Ted Stevens' Farewell Speech: "God Bless Alaska And Our Governor" (VIDEO)

The recently-convicted, recently-ousted Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska gave his farewell address to the Senate this morning. The 85-year-old was the longest serving Republican senator and has been in politics so long that he actually lobbied for Alaska's statehood. Stevens told the Senate that he doesn't "have any rearview mirror" and hopes soon to escape the "cloud" of his corruption conviction.

WATCH:

Comments

[HoodRetreat]

Witness the continuing decline of America as patrician Senators applaud another of their brethren retreat in disgrace.

[JonW]

Bye Bye ,Teddie. Enjoy the slammer!!

[veteran1964]

Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, hey hey hey.........................GOODBYE!

[Jason G]

He earned every Alaskan thousands of dollars a year, perhaps the most successful senator of all time. 40 years of service and all people care about is $150,000 of home renovations? You guys have got to put things into perspective.

[Pearlswan]

If he is so successful then why does he say he doesn't have a rear view mirror? Sounds like a guy who won't look back because he was blinded by corruption all along the highway to nowhere. Yeah, he got Alaskans paid but at the expense of the inner cities in the lower 48 perhaps? He took money for Alaska that could have been spent on education and infrastructure projects elsewhere. Ask not what the federal government can do for Alaska, ask what Alaska can do for the federal government its present Governor so despises yet tried to infiltrate as VP. Evidently, Alaska is loaded with cash resources but sparse on ethics.

[roshni]

What's a little theft if you can dole out money to people........

[veteran1964]

It's called violating THE LAW...Your Republicans have always preached to us.....THE LAW IS THE LAW.....And, THE RULE OF LAW.....So, Be it said...He violated their law........................................................So, it isn't us, it's what we have been preached at for so damn many years by the Republican Party...Remember Clinton's impeachment? THE RULE OF LAW.....

[politisophical]

i kinda agree... i wish my senators got more money for California..

people forget that one of the most important responsibilities of any representatives is to acquire state and federal funds for projects

[SatanicPanic]

Yeah, sounds great. So socialism and wealth redistribution is OK for Alaska, right?

[helgathewitch]

The best thing about all of this is that he lost and now we don't have to worry about Miss Moose Burger becoming the next Senator. Nothing else really matters. I'll stand up and applaud if it means saying goodbye to both of them!

[roshni]

Absolutely disgraceful reaction to a convicted felon. maybe he has blakmail material on them.

[neuron]

Great, now there's an opening in the Crooks and Liars Club...

[Pearlswan]

"To hell with politics?" No, to hell with Stevens. Good bye and good riddens. He ought to have a rear view mirror because all of his achievements are behind him. Look to the future? That's a short view considering he's 82 years old. Without the Senate job to funnel federal money to Alaska what accomplishments will his future hold? I think he got a standing ovation as the senators thought, "there for the grace of god go I." Better clean up your acts senators. Or, you could be next. Start working for the American people instead of the multinational corporations that employ only 3% of the American population. We need jobs that pay us a living wage so we won't need credit cards to give ourselves the pay raises we deserve and then pass the repayment onto future generations in the form of corporate bailouts.

[thurmdogg]

you beat me to it.. i agree with your post!

[whatthel]

Standing ovation for a convicted felon? Nice message!

[roshni]

Isn't it? Honor among thieves?

[oandjoe08]

so long!!

[darthdarcy]

" I'm not such a big crook, look at Dick Cheney he's getting off easy one little indictment in Texas why me..7 counts..?"

[woodcut]

I almost expected him to break into song = DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA !!

[Tom Payned]

Politicians hold select committees on how sports stars need to set a good example for the youth of America. To really emphasis this, they held open meetings dragging athletes who hadn't been convicted of anything, to testify on TV. All the while decrying the moral decay of our youth.

I all have to say is they don't need to look outside of their own house to see why there is such moral decay. Stevens is a convicted Felon, yet there is the "august" body politics, 100 select and powerful leaders of our nation, giving this man a standing ovation.

Mark Foley is allowed to resign, the congressman in MS convicted of soliciting a prostitute, he becomes a Senator, and the Senate says they don't need to take any action because he wasn't a senator when it happened. Larry Craig, admits to a crime, no action.

Gee, I wonder why kids who aren't even into sports are cynical. I wonder why the electorate are fed up.

Great show of the rule of law,. What a joke

[rollingdivision]

Dopey Republicans should have forced him out once he was indicted. Glad to see him go. But not glad to move closer to one party rule.

[MizFlagPin]

"move closer to one party rule?"

We've suffered under one party rule (including the last 2 years filled with filibusters) since 2000.

[rollingdivision]

You are sadly uninformed, Democrats have controlled congress since 2006, the past two years.

[Internaut]

I have no interest in hearing the speech of a convicted felon. Anything he says is perjury.

[faith]

I am truly saddened that the Senate provided Stevens with a standing ovation. It is so inappropriate to applaud a man that literally took millions of dollars for a boondoggle in his home state - funds that could have provided extended layoff benefit payments to now unemployed workers. Harry Reid: this action does not bode well for the Senate's integrity.

[rollingdivision]

The senate won't lose one bit of it's integrity, it's not possible.

[MovingtoNorway]

Agree. Would not ostracism be more appropriate? What are they applauding him for???
What is wrong with these people??

[kurtm]

maybe it was for giving the people what they want.... his departure?

[Tom Payned]

Stevens and Lieberman. The great shame of post election 2008.

With Bush using 1984 as a how to manual, what a surprise the Senate chose Animal Farm. George Orwell's family must be making a killing.

Way to go Senate. Drive those negatives further down.