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Kennedy's Disgraceful Display
By Frank Salvato
January 23, 2004

Anyone who watched President Bush's 2004 State of the Union speech should have been outraged at the disgraceful display of indignance by Sen. Edward Kennedy, at least anyone who was actually listening to the content of the speech. One could very well envision a three-year old sitting in his place, fingers jammed directly in his ears and humming in defiance.

Several times during the speech the cameras panned to Kennedy, sitting defiantly pompous, shaking his head or seemingly laughing in disgust at what was being said. It happened when President Bush talked about the No Child Left Behind Act and then again when he spoke of the liberation of Iraq. While others on the left side of the aisle sat quietly, Charlie Rangel looking like he was asleep, Kennedy almost pandered to the cameras, his loathing of everything the President said abundantly evident. Such demeanor from someone who has risen to the position of senior senator is unacceptable.

Last year during the State of the Union speech, Hillary Clinton made the mistake of rolling her eyes at some of the things that were said. The camera caught this display of indignance and disrespect and it served to fuel her dissenter's opinions of her; that she is a manipulating narcissist incapable of working with others in order to get the job done. This year it looked as though she was quite aware of the cameras and was even spied shifting from a deadpan expression to a broad smile all in the time an eye can blink. Kennedy was devoid of enough couth to make an attempt at being that civil.

Actions like Kennedy's do nothing to quell the air of hatred enveloping the liberal-left, in fact, it fuels it. He disapproved of the President's mention of NCLB funding. Although a 36% increase in education funding since 2001 exists it is obvious Kennedy would have preferred more funding been approved. But just like the spoiled child he grew up as; he isn't satisfied with what is better now than before. It would seem Kennedy won't be happy until everything is just as he wants it...how typical of a liberal Democrat.

Kennedy continued his face rubbing and eye rolling when the President mentioned our efforts in Iraq. Once again, it would seem he'd have preferred the United States execute our activities there according to his liking, but then "permission" would have been needed from the UN, France, Germany and Russia, the latter three of which were in collusion with Saddam Hussein's illegitimate government and who openly opposed the liberation efforts while concealing their business activities with the rogue leader's regime. Kennedy and his dissenting cohorts would rather we had acquiesced as a nation to the will of the global community, a global community that has proven they place their own economic interests above the security of other nations. As President Bush said, "America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people."

The cameras didn't pan to Kennedy when President Bush rebuked the liberal left's contention we have gone it alone in Iraq but one can deduce from the sneers and the disgust emitted from Kennedy's persona throughout the speech that he didn't agree with this either. It didn't matter that President Bush ran down a list of nations that have sent troops to help in the liberation and stabilization effort in numbers proportionate to the size of their countries. It didn't matter to Kennedy that President Bush named those who are there with us in harms way including Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands, Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries. Because it wasn't sanctioned by that eunuch of an organization, the United Nations, Kennedy and his cronies will never accept that anyone but the United States is involved. Once again, the vision of the three-year old sitting with his fingers jammed directly in his ears comes to mind.

It should be pointed out that not all Democrats share the same viewpoint as the hardened and perhaps "past his time" Kennedy. Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN), chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, a national group of heavyweight Democrats who often offer a third-way approach on issues that fall victim to partisan politics, and a member of the Senate Centrist Coalition, a coalition of moderate senators from both parties who meet regularly and work together to find common ground, didn't share in any of the eye rolling or partisan hatred that spewed forth from the expressions on Kennedy's face. Instead, during an interview on FOX News after the speech, Bayh weighed in on the positive things that were said, the actualities of the things that were said and had the moxy to admit many things that those on the liberal left refuse to acknowledge such as the fact that removing Saddam Hussein has made the US safer, that the economy is looking bright, and that there is an international group in Iraq, among other things. He even went as far as to affirm that most dissention from the Democratic Party is emanating from the radical left, a lesser group of malcontents that do not define the mainstream Democratic Party.

No too long ago, back during the waning years of the Clinton Administration, there were many Democrats who chastised members of the Republican Party and the conservative movement for "not respecting the office of the president" because of the man, Kennedy among them. But by his disgraceful display on national television during the State of the Union Address he has become the very beast he criticized in the past. So, thank you Senator Kennedy for attesting to the fact that the liberal left in this country lives deep within the realm of hypocrisy. Perhaps one day that can all change but then I am sure you will cross that "bridge" when you come to it.

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Frank Salvato is a political media consultant, an editor for The Washington Dispatch and the Managing Editor for TheRant.us. He is a contributing writer to OpinionEditorials.com, and AmericanDaily.com. He has appeared as a guest on The O'Reilly Factor, The Kevin Matthews Radio Show (Chicago) and The Brad Messer Radio Show (San Antonio). His pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com, GOP-USA, The Iconoclast.com and the Free Republic Network. His pieces have been recognized by the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are occasionally featured in The Washington Times and The London Morning Paper as well as other national and international publications. He can be contacted at contact@therant.us.

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.