Pennsylvania: Democratic Party

From Reuters:U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America's most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, died at age 77, his family said.

"Edward M. Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts)," the Kennedy family said in a statement early on Wednesday.

One of the most influential and longest-serving senators in U.S. history -- a liberal standard-bearer who was also known as a consummate congressional dealmaker -- Kennedy had been battling brain cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2008.

Just stumbled over this at thinkprogress.

Yesterday nascent Anti-Christ and Sarah Palin's baby's would-be executioner President Barack Obama said this of Senator Chuck Grassley, God-fearing Republican of Iowa:
Now, I think that there are some of my Republican friends on Capitol Hill who are sincerely trying to figure out if they can find a health care bill that works — Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Olympia Snowe from Maine have been — yes, I got to admit I like Olympia, too. They are diligently working to see if they can come up with a plan that could get both Republican and Democratic support.

Let the analysis begin. First from S. A. Miller of the The Washington Times:
Social conservatives, the once-powerful force that focused the Republican agenda on moral virtue and family values, have suffered a diminished brand on the national political landscape as a steady stream of their icons have fallen prey to the vices they once preached against.

Extramarital affairs, gambling, alcohol abuse, prostitution and sexual pursuit of minors have taken a toll on the GOP.

A tearful South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford became the latest social conservative to fall, confessing Wednesday to an affair with a woman that ended with a bizarre episode, in which he disappeared from his security detail and flew to Argentina for a visit, leaving his four sons and wife on Father's Day weekend.

I heard part of Fred Honsberger's show today.

I am not sure how the discussion started but by the time I turned on the radio, a caller named "Dave" (though it was NOT me - I go by "David" exclusively) was trying to convince my friend Fred that; No, Governor Casey (our current Jr. Senator's father) was NOT denied a slot to speak at the 1992 Democratic Convention on because he was pro-life.

Fred said that Governor Casey himself told him he was in 1992. That part may be true but it's irrelevant. As we'll see considering that an important source of the myth is Governor Casey himself it's hardly surprising that he'd tell Fred that.