell knew that our strengths were the fact that we would make something work. And we did. And we were good at it.
I remember once, we were getting off the Capitol subway early one morning, and a woman came up to him. She was very nasty, very aggressive, and she said, "What you did, leaving that woman in that car, was shameful." And he said to her, "It is with me every day of my life." Nobody around, just him and me.
We talked right after the diagnosis. He said, "Life is a bowl of cherries." I would send him these cards in exceedingly bad taste, and Vicki said they made him laugh. He was a wonderful and dear friend. I love him, and I'll miss him."
" if you'd been through in your life what he's been through, you'd be sitting on the floor drooling."
this is for Don.
from former Senator Alan Simpson, Republican - Wyoming (1979-1997)
"We met in the summer of 1960, at Svilar's Bar and Dining Room in Hudson, Wyo. The owner was an old friend of mine, a Democrat, and Ted was there campaigning for Jack. He was the same age as me. I remember he said he would ride a horse, and later on he did that -- went down to a rodeo and got on a bucking bronc, and he managed to stay on for seven seconds. The minimum is eight seconds.
My dad [Milward Simpson] was elected to the Senate the same year that Ted was, and they became friends. We were only a few months apart in age, and Dad used to say, "I like the kid, he's caused his parents as much pain as you have." I remember after I was elected to the Senate, it was 1979, and I had brought my mom and dad up to Washington. There was an announcement that there would be a little reception for us in the Mansfield Room, and do you know, Ted was the first person there to see us. Dad had Parkinson's; that's why he quit the Senate. And when I got to the Senate, he said, "What can I do for you?" We worked together on immigration. And what a staff. I remember at the same time he had David Boies, Stephen Breyer and Ken Feinberg.
Then we did the radio show, Face-Off, five days a week for eight years. I remember one show, both our mothers had just died, each within five days of each other -- mine at 93 and his at over 100. We were both a handful for our parents, and we talked about that. Ted said, "Well you know, we had great mothers, and they stuck by us, even when we weren't exactly great sons." And I said, "Yep, they're probably up there, Ted, clearing the way for us." And he said, "well, if they are, they'll need a bulldozer." I'll never forget that one. We had a lot of fun together. He is a special friend, and I loved the guy.
Most of the time we were on different sides. We'd be like cats and dogs. But in the Senate, you can do that and still like each other. You're not there to cut each other to ribbons, and level bombast and grandiloquence. You're there to get things done, and that's what he did.
If people could realize that you don't have to hate somebody because they're a Democrat or a Republican! This [notion] is stupid. You have these left-wing kook-os, and these right-wing kook-os -- they ought to be chained and put in a cage. Put them in a burlap sack with a bobcat, and let them fight their way out!
The first obligation of a U.S. senator or congressman is to legislate. It's not to raise money all day on the phone. It's not to cut ribbons. It's not to harass your staff in various ways. It means putting an idea into writing and then amending, and then hearings, and then floor management, and conference committees, and warding off vetoes. That's what Ted did. He was a master legislator. I always considered myself a legislator -- I was never a master -- but we sure as hell knew that our strengths were the fact that we would make something work. And we did. And we were good at it.
I remember once, we were getting off the Capitol subway early one morning, and a woman came up to him. She was very nasty, very aggressive, and she said, "What you did, leaving that woman in that car, was shameful." And he said to her, "It is with me every day of my life." Nobody around, just him and me.
We talked right after the diagnosis. He said, "Life is a bowl of cherries." I would send him these cards in exceedingly bad taste, and Vicki said they made him laugh. He was a wonderful and dear friend. I love him, and I'll miss him."
" if you'd been through in your life what he's been through, you'd be sitting on the floor drooling."
OP
- Thread Starter
- #18
'He was always a good friend and a gracious foe. He wanted to defeat his opponents, but not destroy them.' - Sen. Kennedy on President Reagan
"I was terribly saddened to hear of the death of Ted Kennedy tonight. Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him." - Nancy Reagan
"I was terribly saddened to hear of the death of Ted Kennedy tonight. Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him." - Nancy Reagan
marlon
Master Black Belt
my respects
Photographic tribute to the man and his life: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/08/senator_ted_kennedy_19322009.html
His empty office.
His empty office.
