Here's what Kansas and Missouri senators are saying about the death of Ted Kennedy (we'll keep adding them as they come in).
"The Senate has lost the lion's roar of the left," Roberts said. "His wife Victoria, his family, friends and staff are in our thoughts and prayers."
"When I came to the Senate, Senator Kennedy was one of the first to welcome me and invite me to his office to discuss legislation where we might work together and move ahead. I was privileged to work with Senator Kennedy on education, health care and disabled issues.
"There were two Ted's, one was personable and kind to those he met regardless of party affiliation, and the other was what we saw on the Senate floor, a passionate and fiery advocate for the cause.
"I recall one of the first times I had the privilege of serving as presiding officer of the Senate when Senator Kennedy had the floor. His speech was passionate and delivered at top volume. He asked me how much of his time remained. I replied and noted that the audio system was indeed working. He continued on with his speech and after about a minute, smiled at me, waggled his finger in my direction, and kept right on going, at full volume. It was quintessential Ted Kennedy. He will be greatly missed."
"This man was so much more than his image," McCaskill said. "While his vision soared, the power of his personality and the magnet of his intellect drew his colleagues to the table of compromise. It was there he did his best work. His love for the little guy and his affection for the underdog influenced everything he did. And importantly, his sense of humor and contagious laughter made him real and approachable in spite of his power and privilege."
"Senator Kennedy was not only known as a tremendous public servant, but also as a gentleman within the halls of Congress. He was a great ally when we worked together and friendly and courteous - yet formidable - when we disagreed.
"Linda and my thoughts and prayers are with Ted's wife, Vicki, and the entire Kennedy family."
"Senator Kennedy was a lion in the Senate," said Brownback. "He fought for what he believed in and did so with passion. I had the opportunity to work on several legislative issues with Senator Kennedy and despite our political differences, he was professional, courteous, and thoughtful and always looked for ways to find common ground. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."
"Late last night, America lost an unwavering advocate for equality,
liberty and the well being of our children. With the passing of Senator
Kennedy we mourn together, while celebrating his legacy and life.
"I last saw Senator Kennedy speak almost exactly one year ago in Denver;
there, to a crowd of thousands, weak from illness but powered by
optimism, he delivered a message in which all Americans can find hope.
It was a brief, yet incredible moment to see a man who had seen so much,
share a vision for the future.
"The words he spoke that night ring especially true today, and remind me
of the work we all have left to do: '....and this is the cause of my
life -- new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that
every American -- north, south, east, west, young, old -- will have
decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege.
. . We are all Americans. This is what we do. We reach the moon. We
scale the heights. I know it. I've seen it. I've lived it. And we can do
it again.'"
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Most writers have the essential component of the Kennedy-Chappaquiddick saga wrong. The knee-jerk Kennedy haters call him a "murderer". The facts indicate otherwise. Murder ~ NO! Manslaughter ~ perhaps YES!
Mary Jo Kopechne did NOT drown. She in fact suffocated. The woman perished while trapped in the submerged Oldsmobile sedan while under water in a dark tidal pond. It was long ago figured that Kopechne survived for at least an hour or more after the crash by breathing from an air pocket. No matter how it�s sliced, that has to be a tough way to die.
With a little detective work it has been figured that the real Chappaquiddick story was fundamentally different from the extensive lie promoted by Kennedy himself. Facts strongly suggest that Kopechne disappeared from the party at an earlier time. She�d mentioned to more than one person that cigarette smoke and the stuffy atmosphere at the cottage were making her feel ill. It was figured that Mary Jo Kopechne after making her way outside, found the unlocked Oldsmobile 4-door sedan, laid down across the back seat and fell asleep. There was no conspiracy or plot involved. It was a matter of simple happenstance.
Later that night, the routinely drunk Teddy Kennedy left the party with another woman, got behind the wheel of the Oldsmobile and aimed the car in the direction of the beach road. Kennedy, with one other person in the front and another laying down on the back seat only made it as far as the narrow Dike Bridge. With his driving skills impaired, Kennedy lost control and drove the car off the bridge and into the Chappaquiddick - Poucha tidal pond.
Perhaps it was the cold ocean water that helped Kennedy sober up enough to escape along with the mystery woman front seat passenger. It is believed that Kennedy did not know that another person was in that car. Kennedy made it back on foot to some point where he was able to make contact with his political minions. Somehow, the operatives got him over to the main island of Martha�s Vineyard, where Kennedy was checked into a motel. Records later showed that numerous phone calls were made back and forth from Kennedy�s room telephone all during the night. He was later seen, in the early morning, having breakfast at the motel coffee shop while casually chatting with other guests.
Meanwhile, local police had discovered in the tidal pond, the now partially exposed Oldsmobile sedan. Upon closer examination, the body of a young woman was found in a corner area near the rear window. Artificial respiration was carried out, but Mary Jo Kopechne could not be revived. Noticed at the time, was that no water could found in the woman�s lungs. Early on, it was figured that Kopechne had not drowned but instead had suffocated. Despite Massachusetts state law in such a case, no autopsy was ever performed on Mary Jo Kopechne�s body to discover the true cause of death.
Kennedy�s later contrived story had him at the risk of his own life �diving repeatedly in an effort to save Miss Kopechne�. At the time, innumerable Massachusetts residents, including me, were outraged. Political stooges had taken depraved actions of the drunk miscreant Teddy Kennedy and spun the homicidal debacle into a performance of heroism.
Despite all, the contemptible Teddy Kennedy was elected again and again to the United States Senate by the people of Massachusetts. To this day, I have been unable to find anybody who even admits to having voted for Kennedy. In life and now death Theodore Edward Kennedy was on every level, a despicable human being. Hopefully through the sobering light of time, the actual facts will be accurately weighed.
In the meantime, the entire federal election system along with congress and senate requires a good strong enema. This nation needs to return to an operation of a true representative republic operated on actual democratic principle. Perhaps with Kennedy�s final flush through the sewer pipe of history, that much needed cleansing can now begin.
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