This isn’t really long enough for a real post, but I just overheard on the radio that it appears that Ted Kennedy may have suffered a stroke this morning.
I know he has not been very popular with Clinton supporters lately, but I hope that everyone joins me in wishing him well….
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Update: That last sentence did not come out the way I intended. I posted in haste. I really do know that everyone here means him well, and I should have made that clear. I apologize for my mistake.
Rather than try to keep updating this diary, I would direct people to check out DailyKos, where there are a lot of people providing updates on the situation. It sounds like he is doing better and should be ok.
Discuss
37 Comments . Leave a comment below.Seizure at this point in life without a prior Hx of seizure may indicate something very ominous:Tumor.
Altough no fan of Uncle Ted----my mother said never think ill of anyone lest it be visited upon you.
Best wishes Senator Kennedy!
I bet there will be a sudden rash of afflictions striking old Democrats and Hollywood movie stars for the next 6 months.
and obnoxious, which is part of the problem with some of the Obama crowd. Of course people will wish him well. You wouldn't wish a stroke on your worst enemy.
Howie Carr must be sad, if something happens to Ted, how will he work.
not that crappy reference to Howie Carr
I was just acknowledging that he has been beat up pretty harshly here of late, I did not mean to imply that anyone here would actually wish him harm. Quite the contrary, I never doubted that people here wish him well.
but perhaps I should leave it up as penance.
...I may be unhappy -- and I am -- with Sen. Kennedy for his support of Obama over Clinton, but I have always liked and admired the senior Senator. It would take more than one disagreement with him for me to vote against him. And of course, I am hoping for a speedy recovery.
Dear everyone: how much longer are we going to extend this hyper-sensitive, childish game of trading broad-stroked generalities as insults? When will people cut the shit?
Kevin's remark was obnoxious. But I've heard a lot of vindictive chatter from Clinton supporters who say they will never vote for Kennedy and Kerry again due to his Obama support. If Kevin's remark is obnoxious, it's still a remark with a very real sentiment of resentment towards Kennedy behind it. I also think that the "problem with some of the Obama crowd" was a little obnoxious, too. I recognize that what Justice's snip was also based in a legitimate gripe with a certain wing of Obama supporters, and I've said before that Hillary fans have had to put up with shit from Obama maniacs.
However, it was only HR's Kevin who made the comment, not "some Obama supporters". It seems kind of lame that many of us on the left are taking the opportunity to jump on every gaffe, turn of phrase, or perceived slight as a chance to yell and point "See! That's what's wrong with [Clinton/Obama] people! This justifies my support of Senator [Clinton/Obama]." Kevin should be the target of your spot-on criticism; it just seems kind of cheap to inject other Obama supporters into this, especially when I think both sides have been guilty of some lame generalizations.
Hey, everyone's welcome to express opinions and frustrations with the other candidate and her or his people. I'm not even saying your concerns are wrong or illegitimate. I'm just saying the tone and the style of painting swaths of supporters with broad, general strokes - done by people of both sides - might be some of the most boring, grating stuff I've read online. And it is absolutely not productive going forward to the general.
I think most BMG citizens are smarter and better than that. And from what I've seen, BMGers are capable of some truly remarkable rhetorical flourishes that elucidate and dissect issues while simultaneously knocking down an argument and building constructive dialogue.
I italicized the word "some" for a reason, to differentiate between the obnoxious and the not obnoxious Obama supporter. I guess I didn't make that clear enough - sorry.
That said, people are entitled to vote for whomever they want, and I don't consider that vitriolic or obnoxious. It's a reality when these guys get involved in primary races. This is why office holders and candidates are routinely advised to stick to their own race, at the risk of losing support. Nevertheless there's no legitimate reason for HR Kev to imply, however slyly, that Clinton supporters may not wish the Senator well. They may not vote for him again, but no one would wish ill-health. That's bad karma and yes, it does go around.
I am perfectly willing to drop the gloves, but understand that when goaded, I will pick them up again.
People are entitled to vote however they want.
But to vote against a candidate because they don't like the same person the voter likes, motivated out of vindictiveness instead of examining who is the rational best choice for the voter personally and who would be best for the rest of the candidate's constituents is petty, childish, and really a waste of a vote. If the Hillary voters to which I have referred say they will never voter for Kennedy or Kerry again based on their Obama support were as passionately concerned about the future as their support for Hillary would have me believe, then they would be mature voters willing to ask "who benefits?" from their grudge voting and realize it is probably the opposition party, not him or her the voter.
I'm not saying there aren't legitimate reasons to vote against Kennedy and Kerry. I'm saying a mature voter realizes an eye for an eye makes the world go blind and the issues and agenda items held dear by the revenge voter are not well served by this petty form of retribution. It may feel good for a minute, it might feel like one's voice was finally heard. But in the long run, if we aren't electing the candidates who best represent our will and our future, ultimately our voices will be silenced for a longer time.
It wasn't that he supported Obama. Everyone knew that and ignored it outright. It was the veep comment, which went beyond supporting Obama.
Via kos:
I have my issues with Ted Kennedy but he has grown up into an elder statesmen of our party and for the most part fights for good solid progressive values that move our country forward. And I wish him a full recovery which more recent reports say is quite likely.
That said when earlier reports said a stroke I wonder if Bill Delahunt, Ed Markey, Marty Meehan, or Jim McGovern jumped out of their seats to get Senate nomination papers.
I imagine Markey has the nomination papers all filled out, with only the date left blank.
Well it seems that Olver and Neal don't have the statewide profile. Tsongas barely won election and is a freshmen Congresswoman. Capuano and Frank both have important positions in the house that will likely keep them there. Capuano is the fifth ranked Democrat in the caucus and Franks got a comfy committee chair. Markey and Meehan made no secret about running if Kerry won the Presidency, McGovern has bona fide liberal credentials. And Delahunt is arguably the Congressman closest to the Kennedy's and to Ted since he has known him for so long so he might be Kennedy's preferred choice.
...let it out!
advocates in our history. He also famously works with people on the other side of the aisle in order to further causes in the best interest of fairness for all Americans.
Kennedy in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Thanks for posting the video. Ted Kennedy is one of the greatest, if not the greatest advocate for the people overall, and really does have America's best interest at heart. I, too, am wishing and hoping for Senator Ted Kennedy's complete and speedy recovery.
Lace curtain Irish have had their way over us working class Irish for to long.
Ted has been great on the issues, but it is time to let someone else take over. The tourch should be passed to the next generation, and I don't mean a Kennedy!
I am sure that every member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation is ready to sweep into the Senate. Notwithstanding due respect for Ted, Congressman John Tierney has demonstrated leadership as chairman of the House Oversight and Governement Reform Committee's subcommittee on national security and foreign affairs.
U.S. Representative Tierney recently led a delegation to South Asia. And weighed in on al Queda and the situation in the Middle East/South Asia region.
John is a congressional stand out!
Again, I hope Ted is well, but one knows it is more serious when the Kennedy's say Ted is using this as a reason to watch the Red Sox. When the Kennedy's use a Boston sports team in their spin, one should know something is up.
Get well Ted!
Your kicking off the race to replace Ted is a bit premature...not to mention tacky...but rest assured when Ted himself decides to step down, Congressman John Tierney will not even be in the top tier of possible replacements.
If Ted decides to continue in the Senate that would be great. However, Ted realizes his mortality. He and Caroline endorsed Obama to attach the fading Kennedy star to the raising Barack Obama star.
I stand by my belief that John Tierney is ready when Ted is ready. All of the members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are trying to stand out. John is in the top tier, whether you realize it or not.
I am not trying to be "tacky."
I sinverely hope Ted Kennedy recovers! As I said, y thoughts and prayers are with our senior senator. He is a great man!
What planet are you living on? Senator Edward Kennedy has represented his family and the working families of Massachusetts (and this country) with a sense of compassion and a fierce energy that has proven results. Caroline Kennedy is successful, respected and the standard bearer for the women in the Kennedy family.
The simple courage of a man who has had to be the public face for his family while seeing two brothers lost to political gunshots, seen the sons of his brothers (whom he took under his wing) die and then has the quiet compassion to speak so movingly during the Worcester Fire Fighters deaths a few years ago and being the fighter for numerous progressive acuses (who was talking national health care 2 decades ago?) imho deserves far better from anyone posting on a progressive website, then beyond tacky attempts to promote a candidate for his seat.
John Tierney is my Congressman and I think he is great. And I suspect he would be disgusted by this post.
Again, I hoope Ted makes a speedy and full recovery!
Any discussion of someone to follow along behind him is solely speculation.
Ted get well! None of us want to backfill your seat. We want yoiu to recoover to fight the good fight. You make so many, so proud!
Senator Ted Kennedy is a known quantity...and a great old stalwart and champion for the people...one of the few authentic and non-phony politicians around! Congressman John Tierney, on the other hand, is not a known quantity, and just because he supposedly sent out a group to investigate the Middle East doesn't make him electable or trustworthy, imo.
He might pass on it, but its his call.
From Boston.com:
When I first heard about this over the radio this morning, I felt sick to my stomach, but I'm glad to hear that things are going well for the Senator, and I pray that they continue to improve.
Thanks for sharing, sco. Here's keeping my fingers crossed for Ted Kennedy's full recovery.
It seems that Ted is fine and I certainly don't want him to go, I was merely making fun of Markey and Meehans known ambitions and their restlessness. Don't tell me you couldn't picture them running to their local clerks office to file papers God forbid something happened to Ted...
Anyway actual speculation on a race that for all intensive purposes won't be happening until 2012 and thats if Ted decides to retire is a bit premature and I apologize my attempt to inject some light hearted humor into a potentially sad situation started this ball rolling.
You gotta admit Teds a funny guy and he was probably making the same joke himself. I could picture him in jovial spirits at MGH saying to Patches "er uh wondah what er uh Mahkey was doing when he er uh herd the news"
No need for apologizing. Ted Kennedy is a funny guy--and a fighter. Here's hoping he recovers. If Teddy Kennedy's in good spirits, so much the better and faster his recovery. Who knows what Markey was doing?
Maybe it could have been written up by one of the editors instead? Maybe you can chalk this write up to being young (my guess this person is fairly young and doesn't have a clue) but why was this fp'ed?
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