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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > August > 26 > Entry
Mike DeWine: Compassionate Kennedy worked across the aisle
While I didn’t agree with Ted Kennedy’s politics, I never questioned his compassion.
Our daughter Becky died in a car accident in 1993. Kennedy was one of the first people to reach out to Fran and me. I didn’t know him well, as I hadn’t been elected yet to the Senate. Still, he reached out with a very personal letter.
Kennedy understood tragedy. While most people only know his political side, I was fortunate enough to also know the human side. He was an extraordinarily compassionate man, who quietly looked out for people who were hurting — whether they were constituents, friends or senators.
When Republican Sen. Gordon Smith’s son, Garrett, committed suicide, Kennedy was one of the first people to offer support. Behind the scenes, he set up a memorial fund in honor of Garrett.
When a close Senate friend of mine found out that his nephew was seriously ill with cancer, Kennedy tried to find the best doctors in the country to treat him.
Though I vehemently disagreed with him about many things, especially his stance on abortion, Kennedy was the most influential legislator in the last 50 years. After 40 years in the Senate, he knew all the subjects, as he’d already fought all the battles at least once. His institutional knowledge was unmatched.
Kennedy was straight-up and honest. He would always tell you from the start what he could or could not do.
When putting together a piece of legislation in the Senate, you almost always need the support of both Republicans and Democrats. Because of the 60-vote requirement, I knew that if I wanted to get things done, I needed to walk across the aisle.
I also knew that if you got Kennedy on board, virtually all the Democrats would follow.
Several years ago, Kennedy asked me to be his Republican partner on legislation to regulate tobacco companies that were marketing their deadly products to children. He cared about children and knew I did, too.
Together, we worked our respective sides of the aisle, and we got our tobacco bill passed in the Senate two different times, but it never became law.
After I left the Senate, Kennedy continued the fight. Just a few weeks ago, President Barack Obama signed a version of our bill. Kids are safer today.
Kennedy used the Senate floor as a marketplace to talk to his colleagues and make deals. He had the philosophy of a serious legislator, with hard-core objectives and long-term goals.
He taught me persistence — not to go away, to keep coming back. You may only get one-third of the loaf in the first go-around, but that’s OK. You have to be in it for the long haul and come back the next year for another third.
Kennedy had an amazing sense of humor. When Ohio Supreme Court Justice Deborah Cook’s nomination for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was coming up for a vote, I walked across the aisle to get support from a group of wavering Democrats. Kennedy was nearby.
The Columbus Dispatch’s Jonathan Riskind was in the Senate press gallery watching. He heard Kennedy roar, “Sweet talker! Don’t come over here. You’ve done enough damage with your sweet talking!”
Cook’s nomination passed 66 to 25.
Ted was the consummate Irishman and story teller. When Fran and I traveled with a group of Catholic senators to Pope John Paul’s funeral, on the return flight, we stopped in Shannon, Ireland, to refuel. Kennedy brought all the senators into a room — Republicans and Democrats — where he regaled us with stories and served us Irish coffee and salmon on soda bread.
Kennedy was many things, and though we clashed on most issues politically, we found common ground. He was a legislator’s legislator — and that’s what set him apart.
Mike DeWine, a Republican Ohio attorney general candidate, served eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives, was Ohio lieutenant governor and served 12 years in the U.S. Senate.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Guest Columns, National Politics
Comments
By Plato
August 26, 2009 9:38 PM | Link to this
“This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector” (Plato-Circa 400 BC)By davidss2
August 27, 2009 7:09 AM | Link to this
DeWine says, “After I left the senate…” Hey, we republicans booted you out for a liberal because of your self-serving, effete views and methods.By daveb
August 27, 2009 7:41 AM | Link to this
While I have nothing against Kennedy, I think the news of 44 soldiers killed in Afganistan is a much more tragic story.By tommyv
August 27, 2009 7:41 AM | Link to this
Davidss2 is correct. Senator Dewine, you have this fetish about “reaching across the aisle,” to the point at which you stood for nothing except “legislating.” You did this to the point of cratering our constitutional freedoms. You were deservedly thrown out on your butt by republicans, not democrats, for failing to represent conservatives in Ohio. I am glad to see you are out of the Senate. Enjoy your retirement…you can “reach across the aisle” all you want, just stay the heck away from anything requiring knowledge of the Constitution!By ray
August 27, 2009 9:04 AM | Link to this
and just what constitutional freedoms did mike dewine crater?By Jeff
August 27, 2009 10:32 AM | Link to this
I think it is sad “Tommyv” and “Daveb” to use this article to express your nasty feelings about a Senator that served Ohio well. Any smart person would know that it takes bi-partisan support for any bill to pass congress i.e. tobacco reform. However, the focus here is about Kennedy not Dewine, please show respect for human life and a legislator that may not have touched your life but meant the world to others.By Jeff
August 27, 2009 10:32 AM | Link to this
I think it is sad “Tommyv” and “Daveb” to use this article to express your nasty feelings about a Senator that served Ohio well. Any smart person would know that it takes bi-partisan support for any bill to pass congress i.e. tobacco reform. However, the focus here is about Kennedy not Dewine, please show respect for human life and a legislator that may not have touched your life but meant the world to others.By Freedomlover
August 27, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this
The eulogizing of Ted Kennedy is quite nauseating. What about a young lady named Mary Jo? What about the 50 million babies killed by abortion? What about the millions of illegal aliens? What about the drunkenness and womanizing? Ted Kennedy’s legacy isn’t a pretty one, we should save our tears for those who truly deserve them.By daveb
August 27, 2009 11:01 AM | Link to this
I made no nasty comments whatsoever. Simply stated I find the death of 44 kids in Afganistan more sad than a nearly 80 year old rich man whether you liked him or not. I said the same thing about Reagan.By FE
August 27, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this
How ironic that Ted Kennedys most notable piece of legislation was on the coat tails of George W. Bush’s “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND BILL”.May God forgive Ted for his personal disgretions in life,there were many!By daytoncapri
August 27, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this
“You were deservedly thrown out on your butt by republicans, not democrats, for failing to represent conservatives in Ohio.” FACT CHECK: The message that DeWine got, and got repeatedly, if “we like you Mike, but we’re going to send a message.” That was the message of protest against the incumbent political party - the GOP. The Democratic tsunami of 2006 rolled over all of the nation. It was the wavering voters - the independents and the former-undecidedS, who voted out DeWine and replaced him with the more liberal Brown. But WE ORDINARY FOLK STILL LIKE MIKE. His odds of becoming Ohio’s next AG are good - IF the GOP stops acting like a circular firing squad.By David
August 29, 2009 12:38 AM | Link to this
Lots of small minded bloggers. The power of the internet attracts the haters.By Paul R. Cooper
August 30, 2009 12:10 AM | Link to this
These comment sections bring out a nasty, petty, uneducated and sometimes vicious part of us which gives one pause about the future of democracy.By Paul R. Cooper
August 30, 2009 12:11 AM | Link to this
These comment sections bring out a nasty, petty, uneducated and sometimes vicious part of us which gives one pause about the future of democracy.By Rick
August 30, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this
Mike DeWine is an idiot. He got way too comfortable in Washington and forgot his conservative roots. Go away, Mike.By Daniel
August 30, 2009 11:45 PM | Link to this
just because mike dewine actually took the time to reach across the aisle and was willing to compromise in order to get things done instead of being to stubborn and set in his ways to work together to get anything accomplished, does not mean that he was “damaging the Republican brand” as I have heard some haters (not here) say. in addition, attacking what he is choosing to do now (running for state attorney general), which is something most former Senators would never do, is uncalled for. you should at least be able to respect the man for his willingness to at least try and get something done and his continued efforts to help the people of the state of Ohio. oh yeah, it is also pretty low-class to mock his respecting of Ted Kennedy. He is trying to pay his respects to the Kennedy family who just suffered a loss; that is no reason to make fun of the man or his politics. i am sorry, but ignorant people p**s me off.”