Senator Ted Kennedy

Yesterday I tried to point out the irony of Barack Obama’s most prominent supporters in the Senate being 1) a former Klansman and 2) someone who left his companion to drown after an auto accident.

Today the guy who failed to render aid, Senator Ted Kennedy, was diagnosed with malignant glioma, a type of brain tumor. The former Klansman, Senator Robert Byrd, broke down on the floor of the senate, sending his thoughts and prayers to the Kennedy family. It’s not on Youtube yet, but I’m sure it will be. I'll plug that in here if it's posted soon.

Addition from 9:45 p.m. - as promised. I heard a clip from this on the radio this afternoon. These guys have worked together, for better or worse, for the last 40 years.....

And there I was with yesterday’s piece of smart-assedness on my front page all day. The emails have been….interesting. Great timing on my part, huh?

Just to show the impact that all things Kennedy have on our culture, here are 36 of the top 100 search terms being entered into the Google search engine, according to “Google Trends” for May 20, 2008.

Malignant – a severe and progressively worsening disease or medical condition.
Glioma - any tumor formed in the glial, or supportive, brain cells.
Malignant Brain Tumor
Ted Kennedy Brain Tumor
Parietal Lobe – In the senator’s case, the left lobe, the location of the tumor
Mary Jo Kopechne – Kennedy’s unfortunate passenger in the Chappaquiddick Bridge incident
Chappaquiddick – see bridge above
Joan Kennedy – Ex wife of Ted Kennedy
Kennedy Family
Senator Kennedy
Vicki Kennedy
Victoria Reggie Kennedy – Current wife
Edward Kennedy
Chappaquitic – proof that American’s can’t spell. Enter the word Chappaquiddick – it’s the bridge connecting the island and Martha’s Vineyard. Location of the senator’s auto accident.
Glioblastoma – see Glioma
Kara Kennedy – the senator’s daughter
Patrick Kennedy – the senator’s son
Boston Globe – the paper of record for all things Kennedy
Kennedy Curse – the series of accidents, assassinations and traumas surrounding the Kennedy family.
Joseph Kennedy – the senator’s father. Also father of Joe, John/Jack, Bobby, and Ted/Edward.
Teddy Kennedy
Define Malignant – tending to be severe, and getting progressively worse.
Robert Kennedy – Senator Kennedy’s brother, assassinated while running for President in 1968.
Glioma Tumor
Cape Cod – the location of the famous “Kennedy Compound”.
Rose Kennedy – wife of Joe, father of Senator Kennedy
Rosemary Kennedy – institutionalized sister of Senator Kennedy
Ed Kennedy
Malignant Definition – tending to be severe, and getting progressively worse.
Joe Kennedy – either the patriarch Joe, or the son of Bobby.
Kennedy Chappaquiddick – already discussed above.
Ethel Kennedy – wife of Bobby
Brain Cancer
Longest Serving Senator – Senator Robert Byrd, who sent an emotional message to the Kennedy family today from the floor of the Senate.

Out of the top 100 terms put into Google today, Senator Kennedy in some way accounted for 36 of them. Agree with him or not, that’s some serious influence. Is there anyone else who could dominate the national conversation like this?