The Internet Monk
"the power of opinion, the phenomenon of speech, the impact of truth"
A Webjournal and News Review by Michael Spencer
Updated 1/17/01
The Tale of John and Ted
by Michael Spencer
Democrats
have forgiven the Kennedy's for murder, child sexual abuse, drug abuse,
adultery and enough other vices to make Bill Clinton look like a
candidate for sainthood. Despite enough moral corruption to stock hell
for centuries, Democrats swoon at that Massachusetts accent and all the
predictable rhetoric. It's enough to make normal people sick.
So should anyone be surprised that Ted Kennedy is the point man for the liberal attack on John Ashcroft? Ted is the embodiment of the Democratic commandment that your personal morality has nothing to do with your political fitness. The party that forgave Bill as long as he was for affirmative action cut their teeth forgiving Ted for far worse crimes because he was for school busing.
We were treated to the hulking Ted, reading accusations from a prepared paper, pounding his desk and demanding to know what John Ashcroft had done for poor children. Ted huffing and puffing his outrage the Ashcroft vetoed Democrat legislation. Ted busting capillaries over Ashcroft's statement that guns protect Americans from a tyrannical government. One could only wonder if anyone in the media thought about the stark contrast between these two men. Not the political contrast, but the moral contrast. What were decent Democrats thinking?
The irony of the Ashcroft interrogation is the almost universal agreement that he is a person of unquestioned morality, sincerity and integrity. Ted is a person who shouts about political morality so his lack of personal morality won't find its way into the discussion. Making one the inquisitor of the other was quite a move. Do the Democrats have a claim to be the new "stupid" party?
Ashcroft is a serious and practicing Christian who says he would resign before violating his religious commitment. Ted is the sort of Christian who never let his religion get in the way of family values like letting dates drown and covering up drug use in the house. Ashcroft continually answered questions in a way that revealed his personal morality is the guiding force in his conduct in office, even when that put him on the wrong side of a particular issue. Kennedy has continually placed political positions in front of personal moral failures, as if one atoned for the other.
There is no shortage of Democrats on the Judicial committee. There simply is a shortage of Democrats who have the backbone to say, "Ted, you are the wrong man to talk about fitness for office."
Democrats are probably right when they say that America is not made up of a prudes and puritans who want to know every peccadillo of their leaders. I would agree. The mistake is in thinking this does not matter. They don't want Bill Clinton lecturing the country on how to be a great husband. They don't want Newt Gingrich talking about family values. And they won't buy the case against Ashcroft if Ted Kennedy carries the ammo.
Dubya was right when he said America would be impressed when Ashcroft stated his case. The contrast provided by the pathetic Ted Kennedy was a nice gift from the opposition. Ashcroft will be confirmed, and Ted will give continue his career as keeper of the lie. The difference between these two men is one reason I don't think my dad would blame me for becoming a Republican. At least I can stand with, and not against, John Ashcroft.