Kennedy Biographer Refutes Matthews Claim Obama's 'The Last Brother'

Kennedy Biographer Refutes Matthews Claim Obama's 'The Last Brother'

By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
August 29, 2009 - 15:24 ET

Kennedy biographer Ed Klein on Wednesday refuted the absurd claim made earlier in the morning by MSNBC's Chris Matthews that with Teddy's passing "Barack [Obama] is now the last brother."

In fact, when WOR radio's Steve Malzberg addressed what Matthews said on the "Today" show, Klein responded, "Makes me want to puke."

Contrary to media depictions of a strong relationship between the two, Klein claimed Obama and Kennedy "weren't that close...[A] lot of the backing for Obama was Kennedy's paying the Clintons back for stealing the Democratic Party and bringing it to the center rather than to the left" (audio available here, relevant section at 5:45):

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STEVE MALZBERG: This relationship between Obama and Ted Kennedy led Chris Matthews, wacko of all wackos in my view, to say that he's now the next, he's the last brother. Obama's the last brother.
ED KLEIN: Yeah, I, I heard that. Yeah.
MALZBERG: What do you think of that? What was their relationship, and what do you think of that description of it?
KLEIN: Makes me want to puke. To tell you the truth.
MALZBERG: Why, why, why?
KLEIN: Because it's so patently untrue, number one. And number two, they weren't, they weren't that close. They, there was a political meeting of the minds, but a lot of the backing for Obama was Kennedy's paying the Clintons back for stealing the Democratic Party and bringing it to the center rather than to the left.
MALZBERG: So you're saying this is fiction basically the close kinship between Teddy and Barack Obama?
KLEIN: Listen, I think Barack Obama's very grateful, very grateful for what Ted Kennedy did. I mean, after all, it certainly helped. But I don't think they ever had a very close relationship. They had a political relationship which Teddy said, "Look, I'll back you but you better make healthcare your first priority when you become president." That was the deal.

On a related note, readers are encouraged to rewind to minute 3:10 when Klein also refuted the claim that Kennedy sent a letter to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick last month asking for the state's succession law to be changed.

In Klein's view: "He may not even have known about it...He's been very, very sick for a very long time. I don't know if he was ever well enough to actually compose such a letter for a period of time it would have taken him to do it...I think maybe if he had a lucid moment he may have looked at the letter."

Fascinating.

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.

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Makes me want to puke. To

August 29, 2009 - 15:32 ET by bretzysdude

Makes me want to puke. To tell you the truth.

Apparently, Klein got a diferent kind of tingle.

Yes

August 29, 2009 - 15:36 ET by StarAZ

The I have to puke tingle. Me, too.

Me too

August 29, 2009 - 18:48 ET by needle

I have had that kind of tingle in the back of my throat too when I feel I have to puke.

It’s nauseating.

- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.

That's how it unfolds in

August 29, 2009 - 17:24 ET by motherbelt

That's how it unfolds in Chrissie's mind. That's his fantasy, and he's not giving it up. He was bitterly disappointed when the Princess of Camelot didn't come back into politics and reclaim the Robert Kennedy seat in New York. So he's created this new fantasy that Obama is really a Kennedy in heart and spirit, because now that Teddy's gone, he needs to keep the Kennedy spirit alive somehow.

I guess those years at Holy Cross really changed Chrissie's life...set him on the road to Camelot, and he's never turned back.

See!

August 29, 2009 - 15:54 ET by doug1950

Even liberals think Matthews is a simpering, drooling, fawning jackass.

Senator Byrd.

August 29, 2009 - 15:58 ET by Texndoc

This exact quote could also apply to the "letter Senator Byrd wrote" when it was stated he "wanted the health-care reform act named after Kennedy":

" "He may not even have known about it...He's been very, very sick for a very long time. I don't know if he was ever well enough to actually compose such a letter for a period of time it would have taken him to do it...I think maybe if he had a lucid moment he may have looked at the letter." "

Shouldn't a Senator be mandatorily retired, say, after age 90 when it's painfully obvious his staffers treat them as ventriloquist dummies sitting on their knee?

→ Guess not Tex

August 29, 2009 - 16:02 ET by Cool Arrow

Byrd is one of the biggest pranks ever played on black folks.

Dems have been laughing about that joke for years.

We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy

Dee de de!

August 30, 2009 - 06:21 ET by Rukus

Here's your sign!

I have many friends who are waking up to the liberal way. They are pissed! Barry has finally opened their eyes and they don't like what they are see'in! I love 'em! Oh, and to our lefty friends here on NB, yes, I do have LOTS of black, hispanic, asian, friends where I work and live...DEAL with it!!!

Gary

A liberal's generosity is limited only by your income.

Yeah. Poor old Bobby Byrd.

August 29, 2009 - 18:46 ET by QueenMum

Yeah. Poor old Bobby Byrd. But as someone who's married to a West Virginia native, I can tell you that they don't give up anything easily. I wouldn't be surprised if Sen. Byrd just plain refuses to retire as long as there's breath in his body.

"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out
of other people's money."

—Margaret Thatcher

In Klein's view: "He may

August 29, 2009 - 16:17 ET by ThisnThat

In Klein's view: "He may not even have known about it...

Well, somebody knew about it. Someone wrote it. Who? And why? Who would write something, attach Kennedy's name to it, and submit it?

To dims, it's all about power. To the elitists, it's all about privlege.

___________________________________

"Tax the rich" is a basically unstable way of governing - The NYT

" Well, somebody knew about

August 29, 2009 - 16:28 ET by Tugboat Phil

" Well, somebody knew about it. Someone wrote it. Who? And why? Who would
write something, attach Kennedy's name to it, and submit it?"

The widow Kennedy? To keep it in the family?

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that people aren't actually plotting behind your back.

It certainly wouldn't be

August 29, 2009 - 16:43 ET by motherbelt

It certainly wouldn't be the first time a family member took advantage of an ill and sedated relative to do something in his/her name.

I agree with Klein's view...he was probably sedated most of the time, and most likely in and out of that sedated state to talk for a few minutes; but I doubt he had it in him to compose the letter. I also doubt that, even political animal that he was, Ted Kennedy's foremost thoughts as his death approached were of "proper" representation of the people of Massachusetts.

mb... Totally agree with

August 29, 2009 - 16:58 ET by bigtimer

mb...

Totally agree with your summation about the condidtion he had to have been in....when I heard all of this sort of stuff coming out before he died, I knew it was pure BS.

...but what the heck, it's the leftist spin...we're all supposed to smile and swallow it.

Yeah right...and the moon is made of cheese.

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

“Representation” Massachusetts style.

August 29, 2009 - 19:15 ET by needle

"I also doubt that, even political animal that he was, Ted Kennedy's foremost thoughts as his death approached were of "proper" representation of the people of Massachusetts."

As a long suffering citizen of MA I cannot say when, if ever, "proper" representation of the people of Massachusetts was among Ted Kennedy's foremost thoughts.

Consider this: Massachusetts Congressionwoman Niki Tsongas held a crowded "Town Meeting" in Chelmsford, MA, on 8 August, and was discomforted to find those in attendance were split about 20:80 Liberal:Conservative. Though things did not get out of hand (as has been reported at other townhalls around the country), she was frequently booed for her obfuscations, evasions, half truths, and overt lies. At one point in response to one questioner, she made it clear that those opposed to her support of Obamacare were wasting their time talking to her, since she had no intention of changing her mind an iota.

Now that is “representation” Massachusetts style.

- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.

I've always heard that

August 29, 2009 - 19:36 ET by Rowane

I've always heard that people get the representation they deserve. seems this applies more to Massachusetts voters than most.

needle... ...and it

August 29, 2009 - 19:50 ET by bigtimer

needle...

...and it doesn't appear as it is going to change anytime soon either....

Look what the legislators are doing now to change a law back from the law back to the one that was before that law. (follow that ;-)

...Ahhh....nothing like the leftists...they are be all end all...

Unless we do something about it.

...'10 here we come!

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

the last brother."

August 29, 2009 - 16:27 ET by Gbear

Since Ol' Joe Kennedy hung out in Hot Springs during the 40's, I would like to see a DNA test between a Kennedy brother and Slick Willy.

How far will Chrisy Boy go?

August 29, 2009 - 16:31 ET by goldenthroat

"This relationship between Obama and Ted Kennedy led Chris Matthews, wacko of all wackos in my view, to say that he's now the next, he's the last brother."

Ya gotta love it! Someone who has the intestinal fortitude to call CM what he really is - "wacko of all wackos". What won't Matthews do to try to put more of his uninformed, biased, convuluted spin on untruth? Yet his left-coast, bleeding-heart, "do as we say, not as we do" liberal MSNBC network turns a blind eye to this nitwit's incessant blathering and calls it "journalism".

Is it any wonder his ratings are hopelessly mired in the sub-basement of cable news programs?

"Makes me want to puke" - must be a rush on bromo right about now. Maybe someone can find a BOGO deal on it - we're all going to need it.

Remember those philosophical words of George Costanza: "Remember, Jerry, it's not a lie - if you believe it!"

"Who am us, anyway?" - Firesign Theatre

I'm interested about this

August 29, 2009 - 16:45 ET by BKeyser

I'm interested about this "letter" deal. It seems to me this revelation (the letter itself) came out before Teddy's demise. Does that mean that Teddy didn't write it? Or, does it not exist? And if it does exist, and Teddy didn't write it, who did, and how would have Teddy felt about it?

Good point.

August 29, 2009 - 19:25 ET by needle

This letter caused quite a stir. How much does anyone want to bet that some journalist will look carefully into its provenance?

- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.

Klein spoke the

August 29, 2009 - 16:53 ET by bigtimer

Klein spoke the truth...something that hurts the leftists ears!

It's more than painful....they will attack, attack, attack once again...it's the only way they know.

We'd better stand and defend people speaking out with the truth, instead of looking the other way, in fear of PCness 24/7.

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

Contrary to media

August 29, 2009 - 17:04 ET by Mr. Mike

That says it all.

"They, there was a

August 29, 2009 - 17:19 ET by R D Helm

"They, there was a political meeting of the minds, but a lot of the
backing for Obama was Kennedy's paying the Clintons back for stealing
the Democratic Party and [bringing it to the center] rather than to the
left."

Now THAT's funny.

-Dave

Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz

Dave... As to your

August 29, 2009 - 17:32 ET by bigtimer

Dave...

As to your point...it's a laugh riot when you take a second and digest that.

...funny heck...it's hysterically hilarious!

Just another way to dumb people down.

...and I suppose the O/Soros administration is just a 'tad' to the left of the center.

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

bt,

August 29, 2009 - 17:47 ET by R D Helm

It doesn't surprise me that Joe thinks Clinton was a centrist. After all, he thinks Bush was a far-right extremist. Not even close.

People don't realize that Clinton would have done many of the same things that Obama is doing now, but after the HillaryCare fiasco (which, just like ObamaCare, was government-controlled health care) he lost control of congress and was essentially a lame duck for the next six years.

I hope history is going to repeat itself.

-Dave

Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz

RD

August 29, 2009 - 17:48 ET by FeynmanFan

In addition to the HillaryCare problem, he also had that little issue with lying under oath and getting impeached. That'll tend to slow down just about anybody...

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

Hey Dave... You and me

August 29, 2009 - 18:00 ET by bigtimer

Hey Dave...

You and me both brother...you and me both.

I'm not going to predict anymore, being an optimist and all that jazz...you were right during the last midterms I think is was, it broke my heart, I thought we would at least maintain one of the chambers...oh so much BS has happened since...who knows Dave, but the American people are waking up the likes of which I've never seen in 54 years...so once again, I know I've repeated myself with this...but hope springs eternal.

I HOPE ;-)

FF...

Hear...hear!

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

"I hope history is going to repeat itself."

August 29, 2009 - 19:31 ET by needle

History had better repeat itself, or America is history.

- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.

History repeating itself

August 29, 2009 - 19:40 ET by Free Stinker

8 Years of Liberal (JFK/LBJ)
8 Years of RINO (Nixon/Ford)
4 Years of FAILURE (Carter)
8 BLESSED YEARS OF REAGAN

Are we now seeing a repeat?

8 Years of Liberal (Clinton)
8 Years of RINO (Bush 43)
4 Years of FAILURE (Obama)
8 BLESSED YEARS OF PALIN ??

That looks correct

August 30, 2009 - 00:33 ET by david999

I am hoping tho for an impeachment of obama to move things along quicker.

Correct, except...

August 30, 2009 - 14:31 ET by StogieGuy

It won't be Palin. I love her, but she's not nearly ready to be president. Sorry, but if she runs it will result in a blown opportunity to get rid of the socialist bamster.

No, it will need to be another conservative. Probably someone we haven't even thought of yet.

Chris Matthews....remember

August 29, 2009 - 21:15 ET by marpel

Chris Matthews....remember when Bill Clinton had made his first public appearance after his heart surgery...Chris squealed, "IT'S LIKE LAAAAZARUS RISING FROM THE DEAD!!" Shut UP! He really just needs to shut UP!!!