“Alas, this era of collegiality and respect, the era of Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan, is over. The recent reaction in the blogosphere to Ted Kennedy’s death proves that. After reading some of the discourse online, I was both surprised and disgusted at what was being written. I was shocked that even in death, people were having partisan quarrels about his legacy which led me to writing a Tweet saying, ‘I just don’t know what kind of life of anger you lead if you can’t put politics aside for a moment to respect a man’s passing…’ Immediately, this post was used yet again by some as an example of my ‘secret liberalism.’ Because what—apparently I can only respect a politician who had served nearly five decades in the Senate if he was a Republican? I don’t know how or why we got to this place in politics. Why death is used as yet another excuse for mudslinging and party rhetoric. It is depressing to think that we have come to an age where you can only mourn a man’s service to his country if he abides by every single political tenet you believe in…

If nothing else, I hope that the death of Ted Kennedy inspires high school students in civics classes and political science majors in colleges all across the country. If they listened this weekend to all Senator Kennedy was able to accomplish in his remarkable life, they too will realize why public service—in any capacity and for either political party—is and should continue to be a worthy calling.”

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“The attempt to dismiss Kopechne’s death as a down payment on Kennedy’s mountain of legislation is not merely an act of political convenience, a smokescreen blown by Democrats eager to paint Kennedy into the ‘Last Supper’ of liberal apostles, with oils of their choosing. The Left is speaking from the dark heart of collectivism, a belief system that will collapse if it acknowledges any area in which the rights of an individual absolutely trump the needs of the State. The modern super-state depended heavily on Ted Kennedy for its existence, as dozens of news anchors have been eager to explain over the last few days. The idea that the epic narrative of the State should be compromised in the name of justice for a random citizen is ludicrous to the Left.”

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Click the image to listen.