Ted Stevens

The news is reporting that former Senator Ted Stevens was killed in plane crash near Dillingham in Southwestern Alaska last night. As a former Alaskan I had no love for Ted Stevens, but I feel for his older kids. Their mother, Ann was killed in a plane crash in 1978. I remember hearing the explosion from my house, looking at the glow on the horizon, and wondering, "what was that?" I can't even imagine the kind of pain they must be feeling now.

Since so much travel is done by small plane in Alaska, there are several fatal crashes each year. Alaska's laughable excuse for a Representative, Don Young was elected in a special election after being beaten by a dead man, Nick Beigich Sr., whose plane disappeared in Southeastern Alaska days before the election. It was Beigich's son Mark Beigich who defeated Ted Stevens two years ago. Also on the plane with Nick was Speaker of the House Hale Boggs, the father of news personality Cokie Roberts. Their plane has never been found. Will Rogers and Wiley Post were also killed in a plane crash in Alaska. It's just that kind of place.