Asymmetrical Information

Regardless of political persuasion, one could consistently respect Moynihan. He was one of the few politicians in my lifetime who transended time, party, and agenda. He approached each issue with intelligence. We will miss him dearly.

I agree. He was a brilliant statesmen. I met him once briefly in Washington. Every Senator thinks the world stops turning when he enters the room and that everyone around hangs breathlessly on his every word, of him that was true and he was the only one I met about whom I would say that and I'm a life long Republican.

The only thing Moynihan did that I really object to is install Hillary in office.

That was kidding, a bit. I admired him quite a lot, even though I disagree with him almost totally, politically. Smart man, wonderful speaker and debater. He'll be missed by many.

Indeed he'll be missed--count me as another one from the opposite side of the aisle conveying my great respect for Moynihan. "Defining Deviancy Down" all by itself would have made him noteworthy.

I cannot agree with the above. Respect? It is true that Moynihan's brilliant mind foresaw the consequences of ultra-statist legislation far more clearly than any of his contemporaries; yet he CEASELESSLY VOTED FOR THAT SAME DESTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION!

Brilliant - but evil!

As a socially liberal, economically conservative democrat, I often hang my head in shame at the action my party takes. With Pat Moynihan, I never felt that way. He was a man with vision, insight and a keen ability to cut through the bs.

As a non-politician he wrote some facinating material on the development of society in the US. The growth of "minorities" and the eventual classification of groups in the US, not by race, but by religion. Just facinating and, it seems, mostly correct.

Pat will be missed.

All over an appendectomy. Any surgery that age is dangerous, they say.

Agree with him or not: he was a great man.

Dean, my impression is that Moynihan's appendix had burst, so it wasn't the appendectomy but the subsequent infection (burst appendixes [appendices?] frequently lead to peritonitis). Though, as you say, no operation is minor at his age.

I agree with David. Moyhihan was a fine man, but his endorsement of Hillary Clinton as his successor lowered my estimation of him. He was a great thinker, but he endorsed a typical leftist hack politician for his seat.

There's also some irony in that the welfare reform passed under Clinton was largely based on Moynihan's thoughts, but he didn't support the bill (IIRC).

I'm curious, Jane: Why do you say we will never see his like again?

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