NBC Exploits Kennedy to Push ObamaCare: 'National Sorrow Has Created Political Momentum Before'

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Proffering how “national sorrow has created political momentum before,” Wednesday's NBC Nightly News devoted a story to the hope of Democrats that Senator Ted Kennedy's passing will propel ObamaCare to victory. Noting how Kennedy was “passionate” about more government in health care, from Hyannis anchor Brian Williams proposed “ironically, the fact that he did not live long enough to see a possible overhaul of the system” raises the question: “Will this be the very thing that might break the log jam over getting it done? Or not?”

With “final Fight” as the on-screen heading, reporter Kelly O'Donnell asserted that “looking forward, the emotional impact of Kennedy's passing could become a factor now” as “Democrats are saying respect for Kennedy could change minds now.” Leading into a clip of President Lyndon Johnson using President John Kennedy's assassination to push for civil rights legislation, O'Donnell delivered the “national sorrow has created political momentum before” formulation, recalling:
Within months the Civil Rights Act passed with young Senator Kennedy's help. Today, a similar suggestion from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Ted Kennedy's dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration.” And outside groups were even more direct. The seniors lobby, AARP, wrote: “As Congress seems poised to act this fall, Senator Kennedy will no doubt be watching.” And the service workers union said: “Let us continue his cause. Let us take action this year to pass health care reform.”

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O'Donnell's piece aired in the second half hour of the special hour-long NBC Nightly News, a half hour Williams opened by describing Kennedy as “the final link really to Camelot” and ended by setting up a story:
We thought one way to look at his life might be the way some people looked at him today, the way filmmaker Frank Capra might have looked at life: What would it have been like without a Ted Kennedy?
Kevin Tibbles concluded with how “many say Ted Kennedy's passion was people and tonight they have lost a champion.”

From the Wednesday, August 26 NBC Nightly News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Now let's get into the political piece of all this. As you've heard the Democrats have sorely missed Ted Kennedy's voice, his leadership, in this health care debate this summer. It's an issue, as we just heard, the Senator was passionate about, passionate enough to bang a sailboat with his fist. And now, ironically, the fact that he did not live long enough to see a possible overhaul of the system. Will this be the very thing that might break the log jam over getting it done? Or not? NBC's Kelly O'Donnell is on Capitol Hill tonight with this part of the story. Kelly, good evening.

KELLY O'DONNELL: Good evening, Brian. In months of contentious debate over what to do about health care we've heard claims from both Democrats and Republicans that the tone and outcome might have been different had Senator Kennedy really been able to participate. That may be true or not. But looking forward, the emotional impact of Kennedy's passing could become a factor now.

TED KENNEDY: This is the cause of my life.

O'DONNELL: One year and one day ago, Edward Kennedy declared that Washington was ready to reform health care.

KENNEDY: And guarantee that every American north, south, east, and west, for all Americans as a matter of right and not a privilege.

O'DONNELL: The same fight he had waged for decades.

O'DONNELL: This year Kennedy's shadow has hung over the health care debate.

SENATOR CHRIS DODD IN HEARING: I talked with Senator Kennedy earlier this morning and he wishes he could be here.

O'DONNELL: But the government run insurance plan he wanted has stalled with no Republican support and the White House saying it is not essential to fix health care. But Democrats are saying, respect for Kennedy could change minds now.

STEVE McMAHON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: The ironic thing is that now that he's not there it might finally get done, it might be an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to come together.

O'DONNELL: National sorrow has created political momentum before.

PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON: No memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory than the earliest possible passage of the civil rights bill for which he fought so long.

O'DONNELL: Within months the Civil Rights Act passed with young Senator Kennedy's help. Today, a similar suggestion from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Ted Kennedy's dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration.” And outside groups were even more direct. The seniors lobby, AARP, wrote: “As Congress seems poised to act this fall, Senator Kennedy will no doubt be watching.” And the service workers union said: “Let us continue his cause. Let us take action this year to pass health care reform.” But Republicans, even close friends of Edward Kennedy, say admiration will not swing many votes.

SENATOR ORRIN HATCH: I don't think anybody should try to take advantage of the current situation, Teddy's death, to try and push something that really doesn't merit bipartisan support.

O'DONNELL: Some Democrats say the bill should ultimately be named for Edward Kennedy. And Brian there was another gesture here tonight. The Senator's desk on the Senate floor has been draped in black. There is a vase with white roses there along with the Robert Frost poem., the Road Not Taken. As you know that was also the desk used by John Kennedy when he was a Senator. Brian.

—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center


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Ted

Never let the death of a Kennedy go to waste.

It's Becoming Very Clear

It's becoming very clear that the MSM is trying to become the 4th branch of government.

 

"I support the President but not his policies" - Blonde

Not quite............  What

Not quite............  What they're really angling for is to be first in line when the government 'takes over' the media.  They're anxious to become another NPR - a government paid news agency that doesn't have to worry about turning a profit.  That way they can just sit, back, propagandize and help themselves to the taxpayers' money.

At some point

At some point someone is going to have to start paying attention to the Constitution again.

Where are the stinking Republicans?  Have they all just rolled over?

"I support the President but not his policies" - Blonde

Hopefully during this time

Hopefully during this time of exploiting this man's death, someone will ask publicly why Kennedy chose to receive care in our horrible system with its inferior care when he could have gotten treatment anywhere in the world?

Like Cuba. Or at least

Like Cuba. Or at least Canada.

NBC joins in using Kennedy's corpse as a puppet...

'created political momentum before'?  Yeah, it sure did.  The Wellstone Memorial.  The liberals and Demorats acted so stupid and explioted a death so shamelessly that the entire nation was revolted.

Just wait till the people see the media jamming their hands up the nether regions of Kennedy's dead body to use him as thier 'Communist Medicine' ventriloquist dummy....

They think we'll be impressed by their ghoulish behavior?

Hammertime!

I think you have hit the nail on the proverbial head!

Kennedy was hardly universally admired. In some he arouses passionate hatred for his politics, his behavior and his homicide.

Trying to mount his corpse as the figurehead of the ship of Obamacare isn't going to protect it from opposition cannonballs.

It will attract them like a magnet from a substantial portion of the electorate.

Qu'elle crap

Seriously.

I have an idea for a bill named after Ted.  The Full-Auto Air-Bag Law.  Mandatory for all vehicles within five miles of a six foot deep body of water.

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

J,

ROFL!

-Dave

Anyone want to bet?

I'll bet that Ted Kennedy's funeral makes Paul Wellstone's look calm, in comparison.  The Democrats so politicized Wellstone's funeral you could hardly recognize it for a political rally. I'm betting the Democrats will go out of their way to push Health Care, during the days up to the funeral and then afterwards too.

We knew they were going to do it, it was just a question of how fast and how much.  

Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.  

McCain

John McCain was on Hannity for a live interview and at least was re-assuring that Kennedy's death has done nothing to change his opposition to government health care takeover.  I was relieved because you gotta watch this guy.  He also said exploitation of his death for political causes angered him.  Good.  NOW, attention is turned to Orrin Hatch, who it was reported tonight has a painted portrait of Teddy in his Senate office, and wrote a song for him in the past.

I think this is just

wishful thinking on their parts. I knew they would try to hang this program around his corpse in a thinly disguisted effort to garner some sympathy. Hell, he;s dead as hell and doesn't change a thing, in fact the fact they think we are all as shallow as they are infuriates me even more. I don't care if they bronze his fat ass and put him in front of he Captiol building and make him a pigeon sanctuary I won't change my mind about him, his history or the health care bill.

There's momentum alright...

....for a MSM and Kennedy joint funeral.

Barker... Amen to

Barker...

Amen to that!

Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh

"PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON:

"PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON: No memorial oration or eulogy could more
eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory than the earliest possible
passage of the civil rights bill for which he fought so long."

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but did not Loser in Vain Johnson (Johnson as in stoopid socialist pr*ck) vehemently oppose the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

-Dave

RD-Ever notice that the

RD-Ever notice that the Liberals don't talk much about Johnson?

Hm.

One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.

RIP MJK

what more can i say.

              

                  Just because a murderer has died doesn't change my mind about anything.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Mary Jo

We never knew ye - but we believe you would have contributed more to this constitutional republic than all the Kennedys combined.  May God Bless you and your family in eternity. 

 

"...it must be known that we are at all times ready for war." G. Washington

Do it for Ted

Kill grandma and grandpa ... do it for Ted, he did it for Mary Jo.

Hey! Just shad-dup!

Today, a similar suggestion from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Ted Kennedy's dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration.”

Of course, this is the same Nancy Pelosi who promised supporters that when the Dems controlled the Congrsess, they'd terminate the Iraq War -- that was back in 2006.

O'Donnell:  "We thought one way to look at his life might be the way some people looked at him today, the way filmmaker Frank Capra might have looked at life: What would it have been like without a Ted Kennedy?


Well,  Mary Jo Kopechne would have lived longer.

As Congress seems poised to

As Congress seems poised to act this fall, Senator Kennedy will no doubt be watching.

Of course it would be hard to see with flames of fire surrounding him.

Sorry, that was cruel.  But the Kopechne family deserve justice.

National Sorrow

National sorrow, my a**.  Even my liberal family members in MA are already bored by all this sycophancy.  

Hard to see Congress with flames of fire surrounding him?  Naw, he'll be taking notes for Beelzebub--makin' a list, checkin' it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice...

 

Camouflage conservative in Baghdad-by-the-Bay

"Kennedy health care bill"

This is nonsense. If this bill passes the assult on personal liberty in it will be cause for civil war, the cap and tax bill too.

sud... ...don't forget

sud...

...don't forget Amnesty bill either.

Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh

You watch........

Zero, (King wee wee) is going to use the Kennedy death as the "Bloody shirt" to wave in front of everyone to bring on guilt to pass this monstrosity of a health bill......God Help us!!!!

Do YOU think Teddy's death will help Obamacare pass?

 Please vote in this poll.

 

 

I am the mob.

"National sorrow"

"National sorrow" Really?

There's "national sorrow."

I would guess there was more "national sorrow" over the death of Michael Jackson.

Of course, there's a lot of Inside the Beltway soorow, and government controlled media sorrow over Kennedy. 

These two entities are so detatched from reality that they think they speak for the whole of America.

Thanks Barack! You've done more to promote conservatism than any president since Ronald Reagan (PBUH).

Groucho Marx, as Captian

Groucho Marx, as Captian Geoffrey T. Spaulding, said "I've always had the idea that my retirement would be the greatest contribution to science the world has ever known."

I'm sorry for Kennedy's death, but his absence from the Senate and from the political scene is probably one of the best things that has happened politically in the last two or three years.

It would have been better if this absence would have happened in 1969 with a jail term and a lifetime ban from public service. A lot less damage would have been done...

Only the Democrats

I have never seen a group resort to so many tricks to advance their agenda. These people will do anything to avoid an actual explanation and defense of their ideas.

Sorry folks,

But I can't let that "national sorrow" thing get by without a comment. Nothing makes me more disgusted or angry than thinking that Ted Kennedy, serial liar, drunk, self serving (which only scratches the surface) politician and pathetic excuse for a man is being put on a pedestal now that he has passed and faces his maker in judgement ..Good luck on that Ted, it's a longer swim than you did at Chappaquidick.  Say Hi to Mary Jo for us. 

Don't let a good "wee weed up" moment go to waste.    

 

 Nobody says nothing better than Obama. 

                      

  No one I've met is

  No one I've met is suffering from 'national sorrow'. 

Well, MA, don't forget

Well, MA, don't forget that, to those who work there, inside the beltway IS the center of the universe!

They are the ones who are going to rise up and demand that this bill pass, in Kennedy's memory!  They are going to try to foist this monstrosity on us because Ted Kennedy died.

Let's wait and see if any town in America (I don't mean a union-sponsored rent-a mob) holds a real rally clamoring for this bill to pass in Kennedy's honor.  Let's see how many real Americans are willing to give up their choices and the best medical care in the world, for the sake of Uncle Teddy's memory!

 

Lenin Learnin'

Should we ship Kennedy's body off to Moscow and let them pickle him like Lenin? Just think, anytime Obama wants to institute communist reforms, all he would have to do is haul out the glass casket and , bang, instant approval in the memory of Teddy the swimmer. It might also work for the disgusting old Grand Klegal of the Ku Klux Klan, the "concience" of the Democrat Senate, Robert Byrd.  After all, the Klan must not be all that bad in the Democrats eyes if the Grand Kleigal is their "concience".  Disgusting.

Re the body

Perhaps they'll let Teddie lie in state in the Senate chambers, then the democratics can argue their abominable Obamacare bill over him, pounding on the casket occasionally to make a point. They can dump a bag of dry ice in every night to keep it cool.

You know they are considering it.

National sorrow? I am not in

National sorrow? I am not in mourning, are any of you? I am sure Kennedy's family is sad, but not an entire Nation. These folks are delusional

I think it's been low-key

I am glad others here are seeing it--but I think the Kennedy death has been pretty measured, certainly all the warts are being included. I don't see some big surge to "honor" him by passing this healthcare monstrosity (whatever it is or may be). Again, he would not have used it--he had money. 

Teddy's "Final Fight"...

...is not taking place in this world...

v

RIP MJK

"what would it have been like without Ted Kennedy?"

dry.