# Ted Kennedy has a Malignant Brain Tumor: End of an Era? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 20, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993 "2008-05-20T17:36:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/1 "2008-05-20T17:36:37Z")
It appears Ted Kennedy has a [Malignant Brain Tumor](http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0508/Kennedy_has_malignant_brain_tumor.html) in his right parietal lobe. He will apparently undergo normal treatment cycle for this. No longterm prognosis as of yet. Is this an end of an Era for the Kennedy’s? I wonder what this will do if anything to the MA dems? Does a sitting Senator have a timeline after a serious sickness to get back to work? For those who believe he was an icon for dems, what will this do to his area of the senate? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/2 "2008-05-20T17:44:52Z")
Left parietal lobe. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/3 "2008-05-20T17:47:01Z")
From a strictly legal standpoint, this deoesn’t affect his senate term at all. Even if he were to spend the rest of his term in the hospital, he’ll remain a senator, and while he won’t be able to debate or vote on bills, his staff will still be providing constituant services. From a broader, “What will this mean” standpoint, Ted Kennedy is an icon. He’s the inheritor of the Kennedy legacy, and was a tireless fighter for American liberalism. Like him or dislike him, he’s been a living legend and if he doesn’t come back to the Senate, he’ll be missed by people on both sides of the aisle. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/4 "2008-05-20T17:52:40Z")
1-5 year prognosis with chemo and radiation (and tons of pot brownies, hopefully). Left parietal lobe damge can cause all kinds of sensory problems as well as aphasia. He’ll probably have to leave the Senate, though maybe not. I believe his current term runs to 2012. He might be able to last that long. Any Mass. residents have any idea who might be likely to win that spot if TK has to resign? Please don’t tell me Mitt Romney could take it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/5 "2008-05-20T18:06:53Z")
Not a Mass. resident, but my bet is on Ed Markey. He’s the most prominent of the Mass. house delegation, and he expressed an interest in running for Kerry’s seat if Kerry became president in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/6 "2008-05-20T18:22:21Z")
The job will most likely go to the current Kennedy “clown prince” (Joe Jr.-"call Joe4Oil). That’s what “Citizen’s Energy” was set up for. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/7 "2008-05-20T18:29:25Z")
Is Joe Jr. the bipolar recovering cocaine addict with the Ambien blackouts? Or is it a Kennedy with problems that would disqualify him from the Senate? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/8 "2008-05-20T18:37:20Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Is Joe Jr. the bipolar recovering cocaine addict with the Ambien blackouts? Or is it a Kennedy with problems that would disqualify him from the Senate? [/QUOTE] I dunno. Nothing about that [here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Patrick_Kennedy_II) Maybe you mean [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy%2C_Jr.) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/9 "2008-05-20T18:40:33Z")
No, there was one of them that was driving to a Congressional session that he thought was being held at 2:00am or something similar. He blamed it on an Ambien blackout. It’s hard to keep the various drug addicts, sexual harassers, drunks and psychos straight in Camelot. ETA: It was [Patrick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_J._Kennedy), and he has said he isn’t going to run for the Senate. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/10 "2008-05-20T18:42:29Z")
He means Patrick Kennedy… > **[Patrick J. Kennedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_J._Kennedy)** > > Patrick Joseph Kennedy II (born July 14, 1967) is an American politician and mental health advocate. From 1995 to 2011, he served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Rhode Island's 1st congressional district. He is a former member of the President's Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, and co-founder of One Mind. > Born and raised in Boston, he is the youngest child and second son of the long-time Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy... ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/11 "2008-05-20T18:43:20Z")
Thanks, **CA**. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/12 "2008-05-20T18:44:12Z")
Nothing like a serious illness to make some of us show how much class they have. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/13 "2008-05-20T18:46:00Z")
_Arnold, breaking the news to Maria:_ “It’s a toomuh.” Not to make light of this, you understand. Tough break, Teddy. Luck of the Irish to ya. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/14 "2008-05-20T18:50:16Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Is Joe Jr. the bipolar recovering cocaine addict with the Ambien blackouts? Or is it a Kennedy with problems that would disqualify him from the Senate? [/QUOTE] That was Patrick Kennedy (son of Teddy), and Massachusettes is not his state. He’s a Rep from Rhode Island. [Joseph P. Kennedy II](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Patrick_Kennedy_II) (not Jr. Jr is dead) is a son of RFK and and a Rep from Mass. His controversies include an attempt to annull his first marriage and running a non-profit organization to provide heating oil to poor people that accepts donations from a Venuzualan oil company. In other words, JPKII has no problems which would disqualify anyone, much less a kennedy. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/15 "2008-05-20T18:56:54Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Luck of the Irish to ya. [/QUOTE] From what I know of Ireland’s history, that is no blessing. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/16 "2008-05-20T18:58:03Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] Nothing like a serious illness to make some of us show how much class they have. [/QUOTE] Precisely what I was thinking. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/17 "2008-05-20T18:59:05Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] That was Patrick Kennedy (son of Teddy), and Massachusettes is not his state. He’s a Rep from Rhode Island. [/quote] Heaven knows a Democrat would never run for the Senate for a state where [del]she[/del] he didn’t grow up. > [@](#): > > [Joseph P. Kennedy II](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Patrick_Kennedy_II) (not Jr. Jr is dead) is a son of RFK and and a Rep from Mass. Gosh, where have I seen that cite before? 😃 Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/18 "2008-05-20T18:59:17Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] [Joseph P. Kennedy II](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Patrick_Kennedy_II) (not Jr. Jr is dead) is a son of RFK and and a Rep from Mass. His controversies include an attempt to annull his first marriage and running a non-profit organization to provide heating oil to poor people that accepts donations from a Venuzualan oil company. In other words, JPKII has no problems which would disqualify anyone, much less a kennedy. [/QUOTE] Well, the Wiki article does say his first marriage, to the former Sheila Rauch, was annulled on the grounds of “mental deficiency”; but it does not say whose. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/19 "2008-05-20T19:01:55Z")
The family appears to be cursed. Either that or it was the first mass media publicized family in America, and just as harsh things happen to other families all the time who aren’t in the spotlight like the Kennedy’s are. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993/20 "2008-05-20T19:03:18Z")
With Ted Kennedy likely not around much longer and Robert Byrd in his 90’s, the wingnuts will lose about 80% of their jokes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-kennedy-has-a-malignant-brain-tumor-end-of-an-era/449993.md?page=2)