We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries. Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations sent to TopComments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks. These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But hopefully they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site. Please come in and make yourself at home!
Earlier today, in Dallasdoc's tribute-diary to Senator Kennedy, donailin noted that "Senator Kennedy diaried here through the years, perhaps someone could pull them together for the community to remember." Land of Enchantment responded with a suggestion that this become the focus of tonight's Top Comments diary. Despite my infrequent record-of-late (too much extraneous life-stuff), I jumped on that suggestion and volunteered.
Politicians (elected and otherwise) are hardly rare at DKos; indeed, senators and congresspersons are regular contributors. They are also regular solicitors of financial and physical support.
But Senator Kennedy's presence at DKos was unique, I think, in that he respected the forum's progressive tendencies and came to us when he felt it important to communicate directly with the progressive 'community' - his 'fellow travelers' - without the filters of traditional media. He rarely commented directly (more on this below) but made sure that staff monitored all the comments and distilled them for his later perusal. I always pictured him as being probably somewhat uncomfortable with computers - like my elderly uncle who understands their relevance but figures he's not up to learning THAT many new tricks.
The first DKos diary by Senator Edward M Kennedy was titled On the Downing Street Minutes and posted Tue Jun 07, 2005. Though I was still a lurker here, I remember it - the diary fairly vibrated with outrage. His vigorous verbiage seemed to leap from the screen:
The contents of the Downing Street Minutes confirm that the Bush Administration was determined to go to war in Iraq, regardless of whether there was any credible justification for doing so. The Administration distorted and misrepresented the intelligence in its attempt to link Saddam Hussein with the terrorists of 9/11 and Osama bin Laden, and with weapons of mass destruction that Iraq did not have.
In addition, the Downing Street Minutes also confirm what has long been obvious - that the timing of the war was linked to the 2002 Congressional elections, and that the Administration's planning for post-war Iraq was incompetent in all its aspects. The current continuing crisis is a direct result of that incompetence.
Back in 2005 (maybe especially in 2005), this kind of writing still brought most of us out of our chairs, pumping fists in unison with virtual friends worldwide. I coulda eaten his rhetoricaldollops with a spoon:
We know the Administration had been planning to invade Iraq for many months before the invasion actually began. We know the Administration twisted the intelligence to make the facts fit their plan. We know that the Administration never really intended to give the U.N. weapons inspectors a reasonable chance to succeed. ...
We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence. The Downing Street Minutes provide even more proof that this is exactly what happened on Iraq. The Administration's dishonesty, lack of candor, and lack of planning have brought us to where we are today, with American soldiers dying, Iraqi civilians living in constant fear, and with no clearer picture of our strategy for victory in Iraq than when we started.
Almost immediately, commenters questioned the validity of the posting - was it really an official communication from the Senator? And if so, why didn't he link to his Senate website? His staffer, Crystal Patterson jumped in quickly:
It's the real deal (4.00 / 14)
http://www.tedkennedy.com is his campaign website, http://kennedy.senate.gov is the official site for his Senate office. The Senate site is a good resource, but the campaign site is where we do (and plan to do more) activist organizing, and can have more discussion of the issues. You'll catch me on DailyKos (and elsewhere) pretty often posting about what we're talking about in the campaign....
by Crystal Patterson
Does that mean (none / 0)
that you were the one who posted under Kennedy's name, or was it some other staffer?
by Ugluks Flea
Huh? (4.00 / 2)
I said when I'm posting, I do it under my own name. This diary is from him.
by Crystal Patterson
Just wondering (none / 1)
since whoever was posting under his name didn't seem to stick around (for comments), and since you were the first to defend the diarist as actually being from the kennedy camp, I took it as a hint that it was you that posted it for him, and had stuck around to watch.
If it's not you sent here to babysit his diary comment thread, I sure hope somebody else is. Drive-by diaries piss people off (like me), senator or no.
by Ugluks Flea
It's from him (none / 1)
The Senate is in session, and he has meetings, obligations, etc all day. If you want to call it "babysitting", then yes, I guess that's what I'm here for, although I'm around on the site pretty often.
by Crystal Patterson
Best comment on the diary, IMO (rarely humble)? This one:
Hell, I'll recommend this just because... (4.00 / 13)
...it properly says "Downing Street Minutes" instead of "Memo." Thank you, Ted. Um, may I call you Ted?
If the Bush administration actually gets away with their scheme to shoehorn facts around policy, it will be the biggest stain on our history after slavery. Well, slavery and our historic treatment of women. And our treatment of native Americans. And Watergate. And the Great Depression. But not Teapot-Dome, necessarily, because there were many fine advances in teapot technology that came out of that. But the rest...you bet.
Thanks for dropping by. Please make it a habit.
Please support Marriage equality in Maine. Thanks!
by Bill in Portland Maine
Three weeks later (Wed Jun 29, 2005, to be precise), the Senator returned to our not-so-humble arena with another fiery message - Accountability on Iraq:
President Bush addressed the nation once again last night about the war in Iraq, and once again he refused to level with our troops and the American people and offer an effective strategy.
The Administration's view of the war in Iraq is divorced from reality, and does a disservice to our troops and the American people. Only when President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and the rest of the Administration address the realities of what is happening on the ground can we hope to make progress in the region.
We must hold them accountable for refusing to outline an effective strategy for success in Iraq. That's why I ask you to join me at my website and insist that the President lay out an effective strategy on Iraq. www.tedkennedy.com/iraqstrategy.
Seems to me that the Senator and his staff had begun to get the hang of this blogging-thing. He (and his staff) had also studied the DKos community:
Like many of you, I have been speaking out against the Administration's approach to the war since before it began. Together, our voices are much stronger.
...
We must hold the Administration accountable for refusing to admit the truth and refusing to propose an effective strategy for success. Our soldiers need more than a public relations campaign from the Administration to win this war. They need honesty and leadership.
Again, almost immediately, people here questioned if this was really the Senator speaking. Ms. Patterson asserted that it was his own words. People argued with her but she persevered. The following Kossack deftly captured the tone of that exchange and expressed our collective 'awe':
re: skepticism (4.00 / 4)
I am fascinated at the level of skepticism/questioning of the "who really wrote this/typed this, anyway" variety. After all, it's not the first time an elected official has posted here. (Heck, it's not even Senator Kennedy's first diary). Reading the comments caused me to reflect on why the questioning/doubting-but-hopeful-skepticism level is so high for Senator Kennedy.
At first I thought maybe it was a relic of gender bias, especially with the "hunt-and-peck" remarks etc., but that can't be it. After all, we don't question whether Conyer's posts are actually his own. Then I thought it was a Senate/House thing. Nope. We believed that Boxer's posts were her own as well.
Then it hit me--it must be Kennedy's status among us all as an unapologetic progressive elder statesman (with a touch of star quality thrown in for good measure). Frankly, a lot of us just couldn't believe that a big time dude like Senator Kennedy would write something himself, just for litlle old us. Are we star struck or something? Is it really that hard for us to believe that the Senator finds this a worthwhile venue for sharing information?
Senator, I believe that you are reading all of the comments here, and more besides. From this left coaster up in Oregon, thank you for continuing to fight the good fight. When there is finally a reckoning for the devastation this administration has wreaked upon us all, I will be proud to have you on my side, working to restore this nation's promise as a home where freedom, justice, and opportunity are truly available to all.
Don't give 'em an inch.
by sheba
Amen, I say, sister sheba!
The Senator's next DKos diary - about Fitzgerald's indictment of Scooter Libby - is my favorite, even if its essential premise is still unfulfilled. In This Indictment Is Not the End (posted Fri Oct 28, 2005), he wrote:
Today's an ominous day for the country, a new low since Watergate in terms of openness and honesty in our government. ...
This indictment is far more than an indictment of one individual. It's an indictment of the lengths to which Administration officials were willing to go to cover up their failed intelligence. It's an indictment of their distortions about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and their serious blunders taking us to war and their vindictive efforts to discredit anyone who challenges their misrepresentations.
As we know, Scooter Libby and Vice President Cheney withheld critical documents in the Senate's investigation of the use and misuse of intelligence and the abuse of power in the decision to go to war and in the management of the war.
...
The White House has made keeping secrets from the American people a priority, and that has to stop.
The American people know the high cost of this misguided war -- 2,000 U.S. soldiers dead, more than 15,000 wounded, hundreds of billions of dollars spent with no end in sight, and a continuing shameful effort by the White House to silence those who try to tell the truth about the war.
We need answers, not cover-ups, by the Administration about these serious issues. Thank you for all your support in trying to get the truth.
Here I found the only true Kennedy Tip-Jar which received 495 '4' recommends and a solo '0' (from Dmitri in San Diego), the early DKos equivalent of the Hide-Rating. It generated the following discussion:
one and only comment (4.00 / 10)
This is the only comment the Senator has made since he signed up with DKos. It would be nice to believe that his immortal fingertips themselves typed out this comment, but I am quite happy enough if the Senator is astute enough to have a staffer responding to his diary's comments.
Senator Kennedy, we are honored to have you here; to have you acknowledge us. Thank you.
don't always believe what you think...
by claude
He probably just needed help with the tags (4.00 / 14)
:)
by NYFM
This is (4.00 / 15)
true :)
by Crystal Patterson
"His immortal fingertips" (3.98 / 69)
This is all him - although "the astute staffer" is keeping an eye on the comments as well... He wanted to come on, and we found a few minutes for him to get this up; please know that he definitely knows about and acknowledges the DailyKos audience.
by Crystal Patterson
May the last liberal lion (4.00 / 40)
roar forever.
by Smallbottle
Absolutely!!! (4.00 / 10)
Go Senator!
Join us here for Jobs and Social Networking for Kossacks! YES WE CAN!
by etherapy
He will not be the last, hopefully. (4.00 / 15)
A new generation of young liberal Turks is gathering in the house. Their voices will become louder as this unfolds. They will soon be able to stand on the shoulders of giants like the senior Senator from Massachussetts.
Seek first and final principles at The Mean Free Path.
by Cream Puff
The best is yet to come (4.00 / 10)
America will be America again.
the meek shall inherit the earth
by Howaboutthetruth
Amen to that (4.00 / 13)
We've got to keep the faith
by Crystal Patterson
Let's pause for a moment and imagine how Senator Kennedy received this week's news about the release of CIA-related reports and AG Holder's move to appoint a special prosecutor. Did he sigh with relief that perhaps some truth might FINALLY reach the light of day? Did he (let us pray) rest a bit easier during his final days?
~~~~
The next two diaries by the Senator were duplicates, posted on successive days, and probably the saddest for me to read today. Thank You for Helping To Stop Alito (Reposted) (Sat Jan 28, 2006 and Fri Jan 27, 2006).
... The right wing is salivating over the prospect of Justice Alito on the Supreme Court, and the Republican majority in the Senate intends to rubber-stamp the nomination. The only realistic way to stop this nightmare is to stand up using every tool we have.
Other than voting to send our men and women to war, there is no more important vote in the Senate than our vote on a Supreme Court nominee. Long after President Bush leaves office, the damage he can do with Supreme Court appointments like this will continue, since Justice Alito would be able to serve for decades in the future because federal judges serve for life. ...
We owe it to this generation and future generations of Americans to oppose any such nominee who will roll back the progress we've made.
The next three days will make all the difference in whether enough Democrats are willing to stand firm against this shameful nomination. Thank you for all of your support, and for all you can do between now and then to help us in this crucial vote.
He would lose this fight and the country lost even more. But, lest we forget, he did NOT lose a similar fight against the nomination of Robert Bork - can I get a collective sigh of relief for THAT epochal historical tidbit?
By this time, the Senator had adopted a persistent pattern for his DKos diaries - sounding US out about a critical vote or an important event or piece of legislation. In Escalation: It's Not Up To Him (posted Tue Jan 09, 2007), he wrote: "I am on my way to the National Press Club in Washington in a few minutes to speak about a new bill. If passed, it will prohibit escalation in Iraq without express Congressional approval of a plan and budget."
President Bush owes the American people a clear explanation about what he's trying to accomplish in Iraq, and that's why I'm introducing legislation that will force him to explain himself.
In October 2002, Members of Congress authorized a war against the regime of Saddam Hussein, not to send our troops into a civil war. I voted against that resolution and feel an escalation of this war only compounds the original mistake of going in the first place.
The American people know, and our generals agree, that a military escalation in Iraq would not strengthen our national security – instead it would further weaken it by enabling the Iraqis to avoid taking responsibility for their own future. More than 3,000 American soldiers have died in Iraq and more than 22,000 have been wounded. It’s time to get this right.
...
Some have claimed that the president has the authority to escalate this war without the consent of House and Senate. They dismiss the possibility that Congress has a role to play stopping this president from leading us further into the quicksand in Iraq.
That may have been true when Republicans were in charge, but people elected Democrats to show some backbone. Congress is the voice of the American people, and it’s time those voices are heard in this debate.
I had planned to discuss the minimum wage, health care and college affordability at this speech today, but those issues will have to wait for another day. We are at a grave crossroads and the moment demands action.
He ended with what was becoming a familiar closing:
I cannot stay to talk now, but please leave your comments and questions. After the speech I will spend some time with them. I am interested in your reaction to the bill.
~~~~
As I mentioned above, his staff typically made replies but I did find one gracious gem from the Senator himself the very day after this last diary was posted. The very next day (Jan 10, 2007), Mash published Edward Kennedy: The Lion In Winter and the Lion himself spotted it:
Thank you:
Mash -
Thank you for this thoughtful and beautifully written diary. I read it this morning and am grateful for your words. You have reminded us all to be mindful of battles of the past as we fight to change the current course of history.
With warm regards,
Senator Edward Kennedy
~~~~
More diaries followed. Here's a short listing - choose one, find a comment, and share it with us below.
** A better solution (Tue Mar 13, 2007) The Senator out-roared "those who think that the problem of immigration can easily be solved by walls on our borders and strict law enforcement."
I wish they could have joined me last Sunday afternoon at St. James Church in New Bedford. I saw first-hand the pain and suffering of the families and community ripped apart by the recent enforcement raid by the Department of Homeland Security.
** How we fix the student loan system (Wed Jul 18, 2007):
I'm on my way to the Senate chamber right now for the debate on the Higher Education Bill, which addresses the critical gap in financial aid that prevents vast numbers of students from seeking a college education.
** My Challenge to the President (Wed Oct 03, 2007) about the S-Chip program:
Earlier this week, a group of children pulling little red wagons went to the gates of the White House to urge the President to sign the bill, because it's so vital to good health care for the nation's children in the years ahead. ...
Apparently this President's priorities aren't the same as mainstream America's...
** I oppose Michael Mukasey (Thu Nov 01, 2007)
Waterboarding is torture. Torture is unacceptable. Period.
If Michael Mukasey won't stand up to President Bush and tell him that, then he doesn't deserve to be Attorney General.
** A Nation of Laws, Not Men (Fri Dec 07, 2007):
I'm headed to the Senate floor right now to speak about startling news from today's newspapers. ...
The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency's custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program ... The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects -- including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody -- to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said.
~~~~
And then events came so fast. He encouraged Barack Obama and came here to invite us to join up - My Second Endorsement (Wed Jan 30, 2008). The Senator would make but one more visit to DKos as a writer with Are you registered to vote? (Fri Oct 03, 2008). It was a stark historical lesson:
One of the few positive results of the Vietnam War is the irresistible momentum it gave Congress to pass legislation lowering the voting age to 18. I was proud to be a part of that movement in Congress more than 30 years ago, and today millions of young people across the country can express their support for Barack Obama in the voting booth.
This diary would end up a small book-let if I kept going. Please peek into Teddy's DKos legacy and come back to share a thought, a comment-link, a memory, whatever you wish.
~~~~
Heh - we've been here a while and some of you might be wondering - is this really a TOP COMMENTS diary?
Indeed it is.
First - from the Top Comments mailbox (that's 'topcomments' AT gmail.com).
From sardonyx:
In Dallasdoc's excellent reposted diary One Year Ago: The Lion's Last Roar, OutcastsAndCastoffs shared My little memory and then his wife's memory downthread.
~~~~
From AJ in Camden:
from Dr Rhymes' diary, entlord1 wrote: I forget which radio pundit it was.
~~~~
From AllanTBG:
This comment features the descriptor, "far-righteous." The sig line is also significant. Very well-written letter, I must say, by Bob Love.
~~~~
This one got nominated by two Kossacks, Texas Revolutionary and khloemi:
In triciawyse's Pootie Diary today, anastasia p has the perfect responseto a comment about Michael Vick and the Eagles.
~~~~
From hekebolis:
from parse this: Wait...We EARN what we are ENTITLED to??? in my diary about Wally Herger.
~~~~
From Black Sheep 1:
I'm submitting a Top Comments Nomination For THIS comment by dinnerbell :They are wisers, not "geezers in THIS diary by crystal eyes.
~~--
From bsmechanic:
My bid for top comment goes to Muskegon Critic. In an initial comment to FishOutOfWater's diary, MC applies the perfect slice of sarcasm. Please trust me on this. Thank you.
~~~~
TOP MOJO - courtesy of virgo music - my bard tonight!
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) Only if it is a good Healthcare bill by MD patriot — 299
2) Make him proud, Democrats. by sea2008 — 186
3) I know we all are grieving, by TomP — 177
4) You are wrong by heart of a quince — 137
5) Name it after Teddy by John Campanelli — 135
6) I wish he could have voted by Hope Reborn — 133
7) This is a critical point. by Magenta — 130
8) Fire and Brimstone not withstanding by route66 — 118
9) RIP Senator Kennedy. NT by butchergirl — 115
10) Healthcare for all by CatM — 113
11) They're all gone. by Spider Stumbled — 107
12) Disagreed by GN1927 — 104
13) Changed my sig even by buhdydharma — 102
14) Just so everyone is clear on what was asked... by LarsThorwald — 102
15) "this yahoo group" by SuperBowlXX — 98
16) May the lion's roar by blackjackal — 95
17) from one who attended... by kareylou — 95
18) I will not be around much to comment today by Dallasdoc — 94
19) Elders Know Or SHOULD KNOW Better by Nulwee — 93
20) Kennedy "need not be idealized..." by arubyan — 87
21) This rant is not "I quit." It is "fair warning" by irmaly — 86
22) Name it after Teddy but make it GREAT... by Josiah Bartlett — 84
23) I really like Joe Biden. by I said GOOD DAY sir — 83
24) God forbid we have any kind of honesty here by bythesea — 79
25) That speech was ONE YEAR AGO TODAY! by Eileen B — 75
26) They screen your Google profile, as well as by ben masel — 75
27) I agree. Here's hoping our elected Dem by Cenobyte — 72
28) I think it would be appropriate to name by tovan — 72
29) Incredible! by Julie Gulden — 71
30) Your prospective employer by drewfromct — 67
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar list :-):
1) Tip Jar by BruinKid — 537
2) Tip Jar by crystal eyes — 445
3) Tip Jar by PerfectStormer — 428
4) Tip Jar by RandySF — 409
5) Tip Jar by TomP — 404
6) Tip Jar by devtob — 353
7) Tip Jar by ACLU — 339
8) These are the folks in charge of our country? by buhdydharma — 324
9) Only if it is a good Healthcare bill by MD patriot — 299
10) Tip Jar by Jennifer Clare — 277
11) Tips for solar research by FishOutofWater — 264
12) Tip Jar by Jonathon Cumberland — 232
13) Please forgive the repost by Dallasdoc — 190
14) Tip Jar by slinkerwink — 189
15) Make him proud, Democrats. by sea2008 — 186
16) Tip Jar by hekebolos — 182
17) Preach it, sir - Excellent n/t by bwintx — 180
18) I know we all are grieving, by TomP — 177
19) Tip Jar by Julie Gulden — 175
20) You are wrong by heart of a quince — 137
21) Name it after Teddy by John Campanelli — 135
22) Tip Jar by aaraujo — 135
23) I wish he could have voted by Hope Reborn — 133
24) This is a critical point. by Magenta — 130
25) Fire and Brimstone not withstanding by route66 — 118
26) RIP Senator Kennedy. NT by butchergirl — 115
27) Healthcare for all by CatM — 113
28) Tip Jar by JeNoCo — 113
29) They're all gone. by Spider Stumbled — 107
30) Disagreed by GN1927 — 104
~~~~
Always the mountains,
va dare