Funny Ted Kennedy Quote

Ted Kennedy, middle, with brothers Bobby and John photo by BL1961 @ flickr - thanks for releasing this into Creative Commons, much appreciated!

With his usual Irish self-deprecating humor he said to his son and nephew one day as they were serving in Congress with him, making it three Kennedys in national politics: "When I hear someone complain, 'Who does that damn Kennedy think he is?' Well, now I know there's only a one in three chance they are actually talking about me!"

Ah, nothing like the ironic truth spoken with a twinkle in your Irish eye, Ted. God Bless.

4 Videos: More Funny Speakers at Kennedys Wake

Senator John Kerry, the junior senator from Massachusetts, recalls Kennedy's booming personality that was like a force of nature. He also recounts how Kennedy never left his side during the 2004 presidential campaign.

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Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, recounts his funny and downright annoying experiences with Kennedy. He also declared just how much he loved Ted and how much he misses him already. McCain was so overcome with emotion that after his speech he abruptly left the stage with welling tears in his eyes. Truly that was a close relationship in spite of political wrangling.

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Governor Deval L. Patrick, Massachusets, recalls his time with Kennedy and his impressions of him:

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Senator Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, recalls how Kennedy, who was more ill than Dodd, called Dodd to see how he was doing. That really touched Dodd's heart. They, too, were life long friends.

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Joseph P. Kennedy II, talks about his favorite uncle who helped father him and his siblings after his father, Robert, was also assassinated on the presidential trail in 1968. You really have to ask yourself "What is wrong with the Republicans who are willing to kill politicians in this great country called America? Who are these people who are so willing to kill a fellow American?":

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How Senator Ted Kennedy Affected Your Life in America

From Denny: Did you know that Ted Kennedy passed over 300 bills during his tenure in the Senate? He also co-authored another 550!

“Ted Kennedy changed the circumstances of tens of millions of Americans,” VP Biden.

How did he affect our lives today? How does that translate into your everyday life that this generation may take for granted was always there?

Here are just a few examples that make life easier for so many to live well:

Wheelchair ramps: wheelchair access in public places; those are thanks to Ted Kennedy.

Minimum wage: you earn more thanks to Kennedy

Children’s Health Insurance: he went to bat for the most vulnerable members of our society – children

Kennedy was the driving force behind COBRA - for people in need of health insurance when just fired from a job.

He developed personal relationships with people like a 6 year old child suffering from diabetes who could have benefited from stem cell research. He didn’t just use her in front of the cameras for politics. She first wrote him a letter asking for his help on pushing for stem cell research; he read that letter on the Senate floor. For years he privately corresponded with Lauren Stanford, thanking her for her help and encouraging her in her fight with juvenile diabetes. The public never knew about that.

This Weeks Roundup of Sunday Funnies - Watch Out Obamas Drinking Beer

From Denny: Finally! The newer late night show quips are up at the This Week site.  This little kitten looks so much like my cat Lay-own-ARRRRD-doe! (Leonardo - he thinks he's Italian and loves to watch TV too...)

Videos: Dems Nail the Death Panel Guys on Meet The Press

Bill Clinton made health care reform one of the highest priorities of his administration. He asked the First Lady to chair the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From Denny: Highlights of Meet The Press and health care "debate." The Republicans have really squandered their political capital on their temper tantrums strategy of late to the point the public has had enough and is demanding the President push on past them to get us health care reform now not later. If the Republicans had their way it would be never.

It is easy to understand why people like Dick Armey are rejecting health care reform as he is a lobbyist making millions opposing it. What is amazing is that the average Americans supporting the Republicans are working against themselves for their own futures.

Talk show hosts like Rush and Glenn are multi-multi-multi millionaires and don't need government health care. You can bet they will take advantage of using Medicare and Medicaid when they need it though.

Seems the fastest way to move the health care debate is for the President to sign a Presidential directive taking away the government health care plan all of Congress or just the naysayer Republicans enjoy. Let's see how long they continue to support the big business insurance and drug companies. The day they have to pay as much as regular people do will be an eye-opener.

Here's the real deal: An under estimate years old - before the recent economic chaos of the past two years - the uninsured were guesstimated at 40 million. Well, I've got news for you as there are a lot more than that. Consider an additional 40 million more are insured in health care plans that are not worth the paper they are written upon. They are like the idiot homeowners' insurance on the Gulf Coast where the deductibles are so ridiculously high you will have to declare bankruptcy to pay them. So, the new reality is that almost one third of Americans are not insured. That's almost 80 million to 100 million people, folks. And the Republicans dare to continue their insanity on this? There will be rioting in the streets if this does not get resolved and soon...

Sonia Sotomayor Sworn In Today!

From Denny: Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in today by Chief Justice Roberts in two ceremonies, one private and one public.

Another first is that this is the first time in the Court's history that television cameras were allowed for an oath-taking ceremony.

Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals judge, was confirmed on Thursday by a 68 - 31 vote. There were nine Republicans who joined the Democratic caucus to support her nomination. Because of his battling brain cancer, Senator Ted Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unable to be there to vote, though he has always supported her ground-breaking nomination.

When does Sotomayor begin her new job? The High Court reconvenes in September to listen to arguments about the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.

So where does Sotomayor fit in the stats and trivia department? She is the 111th person to sit on the Supreme Court and only the third woman. Republicans have been adept at keeping women off the court for decades now. She is also the first Hispanic.

Her public professional history is that in 1992 she was named a district judge by President George Bush 41. Later she was elevated to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just six years later by President Bill Clinton in 1998. While on the district court she presided over 450 cases.

In her private professional life she had been a partner at a firm as well as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes.

She has come to the Court with more experience than the Chief Justice and most of the rest of the Court members which is probably why the Republicans fought her rise.

The Stasi File on Michael Jackson

From Denny: Time magazine has this new feature where you can blog a link to their story over to your blog. Trying it out to see how we like it! Apparently, the East Germans were keeping tabs and a dossier on singer Michael Jackson. Talk about paranoid but typical for Eastern block countries and their intelligence networks.

The Stasi File on Michael Jackson

Breaking News: Bill Clinton Retrieves 2 U.S. Jailed Journalists From North Korea

Just 15 minutes ago updated - Bill Clinton arrives on U.S. soil with jailed journalists



President Bill Clinton in official photo with North Korea's ailing leader

Over at Dennys Global Politics today and 3 Videos included -

Breaking News: Bill Clinton Retrieves 2 U.S. Jailed Journalists From North Korea

Funny Video: William Shatner Recites Gov. Sarah Palin's Goodbye Speech as Poetry

English: William Shatner photographed by Jerry Avenaim (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From Denny: How many of you watched Governor Sarah Palin's goodbye speech and afterward were left scatching your head, "What did she say? What was the point?" To say her speech was rambling in a sing-song nonsense delivery is an understatement. I was beginning to wonder if she was suffering from a nervous breakdown. Surely no one would actually talk like this on national TV intentionally...?

Well, Conan O'Brien had an interesting take on her speech. Using her EXACT words in the same order Conan brought on actor William Shatner to recite her speech as a poem. Take a look.

Link to Video: Hillary Clintons Cutting Edge Digital Diplomacy

Image by US Army Korea - IMCOM via Flickr

From Denny: In my ongoing effort to keep from cluttering up The Social Poets, after all, this is my third post today... here's a link over at Dennys Global Politics blog to what Hillary is doing that is quite popular now globally! It is so refreshing to have people in government who are actually serious about carrying out government in a way to connect with the people they serve...

Video: Hillary Clinton's Cutting Edge Digital Diplomacy, go here.

Thanks for visiting! Just got back from my out of town sales calls today and am back at the keyboard posting... :) Happy Monday!

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  And a special thanks to those of you supporting this effort!  You rock!

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*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Obamas Aides Cautious Over Economy

From Denny: Meet The Press was interesting this Sunday. This video gives a snippet of what was discussed. In the end, only about 10% of the stimulus money has been spent because it takes so long to get going on a big project.

Considering the inherited mess from the Republicans who don't believe in government, a slowing down of the rushing freight train metaphor for our chaotic economy is a good sign. We still need to keep up the pressure on the brakes. So far the Republicans have yet to offer much in the way of substance in place of crankiness. Somehow, their credibility on good decisions does not carry any weight in this country. "Ya think?" :)

National Economic Council Director Larry Summers talks with David Gregory of NBC's Meet The Press about the state of the beleagured U.S. economy.

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -   - see what's new!  (yes, my new charity - why stand on the sidelines when you can actively do something about a problem?)

 Subscribe in a reader to A Truth Journal

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Trial Charges Against Iranian Moderates Are Flimsy

Image by Yabe, Marcus via Flickr

From Denny: I'm starting to move the majority of my political writing - and many links to news stories around the world - to my new blog, Dennys Global Politics. Also developing a links companion to it called Dennys Global Politics Fav Links.

I'm starting to clutter up The Social Poets too much again and so developed a political blog to handle the overload. It seems there is so much going on globally that I thought a week's summary of important stories was warranted. Too often we get our news in such small daily bites that we forget the background or details of what happened days before the recent news and lose the continuity.

Dennys Global Politics blog is not straight news but news offered with the slant of a common sense opinion. Too many political agendas out there in news land and they have forgotten the main stream middle class approach and needs. I guess you could say I choose to write for the majority of people and not the news networks owned by big business who keep twisting the truth or stirring up controversy just to sell their brand of news.

If you find some news stories of interest to you and links to news sites you like and want me to include - feel free to leave them at The Social Poets or over on Dennys Global Politics comment section, even email me if you like.

For this short story just click on this title link or go here.

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  And a special thanks to those of you supporting this effort!  You rock!

 Subscribe in a reader to A Truth Journal

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Politics, Society and Culture, Iran, Politics of Iran, United States, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Political blog, Common sense, Weblogs, Middle class, Directories, Dennys Global Politics, The Social Poets

Busy Week in World Politics Challenging Governments

Image via Wikipedia

Update, 9 AM: I come back a few hours after writing this post at 4 AM and what do I find for an ad by Google? Condoms by Trojan! Apologies to anyone who may be offended.

Actually, it made me laugh as it was a precursor to the "Richard Craniums" running the Iranian regime in the news story below. Gee, if I had known that Google would oblige me with a flashing ad I wouldn't have bothered to look around for a photo to include on the post! :) Richard Craniums? Polite, amusing term for the obvious... a girl has to keep her General Audiences rating.

From Denny: There has been a lot of political unrest around the globe this week, focused in the Middle East and Asia. Here are the latest developments.