Posts Tagged ‘R.I.P’

R.I.P. Ted Kennedy (1932-2009)

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

tedkennedy-rip1

Yesterday Ted Kennedy died of a brain tumor at the age of 77. This is a great loss for this country. First to cover his early years. There is a lot of controversy there. His wild ways which back then were quite the norm. But of course he being a Kennedy. They always seemed to party a little harder than most.

The biggest mark on Ted Kennedy’s life would have to be the accident on July 18, 1969 when Ted Kennedy had left the scene of a fatal car crash on the small island of Chappaquiddick on Martha’s Vineyard, taking the life of 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne.

There are all sorts of talk about what actually happened that fateful night. But we will never know exactly what happened. Other than the tragic loss of life of Mary Jo Kopechne. Did Ted try and save her but was unable to or did he run off scared when he could have saved her. We will never know but it’s not fair to talk about his life without adding this major chapter. That helped shape one of the greatest senators that we have ever had.

I know a lot of people on the republican side didn’t like the man. But you should give your respects. Because unlike most people in Washington he truly tried to make a difference in the lives of people for the better. Sure he was not always on the mark. But his heart was there and I truly respected him even when I didn’t agree with him. He truly was a man of the people.

I was lucky enough to meet Ted on a couple of occasions and he was always a gentleman. This is a great loss for the people of this country. I hope you’re up in heaven throwing back a few beers with Jack and Bobby maybe playing a little football. Thank you for all your years of service Mr. Kennedy. You will be missed.

Source: http://kennedy.senate.gov

R.I.P. Tim Russert (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008)

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Tim Russert died today at the age of 58. They are saying that he had a heart attack. Very sad to see a man who was at the top of his game die like this. I’ve enjoyed watching him for years and he always knew just the right questions to ask and when to ask them. It’s the biggest loss to politics and journalism in a long, long time. He was truly in a league by himself. You will be missed Mr. Russert thank you for all your years of great reporting.
Here is a video from msnbc reporting Mr. Russerts passing.

Here is a quote from John McCain on the passing of Tim Russert. Source (JohnMcCain.com)
“I am very saddened by Tim Russert’s sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his generation. He was truly a great American who loved his family, his friends, his Buffalo Bills, and everything about politics and America. He was just a terrific guy. I was proud to call him a friend, and in the coming days, we will pay tribute to a life whose contributions to us all will long endure.”

Here is Barack Obamas statement (Source) BarackObama.com
I’ve known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He’s somebody who, over time, I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasn’t a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew. Somebody who cared about America, cared about the issues, cared about family. I am grief-stricken with the loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. And I hope that, even though Tim is irreplaceable, that the standard that he set in his professional life and his family life are standards that we all carry with us in our own lives.