One thing stands for certain, how you feel about him and his legacy pretty much has a lot to do with which side of the aisle you stand on.

To many on the left, he was their lion, their champion, who fought tirelessly for what he believed in.  To many on the right, he was a callous killer and alcoholic who used his power and prestige to escape justice for himself and his family.

Maybe both are right.

I watched a documentary on the Kennedy dynasty not long ago, and I recall one aspect very vividly:  He was in a way portrayed as the runt of the litter, the hanger on who was in the shadows of his great brothers.  In a way, he was.  Joe was destined to greatness, but was heroically killed in WW2.  JFK was to be the great one, and was on his way as president, until an assassin ended his career.  Robert followed the same path as John, a little sooner.  Not to mention losing a sister to a plane crash, as well.

I have no love for Ted Kennedy, and frankly have a hard time feeling more then general sorrow at his passing.  

Yet, I have to remember that political convictions aside, he was still a person: a person with family, friends and beliefs. 

I don’t care who he was, how liberal he was or what past sins continue to haunt his memory.

He died a lousy death.  Brain tumors are not fun.  His family watched him decline and suffer, and suffered with him.  They deserve a little respect.

So I am forcing myself to stifle the monster inside and extend my sincere regrets to his family.

In this, maybe Sarah Palin summarized it best on her FaceBook page:

On the Passing of Senator Ted Kennedy:

I would like to extend our sympathies to the Kennedy family as we hear word about the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. He believed in our country and fought passionately for his convictions. -Sarah Palin and family

Short, sweet and classy.  Even Michelle Malkin, who bears him far more vitriol than I do, was subdued and respectful.

Breaking:

Per the NY post, Caroline Kennedy pulled her name out of consideration for the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton.

CAROLINE KENNEDY ENDS SENATE SEAT BID

Caroline Kennedy has told Gov. David Paterson that she is withdrawing her name from consideration to replace outgoing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate, The Post has learned.

Kennedy cited “personal reasons,” according to sources.

Her stunning move comes as sources revealed that Paterson had intended to appoint her to the now-vacant seat today.

The 51-year-old Camelot daughter’s decision removes the highest-profile name in the ring to step into Clinton’s seat, as she departs after getting confirmed as President Obama’s Secretary of State today.

The surprise decision leaves a crowded field of about 15 people, mostly elected officials, vying to replace Clinton - including Long Island Rep. Steve Israel, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, upstate Rep. Kirstin Gillibrand and Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

For the first time on Tuesday, shortly after Obama was inaugurated, Paterson acknowledged publicly that he is considering state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for the slot.

Just what we need:  Another Kennedy in Congress.

Next time you complain about the Bush dynasty…..

Sen Kennedy snarks aboutt he state of the Military, but Casey Reminds him of the cuts made by Dems in the 90s.

I guess he fogot that Clinton reduced the military by about 30%.

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Teddy had one too many.  Ignore the pictures and the photoshops in the video clip, they are the work of the person who posted it.  Just listen to the clip.  The money quote is with about 13 seconds left.

The liberals cannot stop living in Vietnam, so it’s no wonder no wonder they want us to lose this war the same way we lost Vietnam.  This is nostalgic and just like old times…The country would benefit from them learning to live in the present, not the past.

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I have to admit, I am somewhat impressed.  The guy has taken some fairly good steps in his road to recovery and has taken responsibility for his actions, something any addict has to do at one time or another.

While most of Congress might have delayed and avoided the costs (ala McKinney and Jefferson), he seems to have a desire to come clean.

Maybe there is some integrity in the Kennedy line after all.  His dad and cousin sure do not show signs of it.

But don’t get me started on those guys.

Would that more in Congress would do likewise.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy has reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of prescription drugs in connection for his middle-of-the-night car crash last month near the U.S. Capitol.

Two additional charges of reckless driving and failure to exhibit a driving permit will be dismissed under the plea agreement reached with prosecutors.

"As congressman Kennedy has said all along, he will take full responsibility for his actions and that is what he is doing today," Kennedy’s chief of staff, Sean Richardson, said Tuesday.

I am sure this comes as a disappointment to the unhinged sore losers, but it seems that Robert Kennedy Jr’s rousing expose is not being universally adored.  Apparently some pesky facts have gotten in the way of his stirring tale of fraud and disenfranchisemnt.

Sure, the New York Times has come on board with Bobby Jr, claiming that "the integrity of the election process needs to be more fiercely defended in the face of outrageous Republican assaults. Democrats, the media, and ordinary voters need to fight back."

He must have missed the story about Chad Staton who filled out phony voter registrations, at the request of a NAACP worker, who admitted to paying him crack to do so.

He also likely missed the cases where Democratic staffers slashed tires on the Republican staffers cars in Milwaukee.

Those who shriek "every vote counts" forget that Gore only requested a recount in the heaviest Democrat leaning counties initially, in Florida 2000.

They likely also didn’t hear about the ridiculous chicanery that surrounded the Governor’s election here in Washington.

Pat wants to be treated just like one of the poor folk. 

Treat me like I’m black, sez Teddy’s son

Fresh from rehab, Rep. Patrick Kennedy said yesterday he wants to be treated like an African-American from Washington if and when he gets charged for crashing his car on Capitol Hill.

Ok, start by blaming the cops for racial profiling you, like Rep Cynthia McKinney…. 

Denying that he was drunk and or that he asked the Capitol Police for preferential treatment, Kennedy, a Rhode Island congressman, said he’s prepared "in terms of bookings, in terms of mug shots, fingerprints, whatever they might have me do."

"It’s what anyone else would have done to them if they were an African-American in Anacostia," Kennedy said in a shaky voice, referring to the mostly minority neighborhood in southeastern Washington.

And what about the whites in Anacostia? 

Later, Kennedy fretted that "there are probably people who want to throw the book at me a little more to prove that they’re not treating me special."

Well since it does look like you got preferential treatment, duh!

If anyone needed a wakeup call, it woulf be the Kennedy’s who have lived so far out of touvh from the people they claim to serve, thoughit is my opinion that they secertly (and sometimes not so secretly) hold them in elitist contempt.

If nothing else, the Kennedy’s continue to be fodder for the pundits and comedians.

Plane Carrying Kennedy Hit by Lightning

plane carrying U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy from western Massachusetts to his home on the coast was struck by lightning Saturday and had to be diverted to New Haven, Conn., his spokeswoman said.

The eight-seat Cessna Citation 550 plane lost all electrical power, including communications, and the pilot had to fly the plane manually, according to spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner. No one was hurt.

The Democrat had just delivered the commencement address at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams and was on his way to his Cape Cod home when the plane was struck around 4 p.m., she said.

The jet landed safely at New Haven at 4:11 p.m., said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Murray. A report was filed with the agency, which will look into the incident, she said.