Introducing Your New Health Care Legislation, Now With Kennedy Cachet!

Democrats have gone from 0-60 in their mastery of the important political skill of "subtly exploiting a Kennedy death." Yesterday, you'll recall, America's most unsuccessful technically successful senator Harry Reid announced that , uhh yeah , we're all acutely aware that Ted Kennedy's death is going to help our chances of doing what we want with health care. Like many things in politics, this was not okay for him to say despite it being completely true! Anyway, now this new plan, naming the health care bill after Kennedy... to honor him ... NOW THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE.

Also smart move, replacing Harry Reid with some online petition as the thing that's representing the will of the people:

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee says it's gathered more than 65,000 signatures on an online petition to "honor Kennedy" by naming the bill for him. And the Los Angeles City Council is now considering a resolution asking Congress to name the final health care legislation for Kennedy.

The resolution, introduced yesterday by Councilmember Paul Koretz, could be voted on next week, said an aide.

Koretz's statement: "Millions of people recognize the transcendent importance of Senator Edward Kennedy to the cause of improving our health care system, and vice versa. By renaming the bill in this way, our nation will honor both."

...and if (when) the bill is killed in the Senate, it will be the moral equivalent of naysayers bringing Ted Kennedy back to life just to kill him again. For shame , naysayers.

[ Ben Smith ]