Let it not be said that right-wingers are not respectful to the dead. In their own, dark, twisted, hateful way, that is. While a few tasteful right-wing blogs simply noted Senator Edward Kennedy’s passing and added a quiet “Rest in Peace” (I have found no prominent right-wing blogger who posted only positive comments beyond the simple RIP), and a few more waited several minutes after a quiet respectful post to begin eviscerating his legacy, many simply began tearing into him right on the spot. The less honest bloggers couched it in terms that made it sound like they were being all respectful and solemn, while at the same time being their usual asinine selves.

Here is the always-charming Michelle Malkin on the death of Ted Kennedy:

The U.S. Senator from Massachusetts succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 77 tonight. Put aside your ideological differences for an appropriate moment and mark this passing with solemnity.

There is a time and place for political analysis and criticism. Not now.

Yes, there will be a nauseating excess of MSM hagiographies and lionizations — and crass calls to pass the health care takeover to memorialize his death.

That’s no excuse to demonstrate the same lack of restraint in the other direction. Not now.

Even as she ‘urges’ others not to do political analysis and criticism, she herself immediately does exactly that, slipping in not only criticisms of Kennedy himself–as if he does not deserve recognition for his long service–but insinuations of a Liberal Media™ giving him far more than his due. As I said, charming.

Redstate didn’t even try to be uncritical, couching their hatred only in recognition of tradition:

It is traditional, upon the passing of an important and famous person – however controversial – to find some good words to say. This is not an easy task in the case of Ted Kennedy, a man whose personal life ranged from alcoholism to debauchery to sexual harrassment [sic] to (sadly, uncharged) second-degree murder, and whose public career entailed the embrace of nearly every foolish, ruinous and cruel political idea of the past five decades and whose most enduring legacy is installing the bitterly polarized modern Supreme Court confirmation process.

But a few words are nonetheless in order to recognize the man’s work.

“News”Busters was predictably snide:

Expect many, many kind words about the “royal family” and so on to come. It’s clear that Kennedy was a historic figure in the Senate and an inspirational leader for American liberalism. We’ll be watching for statements (like the NBC anchor’s) that don’t ring true.

InstaPundit, like so many in the right wing, immediately began harping on the “Wellstone Effect.”

Outside the Beltway reprinted several media obits, and then gave their comment:

That the Chappaquiddick scandal didn’t make the first several paragraphs — or even first page — of several of these obits is quite remarkable. It would be like writing an obit for Richard Nixon that didn’t mention Watergate or one for Michael Jackson that glossed over repeated allegations of pedophilia.

Have they forgotten their shameful and shameless politicization of Reagan’s death just five years ago, how they tried to use it to boost their 2004 election results?

And in case you were wondering, the liberal bloggers generally showed respect without hate. Here’s Josh Marshall speaking only of a “revered” president, Kevin Drum linking to an article detailing what liberals admired him for. The only snide post I could find among left-wingers at the announcement of Reagan’s death was on the always-rabid DailyKos. And even when you compare the liberals criticisms just after Reagan’s death to conservative criticisms after Kennedy’s, there is a stark difference: liberals restrained their criticisms to politics and legacy, whereas most right-wing attacks on Kennedy after his death have been on his person and character, most notably accusing him of murder at Chappaquiddick, and for drinking and womanizing.

In general, liberals were immeasurably more respectful when the shoe was on the other foot. Sure, we criticized quite a bit in the days following. But for the most part, we bowed our heads and showed actual respect on the day.