The Unglamorous Kennedy & a Passive Aggressive Tribute from Orrin Hatch

In Forbes, former Reason Editor Virginia Postrel looks at Ted Kennedy from the viewpoint of glamour:

We had way too much information about Ted Kennedy. Unlike his brothers, he lived to become bloated and middle-aged and politically out-of-step with the times. He lived to lose--to Jimmy Carter, the antithesis of glamour--and to see Reaganism triumph. And, of course, he lived to experience a scandal, Chappaquiddick, that even the Kennedy family could not retouch away.

Postrel also has a sharp take on whether President Obama, who called to mind more-glamorous pols such as JFK during the campaign, can govern while trying to stay above the fray.

Whole thing here.

And here's a godawful tribute song from senatorial tunesmith and Ted Kennedy pal, Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Beyond the generic sentiments (this song, with less revision time than it took Bernie Taupin to crank out "Goodbye England's Rose," could have been about anybody from Joseph Smith to Bob Novak to Billy Mays), there is this curious water imagery:

Just honor him
Honor him
And on the reefs of despair
We shall not crash.

Comments

[Tulpa]

And, of course, he lived to experience cause a scandal, Chappaquiddick, that even the Kennedy family could not retouch away.

ftfy

[John]

When a sports great dies, they often retire his number. Since Kennedy was such a giant, how about we leave his seat vacant in perpetuity in his honor? Sure, Massachusetts would only have one Senator, but I am sure Teddy would be thrilled to know he was held in that kind of reverence.

[WWJGD]

Ugh, an embarrassing memorial speech slip. Hatch really crashed and drowned with that one...

[Tim Cavanaugh]

One thing I did like about Ted Kennedy was the way he went on the wagon. After Ted's indirect involvement in the rape of Patricia Bowman, Orrin Hatch prevailed on him to give up drinking. Ted went ahead and flushed his liquor cabinet, and I breathed a sigh of relief that roads of the Bay State would be slightly safer.

Then about a year later I see 60 Minutes doing a super blowout segment on the lion of the Senate, in which he is shown sitting down to dine with whatever wife he was on, and the table is set with big full glasses of delectable looking red wine.

It turned out that Ted had had a revelation from Moroni that you can be drug and alcohol free and still enjoy a tipple with dinner. How many times have I "quit" in exactly this way?

[Kanye West]

Ted Kennedy doesn't care about drowned people.

[wayne]

And, of course, he lived to experience a scandal, Chappaquiddick, that even the Kennedy family could not retouch away.

Unfortunately, Mary Jo did not.

[J sub D]

The linked article sadly reminds me that Reason's gone way downhill since Virginia Postrel left.

You alcoholics can thank me later.

[PapayaSF]

I'll always remember Teddy during the first oil crisis, arguing for rationing on the grounds that if gas prices reached $1/gallon, there would be rioting in the cities, I guess because all the poor people wouldn't be able to fill their tanks for the drive to their jobs in the suburbs . . . or something.

[John]

The Kennedys are just like the Corleones only if Botzini had managed to whack Michael after the old man's funeral and Fredo had lived to be the over weight womanizing family patriarch.

[John]

One thing to think about, Plaxico Burris got two years for shooting himself in a New York Nightclub. Ted Kennedy walked away scot free for driving drunk and leaving a young woman to die in a water logged car.

[brotherben]

My brain is fucked up enough alraedy. I am not watching this.

[Greg V.]

Nice to know that if I ever kill somebody and then use my name to land a job in the Senate and stink up the joint for decades doing whatever disservice I can to the taxpayers, not only will I be forgiven and remembered in a fond way, but a fellow Senate bench warmer will write a shitty song about me!

[twistedmerkin]

Reason's gone way downhill since Virginia Postrel left.

I'm still at work, douchebag. And that reminds me- for a magazine named Reason, where's joe been?

[T]

I'm still at work, douchebag.

If you were really committed to this website, that wouldn't stop you.

Let me go see what the Sales department has in the credenza...

[Dagny T.]

No one else brave enough to attempt listening to Hatch's touching tribute song monstrosity? You are all wiser than I.

It sounds disturbingly like when my father attempts to sing. As though I didn't have enough daddy issues.

[Joe M]

You know, it's moments like these that make me think maybe members of congress really don't have it so great after all. I mean, they have to be around each other.

[Mary Jo]

How sweet!

That's exactly the song he sang to me that night! Including the part about "our children!"

[The Libertarian Guy]

Will the Kennedy burial be... a shovel-ready project?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously, how much is this clusterfuck going to cost the taxpayers?

[Tulpa]

I'm frickin' heated at how many flags I've seen at half staff today. Are we doing this for every dead senator now, or just the ones with dynastic names?

[MNG]

"One thing to think about, Plaxico Burris got two years for shooting himself in a New York Nightclub. Ted Kennedy walked away scot free for driving drunk and leaving a young woman to die in a water logged car.

And the difference between the two scenarios is that Plaxico was found guilty of a crime after a trial and TK was not. In this country that does allow you "walk away Scott free."

[MNG]

I think Kennedy deserves big props for pushing to get the vote extended to 18, 19 and 20 year olds.

[Jim Treacher]

I think Kennedy deserves big props for pushing to get the vote extended to 18, 19 and 20 year olds.

Dead or alive.

[Johnny Longtorso]

And the difference between the two scenarios is that Plaxico was found guilty of a crime after a trial and TK was not. In this country that does allow you "walk away Scott free."

TK had the political pull to avoid trial. Good liberals think benefiting from political position is OK in a way that benefiting from financial position isn't. One involves filthy lucre, you know.

[MNG]

"Good liberals think benefiting from political position is OK in a way that benefiting from financial position isn't."

Yeah Johnny, at the Good Liberal Secret Society Meeting last week we talked a lot about how much we endorse people benefiting from political position...All that progessive legislation to make government more accountable and transparent and obedient to due process, that was all just for the peasants...

Get a grip man.

[Jim Treacher]

Yeah Johnny, at the Good Liberal Secret Society Meeting last week we talked a lot about how much we endorse people benefiting from political position...All that progessive legislation to make government more accountable and transparent and obedient to due process, that was all just for the peasants...

Please explain how Ted Kennedy got away with leaving Mary Jo Kopechne to die.

[Alan Vanneman]

Ginnie's blog says she's writing a book on glamour. Here's my glamour tip o' the day, Ginnie. Lose the hat.

[Griff]

good lawyers..just like OJ...

"Please explain how Ted Kennedy got away with leaving Mary Jo Kopechne to die"

If you escape from the car but ferry back the next morning, it counts as a rescue...a late one.

[Griff]

It's a tough job deciding ways to spend money that isn't ours, or better yet will not exist for another 10-15 year.

"All that progessive legislation to make government more accountable and transparent and obedient to due process, that was all just for the peasants..."

[anarch, sometime emt]

If you escape from the car but ferry back the next morning, it counts as a rescue recovery.