Right Said Ted

David Weigel | August 25, 2008

Aha! We hacks were played: The rumor was that Ted Kennedy was so ill that he wouldn't make Denver. And here he is. The comments from the reason gallery are basically unprintable, except for Mike Flynn, who keeps jabbering about what an "unforced error" this is.

Kennedy can turn on the waterworks (in the audience) simply by breathing now. Every reference to "hope" and "health care" comes with a glimmer of "he's going to die of cancer like next month."

"He's almost Monty Pythonesque," says Flynn.

Kennedy closes with some dehydrated Shrumisms ("The dream lives on!") and gets played off by Orleans and "Still the One"--written by a Democratic congressman!

They should bring Carter onstage and refuse to shake hands, for old time's sake.

Comments

Franklin Harris|8.25.08 @ 9:43PM|#

I can see the New York Post headline now...

"Dinosaur still not extinct, yet!"

|8.25.08 @ 9:49PM|#

Dave, that was awesome. Were I actually motivated to drive up to Denver from Colorado Springs right now, I do believe I'd buy you a drink.

|8.25.08 @ 9:57PM|#

He looks a lot better than I thought he would. Hale. I didn't expect that.

Teddy!

Elemenope|8.25.08 @ 10:03PM|#

He looks a lot better than I thought he would. Hale. I didn't expect that.

These days he kinda reminds me of Roger Ebert, but with a weird speech impediment. But you're right, he looks pretty good for a terminally ill guy.

BDB|8.25.08 @ 10:09PM|#

He was just keeping expectations low, as our President likes to say.

BDB|8.25.08 @ 10:10PM|#

Hey joe, who would be next in line after Kennedy for Senate in Mass?

Egor|8.25.08 @ 10:18PM|#

"Hey joe, who would be next in line after Kennedy for Senate in Mass?"

Vlad the Impailer?

|8.25.08 @ 10:21PM|#

These days he kinda reminds me of Roger Ebert, but with a weird speech impediment.

He's looked like that for years. I mean, he still looks like that now. I hope it's a good sign.

BDB, I honestly don't know. This isn't the 30s, or even the 80s. Not a Kennedy, I can tell you that. It doesn't work like that anymore.

When Kerry was going to be president, the Great and General Court amended the succession laws so that the Governor (who was Mitt Romney) no longer appointed someone to fill the seat. Instead, there's a quick replacement election. Of course, the Democratic primary would be the ball game.

I imagine it would be a highly sought-after prize, and a lot of people cold win it. Mike Capuano? Barney Frank? John Tierny? Stephen Lynch? Jim McGovern? Could be any of them. Probably not anyone from the state legislature. Everyone hates them. The most junior Congressman, Nikki Tsongas, happens to be the only woman in the delegation, so maybe she'd win a plurality in the primary.

BDB|8.25.08 @ 10:34PM|#

That's hilarious the legislature amended the law just to spite Mittens.

J|8.26.08 @ 10:05AM|#

I would hope Barney Frank or Nikki Tsongas. I like him best and her second of our reps.

|8.26.08 @ 11:18AM|#

Kennedy can turn on the waterworks (in the audience) simply by breathing now.

The words "Kennedy", "water", and "breathing" are probably not terribly comfortable sharing a sentence.