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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Mitt Romney is no JFK, RFK or Ted Kennedy

Posted on Monday, June 04, 2012 at 09:49 AM

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The Kennedy boys

Last week Mitt Romney compared himself to John F. Kennedy. He wasn't talking about Kennedy's life or achievements though, he was talking about his bank balance.

It was an unfortunate comparison though, because if Romney was looking for a legacy he should have known to shy away from the Kennedy's.

History shows, the Kennedy's worked tirelessly to promote social justice and equal opportunity every day of their political lives.

As one of his first presidential acts Jack Kennedy created the Peace Cops, in which young Americans volunteered to help underdeveloped nations in areas such as education, farming, health care and construction.

As one of his first presidential acts Mitt Romney has pledged to repeal Obamacare and introduce massive tax cuts for billionaires. So there's a major difference in the audience he's playing to and the people who will benefit.

Romney couldn't compare himself to Robert Kennedy either. Robert Kennedy promoted racial equality, championing the Civil Rights Movement in the years when Mitt Romney was giving involuntary haircuts to gay guys and walking blind teachers into glass doors. Kennedy battled organized crime and was largely successful in prosecuting several key crime figures. As Attorney General under President Lyndon Johnson he resigned after splitting with him over several issues including the Vietnam War.
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And Ted Kennedy was instrumental in the following laws: The Head Start program, The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, Meals on Wheels Act of 1972, Title 9 prohibits discrimination against women and provides equality for women in schools, Americans with Disabilities Act 1990, The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act 1990, The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and many others.

Ted Kennedy stood with the gay community during the darkest years of the Aids crisis in the 1980's, when conservatives like Ronald Reagan justified public bigotry against them by citing the Bible and far right leaders like Jesse Helms suggested they be thrown into concentration camps.

In contrast for most of his adult life Mitt Romney has worked tirelessly to enrich a small number of fat cat shareholders. As president he will work to present massive tax cuts to fat cat millionaires.

It's disgraceful that even dare to compare himself to the lives and legacies of these men.

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50 Comments

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BrianO | Jun 06, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT

BYthehay, what do you know of Massachusetts politics?

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Bythebay | Jun 06, 2012, 02:44 PM EDT

Romney will cripple the US the same way he crippled the State of Massachusetts when he was Governor. He couldn't even run for a second term he was so disliked.

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Bythebay | Jun 06, 2012, 02:42 PM EDT

The description of the Kennedys in this article defies credibility. The Kennedys did nothing of that, they were self-serving, spoiled, useless except for their own glorification and power.

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The Waltons | Jun 06, 2012, 01:08 PM EDT

Could never be a Kennedy. He's not rich white trash, doesn't cheat on his wife, hasn't killed anyone and isn't a drug addict. Can you believe it's been almost three years since Ted Kennedy last had a drink. I guess with the right motivation, anyone can change.

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IrishAndProud | Jun 05, 2012, 09:57 PM EDT

And thank goodness Mitt is no Kennedy. That's not an insult, but rather a compliment (though JFK would be a conservative, by today's standards). Even so, Mitt is still more like the Kennedys than Barack Obama -- something that can also be said of every other U.S. President(but which is only denied by those with white guilt). At any rate, if things don't change Mitt Romney is the next President of the United States; additionally, I'm quite happy to report tonight that the Democrats have just suffered their latest defeat, in Wisconsin; they couldn't unseat Scott Walker (the same state they couldn't win control of in last year's elections, either...and which will likely swing away from Obama this fall -- like a good number of OTHER states he carried in a fluke).

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Dubnorth | Jun 05, 2012, 11:09 AM EDT

You are dead right he is no Kennedy. Happily married over 40 years. Never cheated on his wife, never took advantage of interns, or told them to "service" his friends, never left a girl friend to drown, while he called his lawyer instead of 911. Never accused of cheating on an exam at Harvard, and completed am MBA and JD at the same time. Actually worked for a living in the private sector, something the Kennedys never did, and made money for his clients, his investors , which included a number of Union Pension Funds. There are retired union workers enjoying nice pensions because of Mitt Romney and Bain. You are dead right he is no Kennedy. Oh yes he also saved the Olympics from bankruptcy. He is definately not a Kennedy.

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peggydf | Jun 05, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT

Romney is a person who lacks both commitment and integrity. Regardless of how he chooses characterizes himself (and those charictarizations often change weekly), most of us see him for the sham that he is.

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Fran Connor | Jun 05, 2012, 10:27 AM EDT

If JFK were alive today, he'd be a republican. Can you imagine a democrat sayin "Ask not what your country can do for you..."?

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BrianO | Jun 05, 2012, 10:12 AM EDT

Lower rates of taxation will stimulate economic activity and so raise the levels of personal and corporate income as to yield within a few years an increased – not a reduced – flow of revenues to the federal government.” – John F. Kennedy, Jan. 17, 1963, annual budget message to the Congress, fiscal year 1964-------------------------------The largest single barrier to full employment of our manpower and resources and to a higher rate of economic growth is the unrealistically heavy drag of federal income taxes on private purchasing power, initiative and incentive.” – John F. Kennedy, Jan. 24, 1963, special message to Congress on tax reduction and reform

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BrianO | Jun 05, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT

No problem sean, just pointing out the donation even if the charity is not deemed important enough to some, it was donated which differs him from most, certainly from me. For all that want to hate him for having wealth, there is a lesson: attend school with a reason, study hard and achieve outstanding grades and you will succeed on your own.

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seanomelb | Jun 05, 2012, 12:57 AM EDT

Now BrianO don't verbal me. I merely stated a fact which you agree with.I would think more hihly of him and the world would be a better place if he gave the cash to a real charity like doctors without borders or join some of his fellow millionaires who're trying to eradicate diseases in third world countries

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irishpjk | Jun 04, 2012, 11:49 PM EDT

Thank God for telling me he is no Kennedy, when I read he was it made me worry that I might not be able vote at.

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borefield | Jun 04, 2012, 10:40 PM EDT

Cahir, please stop making such a fool of yourself. Mitt Romney inherited honest money from his father, unlike Kennedy money from bootleg booze and fleecing poor Irish tenants. Thank God he is not like the Kennedy's, any of them, jack played around with women in every town in every state , Robert had a real cruel streak in him, Ted was instrumental in the drowning of a young woman while he saved his own skin, impressive attributes.? I think not. The Kennedy legacy of destruction and power still goes on as recent as two weeks ago. Romney was making a comparison to JFK in broad political terms.

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BrianO | Jun 04, 2012, 10:22 PM EDT

Romney donated his inheritance to Brigham young university. But if he donated it to the religion of his choice that would be his choice. Nice how tolerant the tolerant left is of people they do not agree with.

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hollabackgurl | Jun 04, 2012, 10:17 PM EDT

Mitt Romney still won't say whether he supports a Senate bill to ensure equal pay for women, so there's your first clue girls.

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