Well, I'm Going to Say It

I'm sorry to be crass, but I think it's time to talk about the silence surrounding one health care reform issue: the 60th Democrat. Jonathan Cohn is only the latest to say:

It seems increasingly unlikely the ailing Ted Kennedy could be present for a vote.

Is it really plausible that Ted Kennedy is going to risk undermining his life's work, the single issue that he's been most associated with for at least thirty years, because he's going to insist on keeping his Senate seat even if he's no longer able to show up when needed?

I raise it mainly because this makes Kennedy look bad (by implying that he'd be irresponsible), and I strongly suspect that's not the case. I don't know that a formal statement from his office is necessary, but (assuming that the Democrats don't have to worry about a missing Senator) it shouldn't be hard to place a small item somewhere letting everyone know that, of course, it isn't going to be a problem.

[Note: last paragraph edited for clarity]