San Fran Nan Waves the First Bloody Shirt

Within moments of the announcement of Teddy Kennedy's death I wrote this (which earned me no end of scorn from the lefties):

Look for his death to become the bloody shirt Obama will wave to promote socialized medicine. I can hear the rallies now: DO IT FOR TED! DO IT FOR TED! It'll be the Paul Wellstone memorial rally all over again.

That was just too easy:

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed Wednesday to push through embattled health reform legislation this year following the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, who called the effort "the cause of my life".

"Ted Kennedy?s dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration," Pelosi said in a statement.

One Twitter report I saw this morning said a writer at the liberal site Huffington Post is already calling it "TedCare".

By the time this is over Kennedy will be lauded as a saint who deigned to walk among us and whose teachings came from the gods themselves and must be obeyed.

The political crassness of the left will be on full display.

UPDATE: Here they come:

Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, also issued a statement this morning calling for the passage of health care overhaul. “Let us continue his cause,” Stern said. “Let us take action this year to pass health care reform. And let us continue to build Kennedy’s vision of America.”

South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the House majority whip, said: “As we move forward with health reform legislation, his absence will be palpable. But let us use his inspirational words as our guide, to rise to our best ideals and finally provide decent quality health care to all Americans as a fundamental right, not a privilege.”

And:

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said that both the Kennedy family and the Senate have “lost our patriarch” and vowed Congress would renew the push for the cause of Kennedy’s life, health care reform.

And from Robert Byrd:

In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American.

Does this mean Byrd will now support Obamacare? It was thought that he opposed the public option and was not a reliable vote on this issue.

Ace suggests this name for the bill: ChappaquiddiCare