The whole St. Ted issue has started to get under my skin. "Lion of Senate." Oh absolutely. Has contributed more to the life and welfare of our nation than anyone might have predicted in 1962, or 1969, or even 1980. Without question. In a lawless society, Roger Mudd would have disappeared without a trace.
But his salad days are behind Senator Kennedy, along with his single malt scotch days and his recognizing the legions of fawning courtiers pressing around him without the slightest concern for his welfare days. It is horrifying that this great man is combating a malignant brain tumor and his struggle has been, and I offer this without a trace of irony, a profile in courage. But he has been incapacitated. He is no longer able to serve the interests of the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When commentators speak of a 60 seat Democratic majority in the Senate, who doesn't think "59-1/2"? At best. Perhaps the United States Senate is not the place to test the outer reaches of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The oath of office taken by members of the United States Senate includes the phrase: "I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter." Is there anyone? What's left of Senator Kennedy? Any of the hordes of sycophantic toadies (including those family members not named Caroline or Victoria) who sully his sickroom? Who may seriously claim that Senator Kennedy has the capacity to "well and faithfully discharge" a walk around his room, never mind the duties of a United States Senator?
The graceful thing for a man of honor to do as he enters his waning hours is to resign a Senate seat in which he is no longer capable of serving. It suggest an unfortunate narcissism to refuse to accept this reality. Yes, Senator Thurmond held on well past a vegetative state. And Senator Byrd is headed that way. And there have certainly been others. But Senator Kennedy, do you want your final legacy to be that you held on as long and as hard and to as unseemly a degree as Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yes, makes you wonder why we need senators at all if they can do their job when they're senile or have a brain tumor. And, if I might, you forgot the one from one the Dakotas--Johnson, I think--who's had a leaky brain since right after his election but still keeps his "job." Oh now, I'm getting started.... welcome to the blog world!
ReplyDeleteI don't think the terms "Ted Kennedy" and "narcissism" are mutually exclusive to the slightest degree.
ReplyDelete