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msnbc.com's Bill Dedman reports on the FBI's Ted Kennedy file:
After the violent deaths of his brothers, the youngest Kennedy, Teddy, lived under constant threat that he too would meet an assassin's bullet. As he put it bluntly, “They're going to shoot my ass off the way they shot off Bobby's.”
We are learning more about these files, as the FBI has released 2,352 pages from its file on the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
The new file is dominated by investigations of threats against Ted Kennedy, who died Aug. 25 at age 77. "These threats originated from multiple sources, including individuals, anonymous persons, and members of radical groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, 'Minutemen' organizations, and the National Socialist White People’s Party," the FBI said. "The file also contains threats from individuals angered by Kennedy’s stance on politics in Northern Ireland and allegations of an alleged Mafia plot to kill President Kennedy and Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy."
The file was requested by msnbc.com and other news organizations under the Freedom of Information Act. After a kerfuffle over the FBI's decision to let the Kennedy family review the file before release, the FBI said today that no information was withheld from the file. ...
One letter was sent to Ethel Kennedy, Robert's widow, at her home, known as Hickory Hill, in McLean, Va. It said only this: “If Ted runs for Pres. or VP he will be killed. We hate Kennedys. Stop him.”
Two letters received by the senator's office, said, “Don't run for President or Vice President or you will be shot dead too.” And, “You will die if you run for Pres or VP. We hate Kennedys.” ...
The letter-writers also targeted the senator's invalid father, former Ambassador Joseph Kennedy Sr. One said simply, “Do you propose 'Tedd' [sic] to be the next victim?"
A longer letter to the elder Kennedy, who had suffered a stroke and the assassination of two sons, began, “Your suffering has hardly begun. Teddy is next on the Kennedy 'hit parade.' And we won't rest until he gets his. We are sick of the Kennedy's [sic] and all the damn Kennedy crap.”
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It's useful to note, before any further discussion of the threats faced by any President or potential President of the United States, that...
The last U.S. President assassinated, John F. Kennedy...
Was murdered by a leftist...a committed Marxist supporter of Fidel Castro.
Judging by this comment and the amount of thought that went into it if brains were gasoline you couldn't fuel a go kart around a Cheerio.
I think perhaps that Mixed Bag was trying a preventive strike, believing perhaps falsely, that commentary would be started about the threats to President Obama from the right. I'm opposed to any threat against the President, regardless of whether he's a Republican or a Democrat, and while I disagreed with many of the positions that Ted Kennedy took, I admired him as a person, and as a Senator that was willing to work across the aisle for the benefit of "we the people".
Still ain't no excuse for putting his mouth in motion before making sure he had his brain in gear.
You are assuming this person even has a brain.
I'm noticing an alarming pattern in the responses to my initial post. There appears to be, with the notable exception of the comment of Living in L.A., a descent into ad-hominem attack rather than reasoned rebuttal.
Is this the really the best you can do?
You've already demonstrated the best that you can do... LMAO!
Thanks for answering my question, Feisty...
But, truth is...I've already seen your best many times.
And there's nothing funny about that.
Mixed judging by the quality of your origional post and rebuttal before you get on here asking somebody to dance you best spend some time down at Arthur Murray learning some steps.
And your objections to the substance of my post, IR?
Can you rebut the central theme of my comment...or even identify it?
I will admit you've done way more dancing around in your remarks than I have.
Mixed,
Perhaps it is not your "comment" so much as your "holier than thou" attitude! Fiesty, I'm with you roflmao!
MAC-
Comment on the attitude duly noted...I'll gladly take that hit as long as I get it correct in terms of the substance.
Thanks,
MB
Mixed 1/4 bag, I think you should be less vague in your "substance"... Do you have a point or are you just pitching matches into a gas can? If you have a point then make it...
So, what's your point?? What are you trying to suggest?
M.Fisher-
Thanks for the question...and I laughed at "1/4 bag".
Rather than repeat myself, please scroll down to the post by Living in L.A. at 12:35 PM, and my response at 1:14 PM.
That pretty much sums it up.
When I see things like this, I'm reminded of how Ted Kennedy would "duck" whenever he heard what he thought was a gun shot sound. And President Nixon, who was perfectly fine with Ted not having Secret Service protection - "who cares if he gets shot" or something along those lines that came from one of his recorded telephone calls that I heard on CNN recently.
I knew many people here in MA who didn't like Ted Kennedy - union members, parents who were against busing - but they voted for him because he had a great deal of power in the Senate.
15,235 votes in the Senate. 2500 bills authored. 552 cosponsored pieces of legislation passed into law. The numbers chapter the story of the U.S. Senate's leading liberal lion.
He has inspired a legacy of championing health care reform, civil rights, equal rights, education, and a breadth of laws in the public interest over his 46 years as a Massachusetts senator.
Senator Kennedy chose to define his political identity in the vision of health care reform. His dream was to provide quality, affordable health care options to all Americans and he helped pass landmark legislation in that pursuit.
"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Senator Ted Kennedy, 1980, spoken after he withdrew from the 1980 presidential election.
http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2009/08/senator-ted-kennedys-legislative-legacy.html
And I think I read somewhere that he would write to families every year, who had lost loved ones on 9/11.
Pat:
Great post. Yes, Kennedy was human and like all of us had some human flaws many of which were exhibited in his youth. But like most of us age mellows the soul. Fortunately, as Ted Kennedy matured he maintained an interst and love for his fellow man.
Good points Pat, don't forget, if it were not for the tireless efforts of one very young Ted Kennedy we would conduct research in this country just like they did in Nazi germany, now, instead, you have to give signed informed consent in order to be part of any research study. Very important considering the Syphilus trials in tusgugee, AL in the 1960's.
and, he still left a woman to die.
Which is something he had to take up with God, not you or me.
I'm so sorry none of your repugnant heros had anything to be proud of, perhaps you will find something, but I've never met one yet who did one good thing for another human being unless it was first for their own good or that of their wealthy friends.
I know, it just galls the wealthy repugnants when another wealth person or family does not toe their selfish creed, but you know, some wealthy folks are good people and intend to spend their time doing good, even after they acknowledge they have made mistakes - something the repugnants don't seem to know how to do very well.
"...and, he still left a woman to die."
Yo, Dirt- is it really true that we are supposed to stop bringing up Bush these days when talking about past mistakes and behaviors?
No doubt IR. A mini-cheerio....or the point of a pencil.
You simply refuse to quit stinking the place up, don't you, mixed up teabag. I'm beginning to think you're as mentally deficient as the hairless rat pack.
Hi Chris!
Good to see you today! I'm beginning to think that 'mixed nuts' is part of the hairless rat pack! Their posts are right up there as some of the most ignorant on this board!
And they would never be upfront and admit if they are the hairless wonders, prefering us to think there are more like them out there, which undoubedtly there are
Not much of a rebuttal, Chris.
Still...it IS better than what you usually come up with.
And delivered will your usual civility as well.
Good Morning, Feisty!
"Their posts are right up there as some of the most ignorant on the board!"
I'm humbled by your remark, but I'll have to kick my game up a notch to match your posts in terms of sheer close-minded incivility.
Thanks, but I'll let you continue to rule the roost, Feisty.
Regards,
MB.
Hey Feisty....good to see you and the rest of the liberal family too! If he isn't part of the dead end dog pound, at a minimum, he's got his tongue between his legs licking like it's a pair of palins (nuts).
And stringless teabag...it wasn't a rebuttal; it's simply a statement of fact: You Stink! And....
Mixed Bag
I'm noticing an alarming pattern in the responses to my initial post. There appears to be, with the notable exception of the comment of Living in L.A., a descent into ad-hominem attack rather than reasoned rebuttal.
We know you're dumber than a burned out light bulb teabag; but I'm gonna help you out here: go with your first instinct. I will continue to attack you as long as you put out bull$hit attacking our President or my progressive friends. Until you leave or can show you know what "reasoned debate" is, get used to the attacks. You make it to easy.
Some of you keep refering to the 'doggies' in the plural. You know, all that 'moon' nonsense and all. I'm wondering how none of those 'different' entities couldn't have made it on over to the new format. Just wondering, of course, but I'm guessing it was a team of one. One schizoid mo fo.
you got that right dbo!
mixed up teabag is my first choice, with FU charley in a close second. Either of them...none of them....they all forgot to cut the eyeholes out of their hoods and sharpen the tin foil point on top.
By all means, Chris...
Take your best shot. If what you've come up with so far represents your best effort...
I'll be just fine.
And thanks for responding, Chris.
It's decent folks like you that will keep me coming back to First Read.
Excellent comment Chris, Dorr, MI - good to see you overcame your initial dislike of the new Newsvine format. Speaking of the hairless brainless rat pack where did the little dingo doggies scamper off to? Probably still stuck at NewsWhine at Fox and Freaks. Thanks for dissing the Indigent Redneck whose brains couldn't fill the inside of the smallest subatomic particle, the moron muon.
Have you read the new Rolling Stone article on the Obama Administration's dreadful handling of the Gulf oil catastrophe yet, Eric?
I know it's long...and I know that you have limited reading comprehension skills, shackled to a short attention span.
But...it might take your mind off of last night's Lakers-Celtics game for awhile.
I'm here to help, Eric.
Mixed-bag - perhaps the clean up would go more smoothly if those clowns at halliburton (uncle dick's favorite company) and BP actually knew what they were doing. I have no reason to spend my good tax money when the people who caused this mess have more than enough money to take responsibility for the evil they have done. the only advice I'd give President Obama and our congress - get real tough on BP and halliburton, seize all the money you can from them and put it in holding to help those financially ruined by BP and halliburton, then make it illegal for them to do business in this country ever again.
BP is the Ted Kennedy (safety record) of the oil industry so they got in bed with the Progressives to Eff over the American people. Now you run from your buddies? How many times did Obama meet with BP executives before the spill? BTW has anyone traced down the writers of these notes to see where they are in the Communist/Socialist/Democrat party? The klan was the "action committee" of the democrat party after all. bahahahahaha
Union Baby-
Just curious...do you think that the Obama Administration knows what THEY'RE doing with regard to the Gulf oil catastrophe?
Do you want to know if the Administration knows what it's doing?
If the answer is yes, then read the Rolling Stone article.
Even Joan Walsh of Salon found it to be an eye opener...and criticism of the Obama Administration rarely crosses Joan's lips.
She's not too happy with them on this one.
Thanks Eric! I do like the new layout. My only beef is the speed of moving from article to article. It's like 56K dial up instead of cable.
mixed up teabag shows the size of his pea brain any time he posts. Takes the Hubble telescope to even confirm there is a single live brain cell.
You really should leave the humor to the professionals, Chris...
Like say...
Jon Stewart of Comedy Central when he suggested that if President Obama is determined to kick someone's behind, he might want to start with himself. Did you catch that?
Now THAT was funny.
By all means...keep trying, though.
Mixed Bag - The only thing I disapprove of in president Obama's handling of the BP mess (and that is exactly what it is - the BP/Halliburton mess) is that he has not come down hard enough on BP and Halliburton. I do not want my tax money (and yep, I pay lots of it in every day, am honored to do so as I do love my country) to pay for this clean up as long as BP and Halliburton are still in existance, that responsibility and financial burdon lies on them.
guess you own stock in Halliburton and BP, right? you'd really like for everyone to be mad at the president, unfortunately, we are not, we are mad at the people who caused this disaster - BP and Halliburton!
When I read this, great post Pat, I immediately think, for the most part, not much has changed. Most likely, they have taught their children well and the WH deals with these types of treats every day.
The generation who hated the Kennedys, are still around, sitting on their porches, teaching the next generations how to:
hate those whose skin is a different shade and whose eyes are a different shape, yes, they have to be carefully taught....Rogers and Hammerstein, South Pacific
We can see how many illegal rightwing hate groups tried to kill Ted Kennedy, but what else should we expect from bible thumping limpwristed conservative gun nuts? The rightwingers just hated the Kennedy's because they are so revered by sane Americans, they have no family like the Kennedy's. All they have are the corrupt BushLeague family who are BFF's with Osama bin Laden and who trampled upon laws like a herd of criminals.
Remember Daddy Oil Buck's Bush killed an SEC investigation into his wicked son's bankrupting of his own oil corporation while he was president because he knew his wicked son was guilty. Now we all have to pay for Daddy Oil Buck's Bush's prefidy as we watched Clueless George Bush wreck our economy with his Double Dip Recession and he ran up the national debt making sure he transferred as much wealth as possible upwards to his rich and greedy base of freeloading tax evaders.
Kennedy's will be Revered, Bush's will be Reviled!
Eric,
I think it's safe to say that right wingers weren't guilty of assasinating either President Kennedy (Lee Harvey Oswald) nor Senator Kennedy (Sirhan Sirhan) which calls into question whether or not the right wing would have acted on the threats. I'm not defending the threats, they're unacceptable regardless of where they came from, but your immediate assumptions of the right wing that "tried to kill Ted Kennedy" makes no sense, yes he was threatened, but I'm not aware of any assassination attempts being made on Senator Kennedy. Please enlighten me, if I'm in error.
Living in L.A.-
You accurately assessed the intent of my first post almost immediately...and trust me.
They'll be more posts like Eric's from those oblivious to the larger issue...which is that you cannot make sweeping assumptions about where the likely threats to a President are going to come from.
There is growing unhappiness with the Obama Administration on the political far-left. I have seen extremely virulent near-hatred of President Obama from this subset of the left that matches, and in some cases, exceeds the worst criticism coming from the President's right-wing opponents.
While the FBI is wisely looking at right-wing militias and racist hate groups, they would be equally wise not to turn a blind eye to the most extreme elements on the other end of the political spectrum.
Isn't that Karl Rove's handwriting?
Why so uncomfortable with dissent, pat?
Or are you one of those who believes that dissent abruptly became race-based hatred after Inauguration Day, January 20th, 2009?
probably dick cheneys!
I am not surprised by the treats, I am sure there are actually more than we will ever be told. I have always thought (and will always think) that Richard Nixon had Bobby shot, perhaps he did not dirty his hands with the acutal order of the hit, but I can just see him now, stooped and grumpy prancing around the room saying - "Hell men! You have to do something about Bobby, do you know how embarrassing it would be for me to get beat by another damned Kennedy?" Yep, I can see that one playing out over and over and in the end we were robbed of a great presidental opportunity. Just another reason I'll never have any respect for tricky dick or any republican for that matter, power has always been their thing, power and money = greed, which the republicans are experts at. Tricky dick should have been tried for conspiracy to committ murder plus breaking and entering!
Okay, I try to be open minded, but this rendering of your imagination with President Nixon goes beyond the concept of conspiracy theory, into the realm of fantasy. I know, as my father told me time and time again, that we're each entitled to our own wrong opinions, but come on, why not just say that Squeeky Fromme tried to assassinate President Ford so that (then candidate) Jimmy Carter would have an unfettered run toward the Presidency in 1976. There's probably the same amount of truth in both statements.
President Nixon commited a crime, and resigned under a cloud of shame as a result. Nowhere is there any indication that he condoned assassination, considered assassination of political foes, or was involved in Senator Kennedy's death. You're entitled to your opinion about President Nixon, I'm sure it's shared by many. You're even entitled to your opinion of Republicans, I'm sure that's shared by many as well. However, bold generalizations are usually proven to be wrong. Are you sure that you have no respect for any Republican? If political affiliation defines your ability to respect people, that doesn't speak highly of, or about, you. I'm a Republican, I try to grant respect to individuals, until such time as they are proven to be unworthy of respect. I hope that your reality is the same as mine, not the rhetoric you're submitting.
To be totally honest with you, my answer is no, I have not ever met a republican that I can say I totally and honestly respect. I've worked with many (most cheat on everything from the coffee to their time cards if they don't have to actually clock in) and served in elected positions with many who refuse to listen to anything except their own way of doing things, could care less about folks who actually work for a living and work the system anyway they can to appear to be better at anything and everything than they actually are. I have relatives who are in deep denial hoping some day to get wealthy therefore are brainwashed by the thought of it to vote for people who have no interest in their actual lives. I am always cordial, but I am also always on guard and do not trust them as far as I can throw them (which is not very far considering I'm 5'2 and weight about 135lbs.
And I will always believe my theory about tricky dick regardless of what anyone else has to say about it - he just had that look in his eyes, hated to loose anything, and was so paranoid of the Kennedy's, it just makes sense.
I have a hard time believing it, but you are entitled to your opinion.
MB is absolutely right. It's ironic that you all will make so much of the threats directed toward Ted by rightie wackos when his two brothers were kileed by perfectly stable assassins for ideological reasons. JFK was killed by a far-left commie and RFK was killed by an Arab nationalist lefty.
Of course, that's one reason for the moronic conspiracy theories that continue to foul the air 40 years later: lefties refuse to believe that a liberal icon was killed by one of their own and the other was killed by one of the poor oppressed Arab terrorists you all have so much concern for.
So the right wing extremists didn't like the Kennedys. It seems unless one is EXACTLY like them they hate you. Today those people are some of the same ones who are speaking out in favor of the Republican party and who are part of the so called tea party movement.
FU charley...obviously you've been licking the same balls as mixed up teabag.
"his two brothers were kileed by perfectly stable assassins" ???? WTF ????
The really scary thing is you actually believe yourself. The real irony here is that you somehow pass as a functioning adult and are allowed to sign in here just so you can entertain yourself at our expense.
Hey, First Readers...
Isn't Chris intelligent and clever?
For a 13-year old?
Hey, neat! Another "I know you are, but what am I??" post.
Don't go cryin for help now teabag. The truth cuts like a knife and if you pulled your head out from between your legs long enough, you would see that you're bleeding all over the blog. You got your teabag all mixed up again. 13 is your IQ.
It's extremely unlikely I'll be needing any help, Chris...
Certainly not from you.
All you've got is juvenile, obscene epithets.
You need them...I don't.
The nut jobs that threatened TK could have set Teddy up with a babe, some liquor and keys to a Oldsmobile sedan and then let him try to drive the babe to a lovers lane. He would have done their dirty work for them. Seriously Teddy after wrecking his own future by driving hammered with a young women who was not his wife at 200AM spent the rest of his life in Mea Culpa mode using other people's money to create his "lion of the Senate" image. His own Senate income was a small fraction of his total ncome....the
"lion' s share" of Ted's income came from tax exempt trust funds and was "safe" ffrom feds hands. Also the lefty press loved him because he provided them with a heroic "personna" they could periodically re-package and re-sell to their audiences. After the incredible story created to save Ted's ass from a jail term in 1969 (the Kopechne death most certainly would have ended his career outright) the press did a great job burying the details of the story and were even hesitant in mentioning it as time went on. I am curious if a nasty old republican, say someone like John Boener were to be involved in a manslaughter case (that's what it was in 1969) he would not last a week as the press would hound him every day until he either shot himself or quit.
Funny how nobody ever rebutted or denied the facts about the last president to be assassinated. All Mixed Bag got in reply was 8th grade insults. No surprise coming from the frequenters of this site. By the way. Will we see a story about the thousands of death threats made against the brave rabbi who helped Helen Thomas aka The Press Corpse, her job?