# Sen. Ted Kennedy:"Torture is an American value"! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258 "2005-02-03T21:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/61 "2005-02-04T17:15:43Z")
I started the thread to MOCK the drunken, befuddled Senator from massachusetts…and people have dredged up chappaquiddick! again, my purpose was to needle people-how can such a dufus as kennedy be trusted with important national decisions. for those of you who are interested, hear kennedy’s attempts to pronounce “obama”-he thinks “obama” and "osama’ are the same people! ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/62 "2005-02-04T17:26:51Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > [H]e thinks “obama” and "osama’ are the same people! Have you ever seen them together? Answer that one! ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/63 "2005-02-04T18:07:00Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I started the thread to MOCK the drunken, befuddled Senator from massachusetts…and people have dredged up chappaquiddick! > again, my purpose was to needle people-how can such a dufus as kennedy be trusted with important national decisions. > for those of you who are interested, hear kennedy’s attempts to pronounce “obama”-he thinks “obama” and "osama’ are the same people! Since you’ve deigned to return, you have, no doubt, some reference, some citation, some fucking thing that lends any support to your assertion, do you not? If not, then just shut the fuck up. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/64 "2005-02-04T18:07:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Have you ever seen them together? Answer that one! Don’t answer! It’s a trick question! Saying “yes” or “no” looks bad! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/65 "2005-02-04T19:29:28Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I started the thread to MOCK the drunken, befuddled Senator from massachusetts…and people have dredged up chappaquiddick! > again, my purpose was to needle people-how can such a dufus as kennedy be trusted with important national decisions. yeah, Ted Kennedy can slip up and say stupid things by accident. You seem to carefully plot out your idiocy. An as far as being trusted with important decisions, I’m quite certain that Kennedy knows the difference between war and genocide, which you, obviously, [do not.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=300319) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/66 "2005-02-04T19:34:56Z")
The sad, simple truth is that the Bush Administration _is_ making torture a core value, as evident by the headlines of the last few years ( **cough_ahem_Gonzales\*cough** ). The Apologists are simply pissed at Mr. Kennedy for stating the truth, and their cognitive dissonance is driving them to dig up any random nit at hand to “discredit” his words. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/67 "2005-02-04T21:08:25Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I started the thread to MOCK … my purpose was to needle people … Which is perfectly acceptable as long as the quote you provided is real. Would you be kind enough to provide a link to where Kennedy said that? It would provide some context so we can know what he really meant. Actually, as I think of it, I’m certain the quote is real. Because if it isn’t, then you’ve just admitted to … well, you know. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/68 "2005-02-04T22:12:48Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I started the thread to MOCK the drunken, befuddled Senator from massachusetts…and people have dredged up chappaquiddick! > again, my purpose was to needle people-how can such a dufus as kennedy be trusted with important national decisions. > for those of you who are interested, hear kennedy’s attempts to pronounce “obama”-he thinks “obama” and "osama’ are the same people! good to know you think that mispronounciation is a disqualifying characteristic for some one to be ‘trusted w/important national decisions’. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/69 "2005-02-04T22:12:49Z")
I despise ted Kennedy. Completely and unashamedly. BUT, when he says that the torture of anyone is wrong, then the drunken son of a bitch is right. That’s what matters. I don’t care if he was sober or drunk when he said it. I don’t care if my guns are safer than his car. Torture for any reason is wrong. In that one thing, I agree with him. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/70 "2005-02-05T21:30:56Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Since you’ve deigned to return, you have, no doubt, some reference, some citation, some fucking thing that lends any support to your assertion, do you not? > > If not, then just shut the fuck up. Well, the audio tape is more amusing, but here is a written version: > [@](#): > > Kennedy also mangled the name of the Democrats’ new star, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, calling him “Osama bin … Osama … Obama.” Somebody get the Senator another drink, stat! [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=407844&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=407844&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312) ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/71 "2005-02-05T21:46:47Z")
> [@milroyj](#): > > Well, the audio tape is more amusing, but here is a written version:… I believe **Hentor** was referring to the OP’s assertion that Kennedy said that “torture is an American value,” not to the passing reference to his momentary name confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258/72 "2005-02-06T04:16:16Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > I believe **Hentor** was referring to the OP’s assertion that Kennedy said that “torture is an American value,” not to the passing reference to his momentary name confusion. Yes, that is precisely what I was referring to. This is a two-page thread based on **ralph124c** ’s claim that Senator Kennedy said torture is an American value. I for one, would like to see evidence for the quote whatsoever. Absent that, I think it is a fairly obvious attempt to rile up a bunch of people with bullshit. **milroyj** , do you have anything, since you offered? It would be a bit like me writing an OP to say: “George Bush says ass-fucking Shetland ponies is the American pasttime! What a cunt, huh?” Wouldn’t you like to know whether I was talking out of my ass, referring to an out of context quote, misquoting, or just posting a lie to try to get a rise out of everyone? I’m sure you would. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-ted-kennedy-torture-is-an-american-value/288258.md?page=3)