America lost one of its most accomplished legislators, and liberals lost one of their greatest leaders, today with the untimely death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, U.S. senator from Massachusetts since 1962.
Known as the Liberal Lion of the U.S. Senate, Ted Kennedy nobly fought for equal opportunity for all, and was a boldly impassioned spokesman for justice for the poor and middle-class, and for immigrants. He particularly championed for reforms of health care and public education.
Sen. Kennedy called universal health care "the cause of my life," saying that "Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to."
Ted Kennedy was the youngest brother of President John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
Read my Profile of Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Equal Opportunity Champion to learn more about the historic achievements of this great American.
See President John F. Kennedy - National Archive Photos of His Presidency for more about the Kennedy family and legacy.
(Photo taken on January 20, 2009 at President Obama's Inauguration: Scott Applewhite/Getty Images)
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“….to speak for those who have no voice; to remember those who are forgotten; to respond to the frustration and fulfill the aspiration of all Americans seeking a better life in a better land….for all those whose cares have been our concern, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die.”
Edward Moore Kennedy, August 12, 1980
The lion sleeps.
I’ll never forget the night Ted Kennedy gave that speech at the Democratic National Convention after failing to win his party’s nomination for the presidency. I was staying in a one-room kitchenette in Liverpool, NY, just outside of Syracuse. It was – and remains – the greatest political oration of my lifetime. Watching the event on a small, black and white TV I instinctively knew I was witnessing one of those sublime moments in American history that would be remembered a century into the future.
Teddy Kennedy died late last night at the age of seventy-seven. In a life that is littered with ironies, here’s the biggest one of all: His three older brothers – Joe, Jack and Bobby – are eternally frozen in our imagination as the personifications of youth. How poignant that our final image of the baby of that family will be as an old man, frail and mortally ill.
When he first ran for the senate forty-seven years ago, I was all of four years old. Had I been writing about politics then it is a fairly good bet that I would have vehemently opposed the candidacy of Edward Moore Kennedy. Let’s be honest; in 1962 the guy was a lightweight. He ran for the Democratic nomination against another young man, Edward McCormick, whose uncle was the speaker of the House of Representatives. During a debate McCormick told him that were it not for his name, his candidacy would be viewed as a joke. It was a point well made. It is obvious when looking at film of that campaign that our boy Ted is in way over his head.
Whom among us would have dared dream all those years ago that this punk would one day evolve into the greatest senator ever to walk those halls?
An incredible realization just came to me: Teddy represented the state of Massachusetts for forty-six years, eight months and nineteen days. That is nearly three months longer than all the years his older brother Jack lived on earth. This truly is the end of an era, folks.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
Just for the record, here is a link for today.
http://themoderatevoice.com/44426/ted-kennedy-and-mary-jo-kopechne/
Sen. Kennedy called universal health care “the cause of my life,” saying that “Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to.”
– If only that could be true Ted!! – JohnnyDeppLover
Now maybe America can live