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.
“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.” -- President Obama, 8/26/09.
1 comment:
He was one of the classic liberal senators, and what made it especially good was that he had an inherited fortune that he (like his brothers) was able to parlay into a political dynasty. There are many 'rich-kids' in this country, but few of them embrace AND actively/continuously promote the socially beneficial causes that Ted (like his brothers before him) did. Think of assholes like Trump, or WF Buckley who inherited millions and squandered it on stupid or evil crap. Yeah, the Kennedy brothers weren't angels, and I wish they would have done a number of things* differently, but they were much better than the vast majority of senators and they'll be missed.
(* ie; if John hadn't been quite so militaristic, if Bobby hadn't pandered quite so much to the anti-union crowd, if all 3 had discontinued their womanizing -- at LEAST when they became senators -- for political purposes if nothing else)
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