More importantly, the news of Senator Kennedy’s tumor has me feeling down this morning. I’m hopeful that treatment can be provided to perhaps extend the Senator’s life and give him more time with his family, if not in service to the country. I think he certainly deserves it.

On a personal note, when I married my wife, I knew that she wasn’t party-affiliated, but that she was raised with the belief that for some reason, the Republican party represented her and the values she held so dear. Then, one morning while we were on vacation, Face the Nation was on TV and Ted Kennedy was the guest. After watching Senator Kennedy speak, my wife turned to me and asked, “He’s a democrat?” And I said, “yes, why?”. Her response, which I don’t think I’ll ever forget is, “then I must be a democrat, too”. It may sound trite, but I attribute my wife’s support of the Democratic party–and my flaming liberal positions–to that morning and Senator Kennedy’s clear, conscionable voice.