Bloggers Mock Patrick Kennedy's Meltdown

(March 11) -- You'd think conservative pundits would cheer a Democrat who took to the House floor and unleashed a blistering tirade against the news media. Not if that congressman is Patrick Kennedy.

The son of the late Ted Kennedy -- known as the lion of the Senate -- might have been aiming for his father's legendary roar, but his emotional speech veered into Howard Dean scream territory. Video of the Rhode Island Democrat calling the news media "despicable" immediately went viral on the Internet and bloggers started buzzing.

He was speaking in favor of a resolution sponsored by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan within 30 days. Kennedy accused the media of ignoring the war and obsessing over the scandal that forced Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y., to quit.


"There's two press people in this gallery," Kennedy yelled, wheeling around to look at the section of the House chamber where reporters sit. "We're talking about Eric Massa 24-7 on the TV, we're talking about war and peace, $3 billion, 1,000 lives and no press? No press!"

Pointing and trembling, Kennedy -- who recently decided not to seek a ninth term -- said the American public is angry.

"It's because the press, the press of the United States is not covering the most significant issue of national importance and that's the laying of lives down in the nation for the service of our country. It's despicable, the national press corps right now."

There was little reaction on the left side of the blogosphere. On the right -- where an opportunity to bash the "mainstream media" is seldom missed -- there were instead hoots of derision and cruel remarks about Kennedy's past problems with drugs and alcohol.

"Who would have ever believed that a Kennedy would be complaining about the press? I feel like I am living in an alternative reality," the Boston Herald's Holly Robichaud said on her Lone Republican blog. "Normally I would think an outgoing congressman is making statements to set himself up for their next job. ... But who would hire Kennedy after that meltdown yesterday?"

Don Surber called it "a hissy fit" and charged that Kennedy was only upset that the media wasn't covering his own "grandstanding" over a "junk resolution."

Another conservative blogger, JammieWearingFool, said the media didn't cover the debate because it doesn't want to show President Barack Obama being challenged by members of his own party, especially when Republicans support him on Afghanistan.

"The media coverage of Massa has indeed been over the top at times," Sister Toldjah acknowledged on her blog. (Click to watch CNN's Jeanne Moos with all the highlights.) But she wondered why Kennedy didn't also complain about heavy coverage of the health care reform fight crowding out reports about Afghanistan. The answer, she said, is that health care was Ted Kennedy's "pet issue" as well as a top priority for Obama.

The lame duck lawmaker's bombastic performance inspired this headline on Ace of Spades HQ: Patrick Kennedy Vows to "Destroy" Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Undertaker in Wrestlemania 47.

Allahpundit was reminded of Matt Foley -- the late comic Chris Farley's motivational speaker character who shouted about "living in a van down by the river." The Hot Air blogger said "close your eyes and tell me he doesn't sound eerily similar." (Or open them, click on this best-of video and compare for yourself.)

The House defeated Kucinich's resolution, but the measure did get 65 votes -- including five from Republicans. Among them was Ron Paul of Texas, who did some bellowing of his own during Wednesday's floor debate. "Are are we going to do this for 10 more years? How long are we going to stay?" Paul shouted.

Although Kennedy got no sympathy from bloggers, a few readers who posted comments on Robichaud's page defended him.

From Bobp: If you actually listened to what he said he was right. Yes it was over the top and I thought he was going to have a stroke but he was right. The media would much rather talk about Massa and his meltdown or whether the First Lady's should be wearing jeans than cover any kind of policy discussion."

Another commenter, who goes by rsbe, saw method in Kennedy's mad-as-hell antics. If the congressman had made the same argument in a calm, statesmanlike manner, the poster said, "the only ones who would have seen or heard the message would have been the 6 people who watch C-SPAN. Crazy? Maybe crazy like a fox."