The eloquence of Ted Kennedy

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) made a landmark speech today before the Senate test vote on Judge Samuel Alito's supreme court confirmation, accusing him of trying to kill American children with a greater risk of asthma. In a speech only he could deliver, Senator Kennedy said:
"This is the issue, this is the time, this is the nominee! And we find out how we've been treated, Mr. President, and-- this body deserves better the American people deserve better. That's what it's about, let's really find out. Let's have a chance-- to go through-- uh-- this, uh-- these cases-- this, uh-- this nominee. We have, uh, know Mr. President that the right wing is-- now, in-- has its campaign, in-- uh, full, full gear-- uh, their mission is cover up uh, the truth. So we do need a full debate! Bring out the truth on Judge Alito's record. What's wrong with debate? [unintelligible] what Americans would do if they-- if they found out-- if they heard, uh, the full record? That's what, uh, the issue is, uh, Mr. President, and that's why-- uh, people are entitled-- uh, to-- uh, the time.
"We have doubled the number of deaths from ab-- asthma this year than we had five years ago! Doubled the deaths! For children. I wonder why that is? I don't know what you tell the mother when they see the children having that-- having that intensities. We pass laws, the President sign them, they go to the court in terms for interpretation, and where will this nominee come out? Will he come on out for that mother, who has a child? That's got asthma? Or that parent who's seen the pollution that's taken place in a pond-- in a lake-- and whose child has been affected by-- by them-- those kinds of poison."
As always, we are awed by the truly dizzying intellect of Senator Kennedy. However, we do wonder just what any of this has to do with Sam Alito.

**transcript taken by J.P. Emanuel from original audio**