U.S. Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor

[liz_marcs]

This has upset me to a surprising degree.

Teddy Kennedy has been the senator representing the People's Republic of Massachusetts for my entire life. And yes, there's a reason he kept getting re-elected to the U.S. Senate by huge margins. It's because he did his job and he did it the way we wanted him to.

It's surprisingly hard to accept that he'll be gone sooner rather than later. As anonymous_sibyl pointed out: it's almost as if by acknowledging Sen. Kennedy's mortality, we're all acknowledging our own.

Christ, anyone else almost afraid of hearing some witless right-wing howler monkey commenting on this right now? Because I guarantee those comments are going to be pretty fucking ugly in a way we can't even hope to imagine.

Comments

[1-mad-squirrel.livejournal.com]

Christ, anyone else almost afraid of hearing some witless right-wing howler monkey commenting on this right now? Because I guarantee those comments are going to be pretty fucking ugly in a way we can't even hope to imagine.

Considering what that piece-of-shit FOX News guy did when Heath Ledger died? I can only imagine.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I will not click on any link that will lead me to the inevitable FauxNews commentary on Sen. Kennedy's health. It will only make my head explode.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

All I can think is "poor Teddy-" the man has had a hell of a life, and, on the whole (and despite my brother's stupid Chappaquidick related bumper sticker) has done much more good than any ten other humans.

Julia, you'd think he'd get an easy out of suffering some day

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

If there's any good in this, it's this: He wasn't killed by a gun at a too-young age like Bobby and Jack.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

Also, for the sake of accuracy: brother-in-law. I have no male sibling.

Weird thing is, my husband and I got in a long discussion about RFK on our way to buy a cheap range-hood, about what a bastard he was when he first entered public life and how far and fast he grew into an admirable leader. It would, I think (having lived through the period since as a political junky) been a much different world if he'd survived.

Julia, JFK at least could be used as a symbol to get things done; Bobby being killed just fucked up that already fucked election even further.

[valancy17.livejournal.com]

that's precisely what I was thinking. But I didn't want to say it because I feared it'd take away from the significance of this news. I'm glad you did, though.

also, it's like when Tip O'Neill left congress. *sigh*

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

I met him when he was young and vital back in 1967 when he was in Indiana (my home state) and I was an adolescent working in my first political campaign...handing out flyers for his brother Bobby. He has always lived his family tradition of giving back. I only hope the treatment works and he will remain a force in guiding our nation....especially with the rough waters we are currently floundering in.

Kathleen

His years of service alone should earn respect even from the extreme right but I fear you will be shown correct.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, Liz :( Ted Kennedy has been a great Senator and I'm pretty sad about this too.

[stephanierb.livejournal.com]

This news has made me so upset. I just can't imagine him NOT being in the Senate. As absurd as it sounds, the idea that he won't be holding that seat forever seems wrong.

I don't know enough about brain tumors or the treatment, but I hope he still has a lot of good years left.

[mhael.livejournal.com]

Christ, anyone else almost afraid of hearing some witless right-wing howler monkey commenting on this right now? Because I guarantee those comments are going to be pretty fucking ugly in a way we can't even hope to imagine.

Almost exactly what I was thinking as soon as I read the subject heading of the post. I'm sure that shrill-voiced whore Ann Coulter will be having a field day. Ohhhhhhhhhh how I long for the day *she* gets diagnosed... with every terminal cancer there is.

At least there's almost zero chance (I assume?) of his seat getting filled with some GOPeep.

[majistrix.livejournal.com]

And yes, there's a reason he kept getting re-elected to the U.S. Senate by huge margins. It's because he did his job and he did it the way we wanted him to.

I envy you to have such a stalwart and wonderful person to represent your state.

It's an absolutely sad day.

Great sadness in Ireland to the news too

[maccoscair.livejournal.com]

Ted Kennedy has been a champion of Irish causes and especially peace in Ireland for his entire political career and news of his illness is the lead story across the country. He and his family will be in the prayers of a lot of people today.

[kajivar]

I'm upset, too. And I'm wondering what "compassionate" Christian leader will be the first to blame the tumor on Massachusetts allowing gay marriage. Falwell's gone, but hey, Robertson's still available.

Damn.

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking I would like to mail that evil person a dead fish after they have said it.

[antennapedia.livejournal.com]

So sad to hear this about the man who's been a Senator from my home state almost the whole time I've been alive, too. Teddy Kennedy will leave behind himself a wonderful legislative record. He's had quite a life.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

I'm very upset. I've always respected him so deeply, and I really cannot imagine who could possibly fill his shoes in the Senate and in MA.

I do not want to think about what talk radio is doing with this information.

[valancy17.livejournal.com]

damn. what sad news.

[simonf.livejournal.com]

I saw him when he was in Londonderry once. He seemed like a nice guy, trying to do his bit.

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

Yes, when I saw it flash on the header at nytimes.com my jaw dropped. I started thinking about having to replace him and OUCH! I can't imagine having to vote for someone else (even though yeah I knew he was old and not a vampire) after all the times I have voted for him. And I'm pretty against career senators too. :/

[doingsoso.livejournal.com]

The news guys are never easy on anyone and they bandy about their master's words unfortunately. Sigh. They're mindless mouths. That's why I don't get most of my news from MSM anymore. Just ignore 'em. They really are more like newsertainment anymore than hard news. They're asps with poisoned gossip on their tongues.

[j3nny3lf.livejournal.com]

My first thought of this news was:

Thank God Rose Kennedy has already died, so she doesn't have to see her last living son die before her.

Ted Kennedy has been an amazing senator. As a Cambridge girl from the district that first sent Jack Kennedy to the House, I have always loved the Kennedy family. The tragedies that seem to strike them with unfailing regularity just astound me.

This country will be worse off without him.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

I've always admired Ted Kennedy. I was watching CNN today at work, and it was the lead story of course. The thing is that we seem to have already accepted that the tumour is untreatable; some of the people who'd only heard about it peripherally were talking about Kennedy in the past tense! I'm hopeful that all the doomsayers are proved wrong, and Mr. Kennedy will survive this and have many more years ahead of him. If any family in public service deserves a break, this one does.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

The news made us very sad too, including my mother who is visiting from Florida. When we read the Globe today there was an analysis article discussing how he could have helped Obama (assuming he is the Democratic nominee) in the race, and if elected, how Kennedy could have given invaluable guidance to him as a new President. Now all that seems very, very unlikely. Of course no one is saying impossible. But it seems so.