I just saw this news item this morning. I didn't want to put it in a debate format because there are too many here that vilify the Massachusetts senator. My heart goes out to he and his family in this trying time. The article does goes on to say that Sen. Kennedy is in good spirits. Hopefully, he will be one of those who beat the odds. I wouldn't put it past him; he's a pretty tough guy.

Best of luck to you, Sen. Kennedy!

Hopefully he'll pull through but retire. Today.

Does swimmer's ear cause this ailment?

That family has had more than its share of tragedy. I often disagree with the guy, but he and his family have my best wishes today.

Agreed. Although I disagree with most of their politics, this family today deserves our prayers. They have been through more pain and hardship in 50 years, than most families ever do.

He could have his brain removed and still get re elected in this state. Hopefully he retires – the sooner the better.

He's already lived a long life, and frankly, his liver by all rights should have quit long before his brain. Hopefully he will not suffer much and will pass on peacefully. Our prayers are with him. Even thought I agree with him on almost nothing, and he should have focused on giving away his inherited wealth freely to moronic causes rather than taking my relative pittance through the tax laws and giving it away to moronic causes, he is an institution, he has been very influential, and he will be missed if for nothing else than as a foil to correct thinking.

Ted, this is totally uncalled for and shows a meanness of spirit even for you. Then again, that's what I would have expected.


I realize being the tough guy even at an inappropriate time is important to you BA. There is also a fine art of being a comic that involves timing. Yours is way off.

By making fun, you are missing half of life - the compassionate half.

I'm sure you saw this coming Daffy. How long will it be until this one gets shut down?

Best of luck Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Hey DaffyGrl, I take back what I wrote last week about getting rid of the party-specific forums on . Apparently, you should have started this in The Democratic Debate forum.

That way it would it have kept out the sickos, morons and hate-filled partisans who can barely conceal their glee over the prospect of the death of Ted Kennedy.

I don't know how some people can sleep at night. Maybe by strangling their conscience like an unwanted kitten.

God bless Ted Kennedy and his family.

I find myself in complete agreement with NT, and quite frankly I am embarrassed by some of the comments made here by people who at least list themselves as being aligned with me on the political side of the aisle. As a Conservative Republican, I apologize for the hateful comments made from "the right" here in this thread. That is not representative of the Republican Party, nor of Conservatives in general.

There are a lot of things I disagree with Ted Kennedy about, and I have ripped some of his stances and actions in the past in this forum. But, there are things far more important in this world than politics and I don't rejoice in this horrible news for Ted Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family. My best friend died a few years ago from a brain tumor and it's a horrible experience for all involved. My heart and prayers go out to the Kennedy family and it is my hope that Ted Kennedy will beat the odds and get better. I would love nothing more than to see him return to the Senate floor and say something I can chew into him for. Politics is politics, but this ain't political.

God bless ya Teddy.


Aquilla

Yes, that would probably have been better, but I'm not listed as a Democrat, so that wasn't a possibility.


Oh, yeah, totally predictable. Not long, I'd imagine. I predict there will be a thread created by one of the cretins bashing Kennedy in new and creative ways. If (in a perfect world) it was Bush who got a brain tumor (oh, wait, you'd have to have a brain in order to have a tumor), and any of us made the kinds of comments made about Ted, all hell would break loose among some outraged Republicans. It never ceases to amaze me how some people can put their politics above their humanity (or lack thereof).

Never, ever apologize for me or anything I post. I am certainly not aligned with you on this topic. Furthermore I never wished Kennedy any ill will.

I lost my mother, my brother last October and my Aunt in March to the exact same thing and in the same part of the brain. Words can’t describe the suffering that Ted Kennedy and his family will endure.

And how ironic those of the “American values party” took this as a political opportunity and are the very ones who often question “what has happened to our country”?

Mirror and scroll button should work nicely.

Aquilla, no surprise here. I remember a friendly “not a peep of politics” personal exchange discussing Reagan after he passed. Tip of the hat.

My deepest sympathies to Sen. Kennedy and his family.

This just strikes me as a kind of 'if you don't have anything nice to say, etc. etc.' type moment.

CP

My solemn hopes to Sen. Kennedy that he makes a full recovery...


Edit: In additional sorrowful Democratic news, Hamilton Jordan has just died of cancer at age 63. He was a longtime supporter and campaign manager of Jimmy Carter. He was one of the founders of Unity08 an organization that seeks (sought?) to make new bipartisan inroads between Dems and Reps.

NO, you most certainly aren't aligned with me on this topic since the only issue here is one of common decency. That's not an area where you and I will ever land on the same side.

And, as far as your "instructions" on what I can and can not post here. I don't take marching orders from cretins.

Aquilla

I would not wish a malignant brain tumor on anyone.

Ted Kennedy and his family are in my prayers. I know what it is like to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It's a tough course, and I had a much better prognosis than the Senator has.

Senator Kennedy has also been known for his bipartisanship because he remembers the reason for there being a Congress--for the sake of the people--even though the rhetoric has been heated, and if words could draw blood, he often has given as well as he has taken on the Senate floor.

Regardless of politics or advanced age, he is a human being and loves and is loved by fellow human beings. Thank you to those who wish him well.

Also, I am sorry to hear about Hamilton Jordan's passing. May his family be comforted in this difficult time.

The prognosis for Kennedy and the word's in Fife and Drum's statement paint a grim picture.

Senator Kennedy, despite some depictions, is a bright man.

He has reached across the aisle on several occasions. I hope that he remains lucid and vigorous enough to tie up any loose ends in a legendary senate career.

Beyond that we can only hope he departs with minimum pain and suiffering and maximum grace.

Edited to add;

Here is an update to Daffy's original link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24755896

I'm only fairly familiar with Ted Kennedy politically and really never had much of an opinion on him myself, but politics aside thats unfortunate news. I think his older brother John did a better job than any Democratic president in history at running this nation. He inspired a nation to take chances, be aggressive in moving forward, he had a way with words, and encoradged people to take an active role in making this nation a better place, rather than expecting the government to be the answer to everything.

I have many views that are much more conservative than any of the Kennedy's but JFK brought out the best of the Democratic party from everything Ive read and seen on TV, and if there is any of that quality in his little brother Ted, than this is indeed bad news. Sorry to hear about this, but who knows maybe he will beat it.

Politics, personal stuff aside... human to human, I'm thinking good thoughts.

For those who keep referring to Ted as Dead (like the NYPOST)... Brain Cancer Not A Death Sentence

That's true, it is survivable although the odds are still pretty slim. One good sign is that Kennedy apparently didn't suffer any aftereffects from the biopsy and recovered from that procedure pretty quickly. In my friend's case, he suffered a stroke following the biopsy and went downhill pretty rapidly from there.

Aquilla

The problem is how determining the aggressiveness of the cancer. Right after the surgery is usually where the patient shows the most immediate gains. The issue is how much tissue was removed and how quickly the tumor will grow back.

My Parent's best friends growing up- they were my surrogate aunt and uncle- well, my "Aunt" died of brain cancer. She had surgery- it was in remission supposedly for 2 years, then it came back and killed her. Sweet lady, loved her forever. She didn't appear to be in awful pain all the time like my Grandma and lung cancer. I hope Ted doesn't have any rougher time than my Aunt, at the very least.

I have to agree; most of the doctor's quotes don't paint a real rosy prognosis. I don't know if the "seizures" he suffered are considered strokes, but it is good news that he came through the biopsy as well as he did. I hope he takes his remaining time to be with his family, but a workaholic like Kennedy will probably want to get back to work, in whatever capacity he can.

I hope he lives to see President Obama.

A biopsy doesn't remove much of the tumor, just a few cells. They use those cells to determine the exact nature of the tumor which will help them determine the kind of drugs to use in chemotherapy. From what I understand chemo and radiation treatments are really the only things they can do. The tumor itself is inoperable. That's the problem with brain cancer in general. You can't just cut it out without doing more damage to the patient than the cancer itself was doing. Another problem is the Blood brain barrier. Any drugs you use for therapy have to be able to cross that protective barrier so you're somewhat limited in the choices.


Aquilla

Yes and one of those times was with McCain which is more than we have seen from Obama.

He will be missed here in MA because as a Sr. Senator he was able to direct contracts and R&D money to the state and Military/Commercial companies here. In other words he was an expert at “bringing home the bacon” (pork).

Welcome back, Ted. We missed you yesterday.

Your second statement on this thread is certainly milder than your first and as Martha Stewart would say, “that’s a good thing.” While you were gone yesterday, nighttimer made a rather gracious post on a related thread.

Now, I’m not suggesting anything. In fact, I don’t believe forced, coerced or even suggested apologies mean much.

However, NT's words deserve a read, because they were voluntary and came from a man who is self-assured - that is, comfortable enough in his own skin - to admit a mistake.



BTW: I do not find it surprising that McCain and Kennedy joined forces more than Obama has reached across the aisle. Both Kennedy an McCain have been in the Senate for a much longer time.

Ted is still very much alive and far be it from me to wish otherwise – That kind of rhetoric so common on the far left Blogs – directed at Bush or Rove etc.

And McCain has reached across the isle more than Obama because he is more of a centrist than Obama – its as simple as that.

I just thought I might add this tribute to Ted Kennedy from very conservative columnist Cal Thomas.

Link


And if you want to see what an island of sanity is compared to the rest of cyberspace, just read the comments that were posted to this editorial.