What do Montanans think of Ted Kennedy? (Clinton: middle-class, attorney)

[JBTD]

I'm curious as to what people in Montana think of Ted Kennedy. The local news here (Boston) has shown the entire funeral all day and I'm really tired of it. He's hero here in liberal Massachusetts, but I want to throw a brick at my TV every time I hear people talk about how wonderful he was. He was a drunk, a womanizer, he was expelled from Harvard twice for cheating, and of course, there's Mary Jo Kopechne. Does anyone in Montana know that story? To sum it up - in the sixties, Ted was at a party (drunk) when he left with Mary Jo. He drove the car off a bridge and into a river. He got out and swam away, but left her. As the car sank, she scratched at the floor and ceiling and gasped for air for 5 hours until the air ran out. Ted walked back to his house and slept. He never told anyone until 9 hours later when the cops came to him. He didn't have a license at the time. The Kennedy family came to his rescue and he didn't serve any jail time. There are many of us who are disgusted by the fact that the media won't talk about that. There are many of us who despise the fact that Ted was always willing to raise taxes and steal the money of others as he sailed on his yacht and lived the good life. He was a big government, tax and spend liberal.
Now the dems want to name the bill "Kennedy Care"? Are you kidding me? Under this bill, a 77 year old man would have been given pain medicine, not be given the option to fly to Duke Medical Center for care as Teddy did.
SO - how was he viewed in the state I would like to move to more than anything in the world?

[GLS]

Originally Posted by JBTD

I'm curious as to what people in Montana think of Ted Kennedy. The local news here (Boston) has shown the entire funeral all day and I'm really tired of it. He's hero here in liberal Massachusetts, but I want to throw a brick at my TV every time I hear people talk about how wonderful he was. He was a drunk, a womanizer, he was expelled from Harvard twice for cheating, and of course, there's Mary Jo Kopechne. Does anyone in Montana know that story? To sum it up - in the sixties, Ted was at a party (drunk) when he left with Mary Jo. He drove the car off a bridge and into a river. He got out and swam away, but left her. As the car sank, she scratched at the floor and ceiling and gasped for air for 5 hours until the air ran out. Ted walked back to his house and slept. He never told anyone until 9 hours later when the cops came to him. He didn't have a license at the time. The Kennedy family came to his rescue and he didn't serve any jail time. There are many of us who are disgusted by the fact that the media won't talk about that. There are many of us who despise the fact that Ted was always willing to raise taxes and steal the money of others as he sailed on his yacht and lived the good life. He was a big government, tax and spend liberal.
Now the dems want to name the bill "Kennedy Care"? Are you kidding me? Under this bill, a 77 year old man would have been given pain medicine, not be given the option to fly to Duke Medical Center for care as Teddy did.
SO - how was he viewed in the state I would like to move to more than anything in the world?

You offer an accurate summary of his very significant character flaws. If he were not born to privilege he would have been in jail with a DUI for vehicular manslaughter or in divorce court consistently for playing the role of cheater. Regardless of your political bent, Ted Kennedy was at best a coward and a hypocrite. The spectacle that surrounds his demise is both ludicrous and an affront to personal ethics.

[Lienyie]

Camp Pendleton Marines were disgusted the flags were flown and half staf for him today on base. GLS your to the point statement is agreed upon in our family. We just moved from a two tour in Boston, and many locals idolize this family. They do not even see how ridiculous they look, what has he truly done and completed for that state that did not fall through. He could not even write his own speeches, nor edit them, I worked in that office. Were in former Presidents there? Does not anyone find that strange.

[Reziac]

Teddy K. had one good trait-- he supported owning well-mannered purebred dogs.

Other than that, I can't think of a single positive thing to say about him personally, or about "what he did for his country".

Well, I take that back. He'd probably have been a better president than Holy-O, if only because we'd have known what we were getting into. Of course, since the mob vowed his tenure in office wouldn't last past swearing in, we'da had to make sure the VP was someone we could live with...

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by GLS

You offer an accurate summary of his very significant character flaws. If he were not born to privilege he would have been in jail with a DUI for vehicular manslaughter or in divorce court consistently for playing the role of cheater. Regardless of your political bent, Ted Kennedy was at best a coward and a hypocrite. The spectacle that surrounds his demise is both ludicrous and an affront to personal ethics.

From my point of view, the above is an accurate accessment of this man.

Who in their right mind could possibly "look up" to a man of this type.

Word has it that, the motto found in his "BROWNIE" hand book (hand written by Ted himself), says: " On my honor I will do my best.....to always take care of myself first.............and to Hell with the rest". And then a P.S. was added:
""MONEY TALKS"".............

[calipoppy]

Originally Posted by JBTD

I'm curious as to what people in Montana think of Ted Kennedy. The local news here (Boston) has shown the entire funeral all day and I'm really tired of it. He's hero here in liberal Massachusetts, but I want to throw a brick at my TV every time I hear people talk about how wonderful he was. He was a drunk, a womanizer, he was expelled from Harvard twice for cheating, and of course, there's Mary Jo Kopechne. Does anyone in Montana know that story? To sum it up - in the sixties, Ted was at a party (drunk) when he left with Mary Jo. He drove the car off a bridge and into a river. He got out and swam away, but left her. As the car sank, she scratched at the floor and ceiling and gasped for air for 5 hours until the air ran out. Ted walked back to his house and slept. He never told anyone until 9 hours later when the cops came to him. He didn't have a license at the time. The Kennedy family came to his rescue and he didn't serve any jail time. There are many of us who are disgusted by the fact that the media won't talk about that. There are many of us who despise the fact that Ted was always willing to raise taxes and steal the money of others as he sailed on his yacht and lived the good life. He was a big government, tax and spend liberal.
Now the dems want to name the bill "Kennedy Care"? Are you kidding me? Under this bill, a 77 year old man would have been given pain medicine, not be given the option to fly to Duke Medical Center for care as Teddy did.
SO - how was he viewed in the state I would like to move to more than anything in the world?

The bolded part is inaccurate. State facts (which are awful enough) and not attempt to embellish the events that took place.

Like it or not, Ted Kennedy had the power and influenece to enact a LOT of legislation which will affect our country in many positive ways for generations to come.

Many of you who deride Ted as solely "liberal" must know that he had friends and allies amongst even the most veteran Republicans/Conservatives in Congress. So before you go getting on the high horse about Ted being a Liberal ne'er-do-well...some of your best Conservative champions were also very close friends of Ted Kennedy and paid him the appropriate respect by honoring his memory.

[grizzfan]

"Teddy Kennedy", I was told all day yesterday, "was the last actor of the last great political dynasties, never to be repeated again." Yes, let me see, his father Joe was a bootlegger during Prohibition and made the family fortune running rum. Son Jack was a war hero, but a failed president and womanizer with one accomplishment before his tragic death - The Peace Corps. Son Bobby was a shrewd and ruthless Attorney General and sicked the FBI on Martin Luther King, probably with good reason. Ted, well you read the details above. He excaped a manslaughter charge and conviction only because of family money and influence. Interestly, Jack and Bobby were killed by socialists, one trained in the Soviet Union and Cuba, the other a Palestinian Muslim with who knows what motivation. Thank God we've seen the last of them.

And then I was struck by the realization that another American family is still on the scene as decent, well accomplished people who have given their all to this Nation and will, for many more years, continue to do so: The Bush Family - two presidents, and one governor who still has a shot at the top. Sort of makes the Kennedys look like small fish to me and rotten ones at that.

May they rest in peace.

[smilinpretty]

yada, yada,yada. I do not condemn people for their past but I was raised Catholic and we were taught to forgive. Womanizer..does being one, make a person less than? Clinton is a womanizer but he is capable of doing great things. Drinking, does it make a person less than? By no means was Ted a alcoholic. When he found the love of his life, he quickly turned himself around. Ted loved woman and he loved life but most of all he loved helping people.

It was said that Ted had a hard time dealing with what happened regarding Mary Jo. It was unfortunate, yes...but it in no way, was it the reflection of who Ted was as a man. Regrets, yes sure, but he made it his life's mission to help those people who needed help the most. He made great accomplishments, he was highly respected in Washington, he was a great father, a wonderful husband and he was the best Uncle.

His funeral reflected how well loved he is. Thank Goodness there are people in this world that have forgiveness and allow people, to go on in their lives to do great things.

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

yada, yada,yada. I do not condemn people for their past but I was raised Catholic and we were taught to forgive. Womanizer..does being one, make a person less than? Clinton is a womanizer but he is capable of doing great things. Drinking, does it make a person less than? By no means was Ted a alcoholic. When he found the love of his life, he quickly turned himself around. Ted loved woman and he loved life but most of all he loved helping people.

It was said that Ted had a hard time dealing with what happened regarding Mary Jo. It was unfortunate, yes...but it in no way, was it the reflection of who Ted was as a man. Regrets, yes sure, but he made it his life's mission to help those people who needed help the most. He made great accomplishments, he was highly respected in Washington, he was a great father, a wonderful husband and he was the best Uncle.

His funeral reflected how well loved he is. Thank Goodness there are people in this world that have forgiveness and allow people, to go on in their lives to do great things.

[Mod cut] If the drunk and womanizing scumbag actually had a conscious and actually felt bad about drinking all day at a five on five sex party and then killing the poor woman, he wouldn't have had his thuggish daddy clean up his mess that he ran away from that time or any of the other times that he screwed up. The only thing that elitest, who had everything given to him not unlike Bush, was "great" at was partying, cheating on his wives and foolishly trying to make the Middle-class give away their hard earned money to indolent americans looking for a handout.

[JBTD]

Originally Posted by calipoppy

The bolded part is inaccurate. State facts (which are awful enough) and not attempt to embellish the events that took place.

Like it or not, Ted Kennedy had the power and influenece to enact a LOT of legislation which will affect our country in many positive ways for generations to come.

Many of you who deride Ted as solely "liberal" must know that he had friends and allies amongst even the most veteran Republicans/Conservatives in Congress. So before you go getting on the high horse about Ted being a Liberal ne'er-do-well...some of your best Conservative champions were also very close friends of Ted Kennedy and paid him the appropriate respect by honoring his memory.

It is actually true - she was alive and he walked away. There were claw marks on the floor and ceiling of the car.