The GOP Wants to Define Ted Kennedy's Funeral

There is nothing improper about speaking of the need for universal health care coverage at Ted Kennedy's funeral.

And yet the Republican Party will insist that there is.

It's a shame that our political exchange has come to this, but the GOP is preparing to pigeonhole any reference to health care at the Senator's upcoming funeral as playing politics.... That's right: they're going to play politics with a funeral by accusing others of playing politics with a funeral.

It's similar to the McCain campaign accusing Obama of playing the race card over an innocent comment about not looking like other presidents. Rick Davis' surprise tirade against "[playing] the race card" tried to heighten the issue of race in the 2008 campaign -- also known as 'playing the race card.'

The Republicans' exploitation of Kennedy's funeral is already underway.

Let's give Orrin Hatch and John McCain the benefit of the doubt and assume that their comments from this past weekend -- suggesting that Kennedy would disapprove of the way Senate Democrats are handling health care reform negotiations -- was a partisan attempt at flattering their beloved colleague. (Very much to the contrary of what Hatch and McCain said, Chris Dodd had been keeping Kennedy up to date on the markup.)

Nevertheless, early Wednesday morning, conservatives were already crying 'Wellstone!' You'll remember that Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash just as his 2002 reelection campaign was winding down. Conservatives insisted that a memorial service for him was in bad taste -- that it was more of a campaign rally for his replacement, Walter Mondale.

"A Wellstone Memorial on steroids?" Glenn Reynolds sleazily suggested of Democrats mourning Kennedy, adding, "And how did that work out?" As Ben Smith noted, the Wellstone meme is picking up steam in the conservative blogosphere. In no time at all, cable news and mainline political pundits will be tut-tutting the supporters of universal health care for exploiting Ted Kennedy.

This is a stick-up, plain and simple. It's mugging the cause of health care reform of its greatest champion. We've seen it before -- in the same family, no less. How many times have you heard a Republican assailing "big government" trot out the old talking point that JFK was actually a supply-sider?

In the last few weeks, Republican activists have shown that by bullying, by shouting and ranting and carrying on, they can change the subject. Don't let them do it. Not this time.

If someone says that it is inappropriate to speak of Ted Kennedy when advocating for real health care reform, that person ought to be told, 'You must not know much about Ted Kennedy, because affordable universal health care was the cause of his life.'

Follow John R. Bohrer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JRBwrites

Comments

[OhComeOnNow]

It is a sorry thing to do, but I expect the GOPers to politicize EVERYTHING - and unfortunately this is not exempt. They've lost their sense of diginity.

[SethBLiNK]

A funeral is at best a celebration of a life. The people who loved Ted Kennedy and the ones he loved should celebrate his life any way they see fit. If others seek to demean the celebration, ignore them. Let them rant and rave and be silly all they want. They won't convince anybody who wasn't already on their side. Just say goodbye the way you want to and don't let anybody's judgements bother you.

[SpaceCadet]

When Ted Kennedy gave a eulogy for his brother Bobby, he cited all of the political causes he had championed as a Senator and presidential candidate: civil rights, ending poverty, and stopping war. I don't recall reading that the Republicans back then in the '60s attacked Ted for "politicizing" his brother's death. I guess the Republicans were a different party then than they are today; they didn't have the gall that their modern counterparts have.

[mattbass83]

Back then the republican party had leaders like Barry Goldwater who were gentlemen, Nixon, Cheney and Rove changed all of that. Oh and through in Tom DeLay and Newt Gingrich for good meadure

[WinterParkMom]

Chris Matthews had a perfect opportunity to turn this argument around on the gop last night when he had Nancy Reagan on. He blew it! He merely asked her what she thought about health care reform. She said she hoped something would be passed.

He should have asked her, what do you think about the reform debate where the gop is arguing that insurance companies should, in effect be allowed to continue to make massive profits while people who get sick are being dropped by them. For instance people with Alzheimers needing long term care are being dropped because it is eating into the profit margin. THAT would have been the question to ask, and if she feels half as passionate about that as she did about the stem cell research, the dems would have the perfect poster child to argue their side!

That dum @$ $

[timewaster2dcore]

WinterParkMom is obviously very p.iss.ed at Matthews. Yes, that would have been a perfect opportunity to give the GOP a smack-down. Not all people realize that there are perfect times of execution for certain things. However, another Dem could still invite her before all the Ted Kennedy's stuff die down and ask Mama Reagan what she thinks about the for-profit health care system and the likes.

[creolechild]

If you are concerned about receiving "real" health care reform in this country, please take the time to watch a video on our current system. The video was created by Oregon physicians who are advocating for the single-payer option. The video is very informative and helped me to gain a better understanding of various aspect of health care, as we know now it.

https://www.madashelldoctorstour.com/Mad_as_Hell_Video.html

These Oregon physicians are in the process of organizing a caravan designed to inform the public about the benefits of the single-payer option. At last count they will be stopping in approximately 23 states, on their way to demonstrate in Washington. They need volunteers and our support. Please spread the word.

[bowthai]

Thanks for this link!

[mikefina]

It seems absolutely appropriate to include the Senators' Health Care wishes in the rememberences, the eulogy or any other part of the ceremonies.

It would be a terrible shame if the procedings degenerated into the hackneyed farce that was the Sen. Wellstone event.

Senator Kennedy, his family and the Commonwealth deserve some dignity, finally.

[mltaylor13pt1]

Obstruct, obfuscate, and oppose. That's who they are and that's what they do. Why is anyone surprised?

[mattbass83]

Two words, Karl Rove. He wrote the current GOP playbook.

[CarmanK]

What the repugs don't want is their shame exposed on the health care reform issue as well as their disgraceful Party of No obstructionism that has been their goal and their mantra since the election. I was inspired by the tributes to Teddy Kennedy last night. It was a reminder and motivation to get thei work of Ted's life done. I have been saying: I am very sad that Kennedy has passed, but I am mad that the Democrats didn't act in time for him to see his life's work completed with health care reform. T. Kennedy was a politician and a dedicated public servant. He worked to inspire and to motivate. He never gave up and I think the greatest tribute to him is for us as a nation to complete the circle of achieving "economic justice" and fairness in our democracy. Let's tell Teddy's story and health care reform will surface time and again as necessary and right for the nation.

[BlackJAC]

Considering how the gops still use 9/11 for their political advantage, why is this a surprise?

[Rescisco]

"...the GOP is preparing to pigeonhole any reference to health care at the Senator's upcoming funeral as playing politics."

And think how much more effective it might be if the Republicans used the occasion to spell out their thoughtful alternative to Democratic plans and indicate a willingness to get together and reach some sort of compromise etc. Well, when your position is "no" and every other word out of your mouth is "government takeover" and "death panel" you have sort of tipped your hand and lost any credibility etc. So let them bitch. It will finish an already ugly protrait with a perfect flourish.

[PlanetKansas]

Obama is going to do the eulogy and that would be the time to make it soaring, political and a real game changer while it is broadcast nationwide.

The masses respond to mythology and symbols better than facts, data or reasoning. I hope Obama exploits the drama and emotion to create something Ted would appreciate.

[skmbho]

There is no greater tribute than to speak of a person's legacy at the time of their passing. Would it be wrong to speak of ongoing peaceful activism at Ghandi's funeral or continued caring for the poor and unfortunate at Mother Theresa's funeral? Affordable heathcare for ALL Americans was the one goal of Senator Kennedy's career that he was unable to attain. There can be no greater honor given to him than for his collegues, friends and family to take on this cause and see it through. Any commentators who choose to make an ugly and negative partisan issue of this are demonstrating more about their character than that of their opposition (once again).

[Subterfuge]

I'm tired of defending good, normal, and rational behavior to constant fabricated lies, distortion, and propaganda.

We need to go on the assault. Everyone in the GOP should feel guilty for every single thing their party has tried to do both during Obama's presidency and well before it too.

GOP. Defend yourselves.

Conservatives should abandon the GOP and start from scratch on the platform that they know deep in their hearts they have lost sight of for far too long.

[SpaceCadet]

I generally don't speculate on what the deceased WOULD have wanted. But if Ted Kennedy would have wanted anything included in his eulogy, it would have been prominent tribute to his life-long commitment to universal health care and his achievements in getting us closer to it than we would be without his efforts. I'm sure he would have rated that much higher than: "he knew how to steer a sailboat really well."

[jsgaetano]

Remeber how the GOP went on a "walking corpse tour" for Reagan? That was like a month long, 100-some cities, right? I think Reagan had more tour dates than Van Halen.

Well, they had their chance. Teddy was OUR lion, and national health care was HIS passion.

By sidelining Health Care, the Republicans sideline Ted Kennedy.