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Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch
The 2 men were ideological enemies but the closest of friends. In these times of armed citizens at public forums and talk of violence that politicians on both sides, but mainly the rightwing, remember it is only politics and should never enter into the realm of the personal.
How about it Senator Hatch and Republican politicians? Why don't you try to elevate the discourse to something resembling civility instead of turning it into a hate fest? You said you were a friend of Senator Kennedy, so do it in his memory. Squelch the hate that some people on the right are fomenting.
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I like the idea but I'm not going to hold my breath.
August 26, 2009 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well Ted Kennedy never stopped fighting for/believing in the causes that he did. And if Kennedy thought so much of Hatch as a person that they became the best of friends Orrin must be a decent person. So I am gonna try to hold my breath a bit longer and hope the people who are decent on the right come back to their senses.
August 26, 2009 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had posted earlier on hatch and kennedy, but i wouldn't go out on that limb and call them "best of friends." I won't characteize orrin here, but at least teddy tried, and called orrin a "friend." There are friends, then there are friends. (smile) But still, as joe biden said, "He was never petty. He was never defeatist." Enough for me.
August 26, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I may stand corrected. NC Steve said in his ppost that Orrin Hatch helped arrange an intervention for Ted; that actually could have led to a bond.
August 26, 2009 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
No they really were friends Wendy. From what I understand even the families spent time together when the 2 were outside of the Senate. Actually the gang was Dodd, Kennedy and Hatch...all 3 of them were/are friends.
August 27, 2009 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
God forbid, should any wingnut violence happen at a town hall or something, the blame will be shared with every Repuke who hit the airwaves spreading lies and B.S. about health reform.
August 26, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jeeeeeeeeeez, now I'm crying.
August 26, 2009 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah a very said day dd. But I get the vibe that the Senator wants us to continue to keep on fighting for the causes he championed. And his friends, like the aforementioned Senator Hatch, should remember what politics should be done...politics the way that he and Senator Kennedy practiced them, with civility and respect even in the face of intense disagreements. They showed that politics didn't have to become 'personal'.
August 26, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely. I only hope that we all will turn our loss into renewed vigor and determination to make his (and our) dreams for healthcare reform a reality instead of just a goal to be attained.
Appreciate.
Post Rec'd.
August 26, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely. I only hope that we all will turn our loss into renewed vigor and determination to make his (and our) dreams for healthcare reform a reality instead of just a goal to be attained.
Appreciate.
Post Rec'd.
August 26, 2009 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
If someone from the Right does stand up and demand his party show a little common decency and respect for a family that loses a loved one for a few days, do you think it would even make the news? Not with our MSM!
Michael Jackson will dwarf the time we spend remembering someone of real greatness. Regardless of the vitriol with which they characterize the late Senator, the MSM will still trumpet that the GOP is the party of values too!
August 26, 2009 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do wish one Republican, just one, would consider stepping up.
Hatch has that choice. He can recoil in the unruly monolithic blockade that is the Republican party today, or he can step up.
August 26, 2009 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just watched interview with Hatch. Get ready for it....'cuz here it comes:
'If Teddy were here, we could arrive at a bipartisan HCR. But, as it is now, without Teddy, doubtful.'
So that is going to be their new mantra. Never mind that when he was 'here' they couldn't get it done with him.
Even within 24 hours, he's using his 'good friends' passing to futher his own political agenda. Disgusting. Shameful. Ass.
August 26, 2009 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess there is something more important to Hatch than his soul:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?type=C&cid=n00009869&newMem=N&cycle=2010
August 26, 2009 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh Yeah! What a self serving scumbag.
(Obviously, his 'good friend' TK just didn't have the same 'worth' to Sen. Hatch.)
Thanks for link. I think you should post it up front and center!
August 26, 2009 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Truth is, Hatch refused to meet with kennedy to even discuss HCR. He essentially black balled his old friend such that even a discussion of the topic was declined. Look, even Ted Kennedy would not be able to get through to the GOP to get even a whisper of support. Obama gets a lot of points from me for trying, and even more for trying more then I would have, but NOW, he's losing points because he's gone crazy, repeating the same behavior and expecting a different result.
He's trying to figure out what to call a dog with no legs. What's the point? It ain't coming, and that dog can't hunt.
August 27, 2009 2:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think to highly of Orin Hatch and I have to believe that the fact he and Ted Kennedy were good friends, says a lot about the power of acceptance within Ted Kennedy!
August 27, 2009 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well to hear Hatch talk you would think otherwise. He has said when he first came to the Senate he felt he was there to fight against Ted Kennedy and didn't care for him. I think that speaks volumes for both men. One that Ted has such a personality and was a true leader of men that he could make a friend out of a bitter adversary. Two that Orrin Hatch, while never becoming a political ally in any sense, was able to put aside such intense political animosity and develop a friendship with him.
The Nancy Reagan letter was an eye opener too. It seems like the Reagans and Kennedys were friends too. And then there is John Boehner...who wrote about how he and Ted jointly volunteered to mentor kids in the DC public school system, how he is going to sorely miss Ted and how much he enjoyed doing the volunteer work together. Hell, Boehner was in the House and wasn't even a Senate colleague of the Senator.
This is what I am talking about. It tells me that Republican politicians aren't heartless monsters. Do they really mean it or is it just typical memorial type of stuff? If they are sincere tey should try passing that on to their supporters instead of encouraging the unhinged. They were able to elevate their discourse and friendship with Sen. Kennedy...and if they meant what they said in their tributes to the late senator, their friend, maybe they should put those sentiments into action. There is no reason to foment hate and personal animosity towards anyone because of their politics. It's all on them to do something...
August 28, 2009 12:06 AM | Reply | Permalink