The Friendship between Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.



Okay, I don't really enjoy discussing politics, but I have always found the Kennedy family very interesting. So when Ted Kennedy died this week I got sucked into all the Kennedy specials. I think what intrigues me most about the family are the horrible tragedies they have suffered. There is a lot of mystery in their history that makes me curious and I always want to learn more about them. Well, tonight I was watching a clip of the Larry King Live special on Ted Kennedy and something Nancy Reagan said really struck me...

LKL: "You and your husband were quite friendly with the Kennedys, were you not?"

Nancy Reagan: "We were very friendly with them. Yes we were. Most people didn't realize the friendship or didn't accept the friendship or didn't know about the friendship. Ya know Ronny was so identified with the Republican party and Teddy obviously with the democrat party, but that doesn't make any difference Larry, really it shouldn't make any difference. I am afraid it does now, but it shouldn't."

Then later in the interview this is what is said:

Nancy Reagan: "They both certainly enjoyed good stories. They both had very definite opinions about things. I mean, it was a wonderful, wonderful friendship."

LKL: "Said a lot about America, didn't it?"

Nancy Reagan: "Yes it did, yes it did. And I wish, I wish Larry that I could say that of now. I just don't get the feeling that that's there now. Do you?"

LKL: "No, no. Respect seems to be gone."

I think we can learn a lot from people who have more life experience because with more experience comes more wisdom. Listening to Nancy Reagan tonight, I realize it is really a shame that people make politics come between them when Reagan and Kennedy were such extreme polar opposites politically, yet still had respect and love for one another. It is truly sad that more people can't be like them today. It breaks my heart when I see people segregate themselves because of politics. Political views should never be held so high that they separate you from a friend or make you speak disrespectful words of your president or a person of opposite political views.

Just because you disagree with someone doesn't mean you should disrespect them.