http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32491712
BOSTON - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the liberal lion of the Senate and haunted bearer of the Camelot torch after two of his brothers fell to assassins' bullets, has died at his home in Hyannis Port after battling a brain tumor. He was 77.
For nearly a half-century in the Senate, Kennedy was a steadfast champion of the working class and the poor, a powerful voice on health care, civil rights, and war and peace. To the American public, though, he was best known as the last surviving son of America's most glamorous political family, the eulogist of a clan shattered again and again by tragedy.
His family announced his death in a brief statement released early Wednesday.
"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," the statement said. "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."
President Obama, on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., said he and the first lady were “heartbroken” to hear of Kennedy's passing.
“An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time,” Obama said.
Young senator
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, he put his imprint on every major piece of social legislation to clear the Congress.
His own hopes of reaching the White House were damaged — perhaps doomed — in 1969 by the scandal that came to be known as Chappaquiddick, an auto accident that left a young woman dead.
Kennedy — known to family, friends and foes simply as Ted — ended his quest for the presidency in 1980 with a stirring valedictory that echoed across the decades: "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
The third-longest-serving senator in U.S. history, Kennedy was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in May 2008 and underwent surgery and a grueling regimen of radiation and chemotherapy.
His death late Tuesday comes just weeks after that of his sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver on Aug. 11.
‘Ally and a dear friend’
Nancy Reagan, the widow of President Ronald Reagan, was one of the first to speak out from the Republican Party.
"Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family," she said in a statement.
"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," she said.
Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose wife, Maria Shriver, was Kennedy's niece, praised “the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle.”
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said that both the Kennedy family and the Senate have "lost our patriarch" and vowed Congress would renew the push for the cause of Kennedy's life, health care reform.
This man deserved to die when
This man deserved to die when he killed Mary Jo Kopechne.
I hope he is burning in hell for what he did in Chappaquiddick back in '69.
Good Riddance. And the lack of his vote may stop health care reform and cap and trade. It's good news all around.
Peter, there's a way better
Peter, there's a way better Judge than you after this journey. While I was not ever a Kennedy supporter, I would never dream of beating up a dead man!
Why not? Why should I
Why not? Why should I pretend to celebrate his life that led to the death of a young girl? A death he caused that he never paid for.
One can only hope he is paying for it now.
From my friend,
From my friend, Starwind.
I've already read the words of those who express almost gladness at his passing, but from my perspective those of us who are of the liberal persuasion mourn the loss of a great voice -- a many who spoke for us. Indeed, do those who vote for the first time know that Kennedy was instrumental in changing the voting age to 18? Of course, his lifelong support of health care is well known; he was also a supporter of gay rights and women's issues. The Americans with Disabilities Act was another key piece of Kennedy legislation.
Each of us makes mistakes in our lives and Kennedy wasn't perfect. The good ones dust ourselves off, pick ourselves up and rejoin the fray - I think the moniker "Liberal Lion" sums up the man"
Peter, I have been reading
Peter,
I have been reading your posts for months now. I assumed you to be (AOL term) a SNERT: someone who derives entertainment antagonizing chat room members by disrupting and arguing.
Your post regarding the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy has revealed a new low in your anti-social legacy. It's not that you disrespected the dead- someone unable to defend themselves; you have disrespected Bea McManis- a member of this blog who chose to memorialize someone she held in great esteem. You didn't even have the decency to do so in a separate post.
For some reason the owner of this site has elected to overlook your rude and provocative behaviors. The owner also seems oblivious to the impact your bluster has had on the tone and contributors to the Batavian. In short, your antics bring this blog down.
To say that Ted Kennedy has not paid for his role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne requires extreme partiality (blindness). It is a judgement call that ignores the accidental circumstances of her death. The sin was the cover-up; the crime wasn't homocide. The sentence was not only forfeit of the family dream; he lived beneath the shroud of Kopechne's death forever after. Chappaquiddick was Ted Kennedy's albatross.
...But this is Bea's memorial page. Peter, you owe her an apology for sullying it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/26/ted-kennedy-tribute-share_n_26…
Legendary Senator Ted Kennedy passed away last night, leaving behind millions of people whose lives he deeply affected, both through personal relationships and his tireless legislative work on behalf behalf everything from civil rights, gender equality and educational justice to labor, immigration and health care reform.
If you wish to add a memorial to Senator Kennedy, please go to the link above.
I think Peter was hired by
I think Peter was hired by Howard to push people's button's to get more clicks on the site. I am instituting an ignore Peter function if no one responds to the wacko he will fade away.
Cancer of any kind is an
Cancer of any kind is an aweful thing. Rest in Peace Mr. Kennedy, and all the others that have lost their battle with this terrible disease this year. Mr, Barons you are one of the most intelegent bloggers on here, and you have hit the nail on the head with this one. I wont say anymore for fear of Howard singleing me out again. I have asked him in the past why he puts up with only certain bloggers, but then theres the ones he doesnt like. Why? Because maybe we dont care for one of his sponcers wives. When you have lived here all your life, you get to know, and either like, or dislike someone. Its just life in a small town. It doesn't make me, or anyone else, a bad person for their opinions.
Posted by C. M. Barons on
Posted by C. M. Barons on August 26, 2009 - 10:59am
Peter,
I have been reading your posts for months now. I assumed you to be (AOL term) a SNERT: someone who derives entertainment antagonizing chat room members by disrupting and arguing.
Your post regarding the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy has revealed a new low in your anti-social legacy. It's not that you disrespected the dead- someone unable to defend themselves; you have disrespected Bea McManis- a member of this blog who chose to memorialize someone she held in great esteem. You didn't even have the decency to do so in a separate post.
For some reason the owner of this site has elected to overlook your rude and provocative behaviors. The owner also seems oblivious to the impact your bluster has had on the tone and contributors to the Batavian. In short, your antics bring this blog down.
To say that Ted Kennedy has not paid for his role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne requires extreme partiality (blindness). It is a judgement call that ignores the accidental circumstances of her death. The sin was the cover-up; the crime wasn't homocide. The sentence was not only forfeit of the family dream; he lived beneath the shroud of Kopechne's death forever after. Chappaquiddick was Ted Kennedy's albatross.
...But this is Bea's memorial page. Peter, you owe her an apology for sullying it.
Thanks for acknowledging the page.
I don't expect an apology from Peter. He is what he is.
He is standing on his 1st. amendment right. Freedom of expression is vital to our way of life.
There are, of course, Democrats and Liberals who will mourn his loss. There are others, his adversaries, who weighed in as well, with far more tact than seen here:
ABC News' Huma Khan reports:
Ted Kennedy was praised by many for reaching across the political aisle on thorny issues, and today, Republican leaders mourned the death of the Senate’s “liberal lion.”
Former President George H.W. Bush called Kennedy “a seminal figure in the United States Senate.”
“Barbara and I were deeply saddened to learn Ted Kennedy lost his valiant battle with cancer. While we didn’t see eye-to-eye on many political issues through the years, I always respected his steadfast public service — so much so, in fact, that I invited him to my library in 2003 to receive the Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service,” the former president said in a written statement. “Ted Kennedy was a seminal figure in the United States Senate — a leader who answered the call to duty for some 47 years, and whose death closes a remarkable chapter in that body’s history.”
Visit ABC News' special section on Ted Kennedy.
Sen. John McCain’s office issued a statement saying that the Arizona senator is “very saddened to hear the news of the loss of this close and dear friend, Senator Kennedy -- the last lion of the Senate.”
McCain on Sunday’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” said he missed Kennedy on the Hill and called his absence a huge loss for health care negotiations in Congress.
“No person in that institution is indispensable, but Ted Kennedy comes as close to being indispensable as any individual I've ever known in the Senate because he had a unique way of sitting down with the parties at a table and making the right concessions, which really are the essence of successful negotiations,” McCain said Sunday.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, was one of the first to release a statement on Kennedy’s death and praised the senator as a “a rare person who at times could put aside differences and look for common solutions” and a “giant of a man.”
“Today America lost a great elder statesman, a committed public servant, and leader of the Senate. And today I lost a treasured friend.
“Ted Kennedy was an iconic, larger than life United States Senator whose influence cannot be overstated. Many have come before, and many will come after, but Ted Kennedy’s name will always be remembered as someone who lived and breathed the United States Senate and the work completed within its chamber,” Hatch said. ““When I first came to the United States Senate I was filled with conservative fire in my belly and an itch to take on any and everyone who stood in my way, including Ted Kennedy. As I began working within the confines of my office I soon found out that while we almost always disagreed on most issues, once in a while we could actually get together and find the common ground, which is essential in passing legislation.”
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney remembered Kennedy for his “charm and sense of humor.”
"The loss of Senator Ted Kennedy is a sad event for America, and especially for Massachusetts. The last son of Rose Fitzgerald and Joseph Kennedy was granted a much longer life than his brothers, and he filled those years with endeavor and achievement that would have made them proud,” the former GOP presidential candidate said in a statement. “In 1994, I joined the long list of those who ran against Ted and came up short. But he was the kind of man you could like even if he was your adversary. I came to admire Ted enormously for his charm and sense of humor – qualities all the more impressive in a man who had known so much loss and sorrow. I will always remember his great personal kindness, and the fighting spirit he brought to every cause he served and every challenge he faced. I was proud to know Ted Kennedy as a friend, and today my family and I mourn the passing of this big-hearted, unforgettable man."
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell dubbed Kennedy “one of the giants of American political life.”
“No one could have known the man without admiring the passion and vigor he poured into a truly momentous life,” McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. “We send our deepest expressions of sympathy to Vicki, his children, and the entire Kennedy family.”
Sarah Palin, who has emerged as a fierce opponent of the Democrats’ health care overhaul plan, also expressed her sympathies in a Facebook posting.
“He believed in our country and fought passionately for his convictions,” she wrote.
Former first lady Nancy Reagan expressed her condolences for her “ally and a dear friend.”
“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,” Reagan said via a written statement. “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.”
I won't apologize. Kennedy
I won't apologize. Kennedy didn't deserve the last 40 years of his life.
I am not hear to rile people I am here to express my opinion on situations. I don't care if you react or not, I will still post.
I don't care if this is her memorial page. How many people of her(Bea) and his(The Drunk) persuasion protested at the funerals of men and women who died fighting for this country?
Sorry, just because he is dead doesn't mean I don't get to express my distaste for his life.
Posted by Peter O'Brien on
Posted by Peter O'Brien on August 26, 2009 - 12:59pm
I don't care if this is her memorial page. How many people of her(Bea) and his(The Drunk) persuasion protested at the funerals of men and women who died fighting for this country?
For the record, I come from a family with a rich military background and have NEVER protested at a funeral for anyone who served and died for our country.
You are so fortunate that Howard gives you the pass to post the way you do. You know he won't do anything to you on this thread...you wouldn't dare post the same on the poll he just posted.
May he rest in peace. No one
May he rest in peace. No one here on earth is the judge of souls. We can only judge actions. Sen. Kennedy was a mixed bag of good and bad, like so many. Peter, you always must be careful when pointing a finger; four more are pointing right back at you.
Those 4 fingers aren't
Those 4 fingers aren't pointing back saying you killed a woman by either negligence or drunk driving.
I may in fact have blood on my hands. But that blood was part of war, not a cocktail party.
Bea, I am in no way saying either you or Kennedy protested at a military funeral, I am saying that "progressive, liberals" have. What I am doing here doesn't even come close.
I agree with you Peter,he
I agree with you Peter,he should been put in jail. but one thing, he has to go before the big judge now for his sins as we all do some day. I my self never liked any of the Kennedys, but that's my option.
The Big Judge is pretend just
The Big Judge is pretend just like humpty dumpty.