I didn't like the man at all. That's no secret.
Still, condolences to his family on the loss of a loved one. May he rest in peace.
MSNBC:
U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy dies
77-year-old loses yearlong battle with brain cancer at Hyannis Port home
HYANNIS PORT, Massachusetts - Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the liberal lion of the Senate, has died after battling a brain tumor. He was 77.
Kennedy's family announced his death in a brief statement released early Wednesday.
For nearly a half-century in the Senate, Kennedy was a dominant voice on health care, civil rights, war and peace, and more. To the American public, though, he was best known as the last surviving brother of a storied political family.
Kennedy was elected to the Senate in 1962, when his brother John was president, and served longer than all but two senators in history.
Over the decades, Kennedy put his imprint on every major piece of social legislation to clear the Congress.
‘Center of our family’ lost
His family's statement said:
"Edward M. Kennedy - the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply - died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port.
We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever.
We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all.
He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him."
Nancy Reagan ‘terribly saddened’
Former President Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy reacted to the news of Kennedy's death, saying:
"I was terribly saddened to hear of the death of Ted Kennedy tonight.
Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another.
In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him.
My heart goes out to Vicki and the entire Kennedy family."
7 comments:
I wonder how first-wife Joan will react to the news of her ex's death.
The lion sleeps....
"....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
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. Forgive the cliche that is so overused it has become trite through repetition, but this really is the end of an era.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
RIP Ted. Death took what lack of term limits could not.
Just a note, I have had to delete two comments in this thread, not because they were rude to the Kennedy family, but because businesses are using the Kennedy death as an excuse to spam comments threads. Both of the comments I deleted were gentlemanly, respectful comments, but the clickthroughs included in the comments lead to vacation rental businesses.
Pathetic.
The Lion…Err Dog of the Senate.
“Teddy Kennedy was the weak kitten in the litter, never able to measure up to his brothers.
The accident at Chappaquiddick displayed his chronic immaturity. One problem Teddy has always had was keeping it in his pants – even when other people are around.”
- Cleo O’Donnell – wife of former Kennedy campaign aide.
Check out my take, and stick around for more good content.
http://libertarianhumor.com/2009/08/26/the-lion-err-dog-of-the-senate/
I can not believe how many spam comments I have had to delete in this thread.
I guess that the true measure of how people felt about Ted Kennedy. Just like Nancy Pelosi, everyone seems to view his death as an opportunity to make a buck.
Does Joan Bennett Kennedy get to dance a jig on his grave??? Vicki can pour the drinks. Wonder how much is left in the trust fund???
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