I've been really impressed by what's been written about Kennedy here and at Malkin's blog. Way to put politics by the wayside for this post. It's good to see that even when this country is so divided, some people still recognize when families need our prayers. Guess it's the southern heritage.

In 1956 when my step father was a USN Commander, he woke up and looked in the mirror at two images of himself. The Navy sent him to Bethesda and they gave him an eye patch. A few months later, the problem went away.

In 1963 at a party at his brother-in-law's in Birmingham, he had a horrible headache. Beau was a very tough guy, Ga Tech football player and WWII SeaBee. One of the guests was a neurosurgeon who suspected the worst and, of course, he was right. The craniotomy at Bethesda took 8 hours and removed an egg sized tumor which was "benign."

In 1977 when I was stationed at Clark AB, Philippines, he had another tumor. It too was "benign." Before his operation, he told mother to put him in a VA hospital and go on with her life. He never really recovered. He could not speak. It was awful seeing a Magna Cum Laude Harvard MBA reduced to nodding his head and drooling on a bib. In 1983, he died in a VA hospital in West Virginia. We buried him at Arlington in a wonderful ceremony.

Ted Kennedy is where daddy was in 1977. It is difficult to describe the pain and suffering. Although we could not be more different politically, I hope he has a better life than Beau.

Arch

Juan:
That is because we on the right tend to feel the left is just wrong about things.
Many on the left think everybody who doesn't row to the drum beat they beat out is Evil and Must Be Done In.
I really don't like Teddy on so very many levels. . . but a Brain Tumor is so very unpleasant, I'd not like for him to suffer through it.

Now imagine MyDD, Kos, and the DU if this were any Republican other than Olympia Snow, or Lincoln Chaffe

Prayers are going up for Teddy.

JP -

Yeah, those on the right exhibit nothing but class, like this guy: http://ultra-conservative.blogspot.com/2008/05/ted-kenedy-has-brain.html

That took about 5 seconds to find.

Beware of gross generalizations -- on any side.

GENTLEmen.

While I am all for tearing each other to bits (anyone who's hung around here for more than a day or so should know that), there is a time and a place for it.

This is neither.

Kennedy is a vile man..the manor of his demise changes that not one bit.I will not gloat over his condition nor will I pretend to be sorry.

make that manner!

Indeed, it is proper for us all to offer prayers and what comfort we can to those who suffer and the same to those who love them. This has always been a clear dividing line between conservatives and the far left.

However, it's important to remember that we know beyond any doubt that Senator Kennedy is a traitor. Recall, if you will, that he actually wrote to the leadership of the Soviet Union during the cold war asking their aid in subverting US policy, policy formulated by a Republican administration of course. It would be hard to imagine, a clearer example of treason.

We should surely feel pity and sympathy here, but let's not enlarge him beyond what he is, nor praise unpraiseworthy conduct and character (notice how I've refrained from mentioning Mary Jo Kopechne, who remains unavailable for comment).

Perhaps, Mike, my reticence comes from the fact that I know what the Kennedy family is going through.

I have a cousin--who, by the way, is anything but a conservative in politics or lifestyle--who had a malignant brain tumor some years ago. Through a combination of medical science and--at least I believe--prayer, the tumor has shrunk to where it cannot be detected any more. But during the time when she was being treated, we all went through a sort of a living hell not knowing what was going to happen to her next; for those of us who work in the medical industry, it was worse, because we knew the risks and the chances for success.

My cousin's politics mattered not one whit to any of us; we all suffered right along with her. I'd not wish that kind of suffering on anyone, not even Osama's family.