Politicizing the politicization of Ted Kennedy’s death

Chris Matthews, adult adoption provider

Michelle Malkin has warned against the politicization of Kennedy’s death (Stacy McCain wasn’t listening), but, as Ed Morrissey points out at HotAir, that advice does not apply to Kennedy’s allies (even the media, who denies being an ally), and especially not to Chris Matthews who took it upon himself to make Barack Obama a part of the Kennedy family (metphorically) or,  Nancy Pelosi, who managed to hold out for several hours before issuing a middle-of-the night statement to reporters calling for passage of the health care bill in honor of Kennedy.

Expect a lot of what Michelle is calling “wretched excess” in the media coverage of Kennedy’s life. But what the hell, they said the same thing about us when Reagan died. Everyone’s entitled to be memorialized by those that love them best. (And if you say, “Yeah, but Reagan was a great man,” you’re proving my point.)

But memorializing is one thing. Using someone’s death to further a cause, as Matthews and Pelosi both did, is another. I don’t remember anyone saying, “In honor of the dearly departed President Reagan, we really need to dismantle the department of education.”

Kennedy’s dead and that’s that. The “Lion of the Senate” is entitled to be lionized by his . . . lionizers, I guess. And while I feel no need to politicize his death, I will sure politicize the politicization of it by The Left.

UPDATE: Professor Jacobsen is sympatico and reminds us that Rush was Right.