Where Have You Gone, Ted Kennedy?

HBO has been running a new documentary about Ted Kennedy, and I kept wondering, as I watched it, where he's been lately. I know he has a brain tumor and all of that, so I'm not talking about the actual Ted Kennedy. Where is his modern equivalent?

The real Ted Kennedy's main cause has always been health care, and he's consistently made that clear throughout his long tenure in the Senate. In fact, health care was a big part of his platform when he tried to challenge the then-incumbent president, Jimmy Carter, in 1980. First of all, how crazy is it to think back and understand that he actually ran against the incumbent Democratic president, who should not have had to worry about his party's nomination? I can't think of anyone since who threatened to run against the president, although I might be too lazy to think of one. Since then, at least, I don't think anyone has seriously tried.

I've mentioned before that I fear that Obama might become as feckless and dilatory as Jimmy Carter with regard to domestic policy. Say what you will about Ted Kennedy, but at least he became a hugely influential senator and champion of numerous causes, health care being chief among them.

When he spoke at the DNC in 2008, to the surprise and delight of many Democrats, he reiterated his devotion to the cause of universal health care for Americans:

"This is the cause of my life, new hope, that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American, north, south, east, west, young, old, will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right."

I can't think of another legislator who could be so eloquent, let alone direct, about this issue. Who carries the torch now? Democrats have to placate moronic members of their own party (the Blue Dogs, obviously) and so have diluted the health care bill to such an extent that now even it limps. And I doubt it's covered.

So who has the balls to step up now? Waxman has already apologized for trying to be imposing. What about Kennedy's counterpart from Massachusetts, junior Senator John Kerry? I hope you're laughing, because if I start ranting about that bloodhound, I doubt you would even be able to chuckle after a few minutes. Who can Americans see now as a fierce advocate for health care in the Senate?

Ted Kennedy, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

R