Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens Killed in Plane Crash
by Publius
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Former Sen. Ted Stevens, an uncompromising advocate for Alaska for four decades who delivered scores of expensive projects to one of the nation’s most sparsely populated states, has died in a plane crash at the age of 86.
Family spokesman Mitch Rose says Stevens was among five people killed in the crash outside Dillingham, about 325 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Stevens began his career in the days before Alaska statehood and did not leave politics until 2008, when he was convicted on corruption charges weeks before Election Day. But a federal judge threw out the verdict because of misconduct by federal prosecutors.
Stevens, a moderate Republican, was appointed in December 1968 and became the longest-serving Republican in Senate history. (The late Strom Thurmond was in the Senate longer than Stevens, but he spent a decade there as a Democrat before switching to the GOP.)
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64 Comments
Didn't know much about him, but RIP either way.
Corruption charges? I wonder if they will put that on his marker? What a terrible way to go, I hope his family is OK
It's never good news when tragedy strikes. RIP Senator Stevens.
Prosecutorial Immunity is a problem in the United States, a problem that needs fixing.
As for the Senator, RIP.
Whatever you may think of the Senator, he never lived his life quietly……..nor, did he die that way. I think he would have preferred this end. Pray, his family may feel the same.
RIP.
Interesting. Why Dillingham? Been there. Good airport, good lighting, and approaches. Anyway, RIP and my condolences to his family and friends..
Fox reported it hit the side of a mountain. Info is still very sketchy.
Fox is now reporting that former NASA head Sean O'Keefe has survived the crash….from Reuters……Fox hasn't yet confirmed.
The current weather in Dillingham is reported as winds out of the southwest at 10 gusting to 18, 3 miles of visibility with light rain and fog, clouds scattered 600 ft and overcast at 1400. Not good. That amphibious turbo Otter was probably not equipped for instrument flight and was probably scud running when it came upon the edge of the sky. There are piles of aluminum all over that area of Alaska for the same reason. RIP senator.
Rest in Peace Senator. The prosecutors that prosecuted you are now under investigation. Condolences to the family.
Rest in peace, and my condolences to the family of Sean O'Keefe who wanted to take us to the stars as well.
We can continue on. http://colonize.wordpress.com
So this guy, who " delivered scores of expensive projects to one of the nation’s most sparsely populated states" and "was convicted on corruption charges weeks before Election Day", gets treated with respect from this site because he has died simply because he was a Republican.
If he was a Democrat he would have been treated like Byrd and Ted Kennedy were.
Uncle Ted will be missed. God Bless America and God Bless Ted Stevens
FYI: Recalculate federal spending in Alaska and try running this number: dollars spent per Federally Owned acre of land/mile of coastline. It's pennies per acre managing yer land, and coast line folks!
Gone up to that series of tubes in the sky.
Must have been a small aircraft enroute to Dillingham. Thanks.
RIP and may God Bless..
Checking Wiki to see if Ted Stevens was a Klan member or murdered a woman…NOPE!
You are lying and you know it. Conservative sites treated both Byrd and Kennedy with respect upon their deaths.
I'll call your bluff, lets see you give links to pages full of scorn and vitriol from this site or any other truly conservative site about a person that's died.
If he murdered a woman, you're correct.
If he was a long time muckety muck in the Ku-Klux-Klan. Yes, we would slam him.
If he actively tried to pass along NSC intelligence to the KGB, simply to further his election chances, You bet we would.
If he actively filibustered the Civil Rights legislation, then disingenuously tried to take ownership of it later, sure.
Oh yeah….as stated above, the prosecutors involved in that little bit of railroading, are under investigation.
Now, your point was?
RIP as this was clearly a tragic accident… but there must always be something more, otherwise news like this has no place on this site.
He was a pork barrel king and a poor excuse of a conservative. Is it any suprise that he and his NASA buddy OKeefe were on a corporate junket aircraft to a corporate junket fishing retreat.
This isn't about politics, Canuck. This is about the tragic death of an American Senator. This is about paying respect to him and his family. It is very immature to think that only those who you agree with politically are deserving of sympathy. I won't stoop to your level and argue about politics……take that discussion to your like-minded friends.
speaking ill of the dead, karma dude!
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. Waiting for the "tolerant" liberals to post about "how he deserved it!".
3 miles and scattered at 600 is still VFR, but even legal VFR in the mountains may still be risky. I thought ADSB and the Capstone project were reducing the accident rate up there. Maybe someday. In the meantime, RIP senator and best wishes to your family.
How conveeeenient that you left out the part where, thanks to Fibbie and prosecutorial misconduct, Stevens was railroaded so egregiously that the conviction was vacated and the indictment against him was dismissed with prejudice on orders of…
… are you sitting down?
… ERIC HOLDER!
Took me all of about 90 seconds to verify all this. Maybe next time, you could look it up, too, before making yourself look like a bloomin' idiot. Again.
Now get lost, ghoul.
The man has lost his life, we need to respect that and offer prayers and thoughts to his family. This is what separates us from the tyrannical children on the Left. We offer prayer, sympathy and condolences to the loved ones of the deceased….no matter if its Ted Stevens, Ted Kennedy or just ordinary strangers.
The man has lost his life, we need to respect that and offer prayers and thoughts to his family. This is what separates us from the tyrannical children on the Left. We offer prayer, sympathy and condolences to the loved ones of the deceased….no matter if its Ted Stevens, Ted Kennedy or just ordinary strangers.
I remember watching Senator Stevens making an impassioned and forboding speech when the vote to open up ANWR to oil exploration failed. Trying to find transcript. He defended his state very well from the federal government with passion. Rest easy Senator you did the right thing. It lost by one vote.
Just to remain consistent as we all pass judgment on the recently deceased senators (Byrd and now Stevens), it is government officials like this that help to inflate the cost of doing government. We must find a way to reward frugalness. I realize it is a conflict with doing what is right for your state versus doing what is right for American taxpayers.
we would be better served if it was a past senator from ill…………………
Poetic justice: stevens should be buried on Gravina Island at the end of his "Bridge to Nowhere".
President Obama:
A decorated World War II veteran, Senator Ted Stevens devoted his career to serving the people of Alaska and fighting for our men and women in uniform. Michelle and I extend our condolences to the entire Stevens family and to the families of those who perished alongside Senator Stevens in this terrible accident. http://www.foxnewsinsider.com/2010/08/10/reaction....
nice try to use a death to attack the opposition, though
my condolences as well.
Who told this idiot we like Republicans anyway?
Get lost Canuck.
RIP CROOK!
dead politicians become statesmen…we need a ton of statesmen…
Senator Internet Tubes has died. He left office in disgrace and with a huge cloud of stupidity hanging over his head. And he died in an airplane crash. And now we're talking about it through his internet tubes. Life really is a circle… to nowhere.
What's a "moderate Republican"?
An interesting guy. He tried to become a pilot in WWII. He was rejected by the Navy for vision problems. He got a book of eye exercises and eventually was accepted in the Army Air Corps and became a transport pilot. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal. Got a little off track in later life, but who doesn't? Prayers.
I was opposed to some of the more gleeful posts around here when Ted Kennedy died, and so were a lot of other people. No one is getting respect just for being a Republican.
That said, did Ted Stevens run anyone off a bridge into Chappaquidick?
In America, a "canuck" is that part of a girl that we love to fiddle with. "She gives great 'canuck'" we say.
Canada is called the "Uppa US" down here. We eat Canuck bacon and spit out the grits. You belong to a failing empire that we defeated several times. You are a loser.
How's that Canuck healthcare goin' fer ya?
Are you oot and aboot?
Nuh-uh. I don't like him or his policies, but I don't want him dead. Just way the hell away from the White House. Comments like yours just give the trolls something else to tee off on.
FOAD, asshole!
A little like your mental capacity NOWHERE! No toad! Now STFU!!
Rest In Peace Ted…and God Bless your family.
Senator Ted Stevens knew Alaska and it's people better than anyone, including his FUBAR detractors. A bridge to nowhere today, could be a vital bridge to somewhere tomorrow. Stevens had that kind of hindsight and insight!
maybe a little harsh, but the ongoing security will cost a fortune for this absolute POS……….. just on principle we would all be better off……………..maybe I was referring to John M. Palmer
)
No, dear. Republicans are known for treating people with respect when they are sick or dying. We often pray for them and their families.
If you really want to see sick, check out the Huffington Post comment sections on any article about Tony Snow's battle with cancer. They basically turn off comments whenever there's an article about Dick Cheney being hospitalized because they're so vile and rude.
You are accusing conservatives of something you have no proof we have ever done. In short, you're a liar. And very sick to bring up politics in an RIP thread.
ETA: Hey, just check out HuffPo's comments section tonight in any article about Sen. Stevens. You'll see everything you're accusing us of doing but for which you don't have a shred of evidence.
He was railroaded, had his conviction overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct and was, at the time of this corporate junket, a private citizen.
The man has died. Don't be a jerk.
Check out HuffPo or Democratic Underground comments if you want to see what libertylobo's referring to.
Not nice.
Ssssshhhhh! You're proving Canuck wrong. She wants her high horse back!
This man was a Hero in every sense of the word! "The Bridge to nowhere" is a vital necessity to the people who live and work in Catchican Alaska. Some day they will have their bridge because it makes sense! Anyone who has scene the Coronado Bridge in San Diego knows, that bridge is vital to their community, the bridge in question that has caught some flack by those that would denigrate good things, is Vital. Unfortunately for all of America the Progressive socialists are using the Race card and the Corruption word to wield their own brand of fear and loathing…How can anyone on the left or on the Government dole ever justify their selective conscience for conservatism? They Can't.
Mr. Stevens you will be missed! Alaska, the United states of America, and the World is a better place because men like you exposed themselves to public opinion to do the right thing!
Thank You!
A simple RIP shall suffice. As far as we know Ted Stevens didn't leave a woman to drown in a car that he drunkenly drove into a river.
http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/06/28/sen-r...
http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/06/28/sen-r...
"Ding Dong the ___Grand Klegal___ is dead! The Wicked ___Exalted Cyclops___ is dead!"
"get the white sheet and hood ready…here comes KKK BYRD for his final rally….LOL at libs. "
"Good riddance to Robert KKK Byrd. "
"Poor soul, I hope they bury him in an asbestos casket. "
"At first Byrd was believed to be suffering from heat exhaustion and severe dehydration…
considering where he is headed, doctors expect these symptoms to persist….for eternity. "
nope, none at all… and that some from just one site for one death.
My sympathies for the family and friends of senator Stevens.
Was he up for re-election? If so I cannot help wondering if they will select/elect an interim and whether that interim would further tip the balance in favor of the democrats as we fight to mitigate any further damage they can cause between now and the mid-term elections.
Oh my
Stevens lost his Senate re-election bid in 2008. He won the Republican primary in August and was defeated by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich in the general election.
Is that the best you could do — out of all of those pages?
See, you just proved my point.
CHECKING just one site with just one of the deaths and only a few pages of comments, these are just a FEW of the disrespectful comments. To put it another way, with Byrd's death, this web site had about a half dozen comments that were respectful. The rest either insult him, or only wonder how this will affect the passage of bills in the senate. And that doesn't even include the comment removed by an admin.
On Sen. Edward Kennedy’s death: “If you can’t say something nice about a person, then say mean things about them instead,”
- Andrew Breitbart
What you got there is NOTHING compared to your whinny infantile liberals that cut loose every time a conservative dies on sites like Daily KOS. All of what you presented sounded like people singing in a choir compared to what you get on the liberal sites. There is no comparison.
Besides I said — show me conservative pages "FULL of scorn and vitriol from this site or any other truly conservative site" — you still haven't done that because you can't. They don't exist. You cherry pick a few comments that are less than respectful and crow about it. You got nothing.
to quote you "Conservative sites treated both Byrd and Kennedy with respect upon their deaths."
I gave you the link for this sites report on Byrd's death earlier. Find dozen respectful comments on it. Find ten. Good luck.
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