Anyone watch Senator Kerry at the memorial tonight?

[wisteria]

I thought the senator did a wonderful job and it was obvious how much Senator Kennedy meant to him. Although, I thought this was to be an Irish Wake? I find myself welling with tears as much as I smile over some of the personal stories. God, what a role model he was and someone to emulate. He will be sorely missed.

[ladym55]

1. Oh, yes

JK was wonderful. My husband and I BOTH cried while he spoke.

[Inuca]

2. Yes, he was wonderful in so many ways

including the several times when his voice broke. I hope I will have the chance to see it again, the emotion was too much to give it its due this time.

[Island Blue]

3. It has been fabulous.

All of the speakers so far have been wonderful (especially JK) but the current speaker,John Culver (former US Sen. from Iowa),is absolutely hilarious.

[wisteria]

4. I know. I am enjoying him-a sailor he isn't, LOL.n/t

[Inuca]

6. Yes, I could not believe

that I was actually laughing. Hatch was suprisingly touching...

[wisteria]

7. I agree. You could tell he was genuinely found of Senator Kennedy and respected him.

I have always thought of Senator Hatch as a decent man of his word. He never struck me as being just about politics alone.

[ProSense]

5. The video

is posted here

I'm crying again.

[wisteria]

15. Thanks for posting. I didn't think it possible,but it was more moving listening to it the 2nd time.

Thanks for posting,again.

[TayTay]

8. I watched this at home with my daughter and husband

I couldn't be online and watch at the same time. It was just too much.

That was a proper send off for Teddy. Poignant and sorrowful, joyful and uplifting. It acknowledged the sins and showed the sinner rising above his human frailties to shine. What a great sendoff.

I don't believe I have ever seen anything more painful than Sen. Kerry's face when he was addressed in public as the now Senior Senator from Massachusetts. Never has someone wanted a title less than the good Senator from MA wanted this. God that was so difficult to hear. My heart went out to him then, it really, really did.

Everyone did a good job. They "done right"by Teddy tonight. They sang him off to heaven, as well they should. Nice job people, nice job. (What, isn't it like this for everyone? We tell stories, oh my god, do we ever love stories.)

[ProSense]

9. Beautiful event.

Wonderful stories. I posted Kerry's (3 parts) in the video forum.

[wisteria]

13. Oh Tay, I just can't believe he is gone and we won't hear his boisterous,passionate voice anymore.

And, it is so hard to see how difficult this is for Senator Kerry. There was love there and it so difficult to say good by.

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. It was perfect

I cried and I laughed, the stories were great. I especially liked the story telling of Sen. Culver. JK was JK, funny ( I remembered that story about Teddy and Vanessa in N.M.)emotional, heatfelt and I will never forget the closing, "sail on my friend, sail on". :cry:

[Inuca]

19. "we will always have New Mexico"

What a sense of humor the man had! As to JK's speech as a whole, I just cannot find the words to comment about it and do it at least partial justice, sad and funny and beautifully crafted, all in perfect balance, and through all of it the authenticity of love and loss.

[YvonneCa]

11. Yes. I watched it all. Senator Kennedy was a lucky man...

...to have such friends and so much love. :grouphug:

[wisteria]

12. My mother called me to let me know that she thought Senator Kerry did such a wonderful job.

IMO, there is no higher authority than my mother.

[karynnj]

14. We listened in the car going up to Albany, because we are going to VT

(and split the trip by staying in Albany)

It was fantastic - really celebrating his life, but always close to emotions. Kerry was great - I just watched the clip that Prosense posted. His stories were wonderful, he did a great EMK impersonation when speaking of Iowa, he gave the best, most inclusive list of all the things that Teddy affected, and the end of his speech was beautiful both in imagery and concept. (I love Kerry's ability to almost paint a picture with words. The sentence about the grey sky and sea linked to mourning followed by the brighter day is amazing.

I loved Senator Culver's story. Chris Dodd and Joe Biden were good as well. Joe Kennedy was very good, which surprised me. Orrin Hatch showed a personality I had never seen, but should have guessed was there - or it would be hard to explain his close friendship with Teddy. McCain was too much about McCain.

As a biased person, I think Kerry's was the best written, most ambitious speech - combining the stories that they all had, with defining why Teddy was great and ending with a very eloquent, up beat conclusion.

[wisteria]

16. I agree. And yes, McCain was all about McCain and the one speaker who wasn't very personal. n/t

[Inuca]

20. I found McCain annoying

Granted, I am biased, but still. I am not a huge Orrin Hatch fan either, and I thought his speech was one of the most touching, funny and sad, and especially authentic, sappy but very moving poem at the end included. As you said, for the first time I realized that they must have been truly friends, odd couple or not.

Also about McCain: did you notice how Vicky went towards him when he stepped down and he just walked away? I am sure he did not do it on purpose, he probably just did not notice her, but the point is that he did not ggo towards her or look at her, he just walked...

[politicasista]

17. delete

Not worth saying right now. Peace. :grouphug:

[jillan]

18. I concur - Sen Kerry gave the best speech of the nite.

You could just tell how much he loved Teddy. Kerry was funny and mushy at the same time.
He really gave us insight into their relationship. It was a great tribute.

[ObamaKerryDem]

21. Totally agree. It was beautiful. :)