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Hello and welcome to the Slate Political Gab Fest for the 28th of August Friday. I'm John

Dickerson here with David Plotz and in a dark basement somewhere is Emily Bazelon. I'm happy

to be back with all of you. It feels like it's been a long time. It has been a long time.

It has actually. It's been since the 80s. So anyway, we're together and we're going to talk about the passing of Ted Kennedy.

Then we're going to talk about the latest disclosures from the CIA and the Justice Department on the question of interrogations and torture.

And then our third topic is going to be about the possible,

right? It's still possible recommendation from the CDC advising that newborns be circumcised

to prevent or hopefully prevent AIDS cases. And that will be our third topic. But our first

topic will be the passing of Ted Kennedy. Seventy-seven years old, the youngest son of the Kennedy family. Emily, what – I want to ask actually first about personal reactions because I think there's a – I have this sort of theory about our generation versus those that have come before, which is a totally banal theory. But that's where I'm beginning. So, Emily, what was your reaction to this? Is that your Kennedy-esque phrase, those that have come before? That was very Kennedy-esque.

Oh, was I? I'm banal.

All right. Emily, your reaction to this.

You know, I don't feel any great personal connection to Senator Kennedy, which I don't know how that fits into your theory. now I'm all curious about your theory.

But, you know, I did have the sense of this,

the enormity of his presence in the

Senate and the notion that we don't have a lot of senators who have his record of accomplishment

and of bipartisan relationships. And then I was really struck by the coverage that was asking

whether we can have another senator like that in the future, or if we've entered into a more divisive time where nobody can really play that kind of huge role. Or am I exaggerating?

Well, I think it's a couple of different things. But let's get David's reaction first before we gnaw on the meaty prospects you put before us.

Were you hear the show we did when Eunice Kennedy Shriver had died?

I was not here for them.

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