August 26, 2009

Rally 'round the Kennedy

Let me start by offering condolenses to the Kennedy family. A loss of a family member is always a sorrowful event.

Democrats are looking to revive Obamacare KennedyCare around the memory and the greatest wish of Ted Kennedy.  It's awfully difficult to not look at it as opportunism.  It's awfully difficult to not to mention some of the less than stellar Ted Kennedy initiatives.  And it's awfully difficult to not think of Mary Jo Kopechne.

But before the end of the first day, there's a rally cry around Ted.
"You've heard of 'win one for the Gipper'? There is going to be an atmosphere of 'win one for Teddy,'" Ralph G. Neas, the CEO of the liberal National Coalition on Health Care, told ABC News.
Inappropriate. Opportunistic. Desperate.

If Democrats believe that all it takes to rally support for a bad idea is a death of a liberal stalwart, then no wonder they find themselves in the shape they are in with this health care debacle.  It won't change the minds of those with legitimate concerns.  And it won't rally the faithful who have been M.I.A. in this battle.  Youths don't care too much about health care.  Blue Dog Democrats don't care about Kennedy's legacy - they care about re-election.

While it might generate some temporary sympathy, it likely won't move any poll numbers.  Nor should it.  A death is a death.  Kennedy is not a martyr for the cause - to try to turn him into one is cheap, tawdry and disrespectful - even if it was Ted's wish, this is simply not respectable.

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