The Last Great Kennedy

"This is the way he lived. My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life, to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it."- -Eulogy to brother Robert, 1968

"With Barack Obama, we will turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion. With Barack Obama we will close the book on the old politics of race against race, gender against gender, ethnic group against ethnic group, and straight against gay."- Endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, January 2008.

"Although my doctors informed me that I suffered a cerebral concussion, as well as shock, I do not seek to escape responsibility for my actions by placing the blame either on the physical and emotional trauma brought on by the accident, or on anyone else. I regard as indefensible the fact that I did not report the accident to the police immediately. ...
It has been seven years since my first election to the Senate. You and I share many memories...And so I ask you tonight, the people of Massachusetts, to think this through with me. In facing this decision (whether to resign), I seek your advice and opinion. In making it, I seek your prayers – for this is a decision that I will have finally to make on my own." -Statement to the People of Massachusetts on Chappaquiddick, 1969.

Ted Kennedy's passing this morning brings the close to an era that began nearly 60 years ago. Of all of the Kennedy brothers, Ted was not the one that anyone thought would succeed, and if not for all the tragedy that surrounded his family, he may have been forgotten to time. Brother John became a young charismatic President, and brother Robert was a vibrant Senator and Presidential candidate. Both were assassinated in their primes, which left Teddy as the patriarch of the Kennedy family. He became a Senator in 1962 and had Presidential aspirations, until a fateful night in 1969 in which he accidentally drove his car off of a bridge. he escaped but his female companion did not. Teddy did run for President in 1980, but was beaten by incumbent Jimmy Carter.

His place was in the Senate, and for nearly 50 years, Kennedy represented his country well. He was not afraid of controversial bills, including a health-care reform bill 30 years ago. He was widely respected on both sides of the aisle, and may think his endorsement of Barack Obama sealed his victory in the Democratic primaries. Kennedy will be missed, and you will likely never see a Senator again with his record or longevity.