LION of the SENATE- Teddy.com

TEDDY.com

Well, the lion of the Senate is gone. I covered his announcement for President in Fanuel Hall in Boston in 1980, and it was an event- a Kennedy was going for the Presidency, what was considered their unfulfilled legacy. Although the timing was terrible, going against an incumbent Dem, there was much expectation that he would pull it off. But it rent the party and helped poor Carter, who was trashed by forces beyond his control, lose. He then lost the Senate Whip post, and never tried again for the highest office. I never met the man, but talked to his people when I was distributing my anti-Impeachment book in 1999 in the Senate. He was a giant, apart from Roosevelt, the most determined and effective liberal in history. Another tremendous blow to health care, as if it hasn't been betrayed by the greedy swine of Congress, slurping up their industry payoffs till they reek with corruption. Ted's 1980 speech

The New York Times (full long) says it with some eloquence:

“He was a Rabelaisian figure in the Senate and in life, instantly recognizable by his shock of white hair, his florid, oversize face, his booming Boston brogue, his powerful but pained stride. He was a celebrity, sometimes a self-parody, a hearty friend, an implacable foe, a man of large faith and large flaws, a melancholy character who persevered, drank deeply and sang loudly. He was a Kennedy.”

TED KENNEDY'S 2008 Dem Convention Speech http://vodpod.com/watch/969308-ted-kennedy-historic-speech-denver-convention

On the eve of the Iraq War, I caught Patrick, our RI Congressman (Teddy's son, who was the only RI Rep who had voted for the Iraq War) alone and debated him for 15 minutes until he pretty much admitted it was going to be a disaster. A Prov. Journal reporter was there so he couldn't run away, and a Kennedy was almost never without his extended retinue who would protect him from any criticism. He has some of the same traits as his father- health problems, somewhat limited, but a decent hard earnest worker whose heart is usually in the right place. On the terrible 2000 Election night I somehow found myself in the morose Kennedy suite, where I pontificated on Myrth York's mistakes in her 2^nd or 3^rd attempt at the governorship (lost to convivial chump Carcieri) to the extreme displeasure of her daughter + co.

Debate with Congrsmn. Patrick Kennedy D-RI (audio) about validity of IRAQ Invasion (he voted to authorize force)- 11 of 15 minutes 3/30/03 Prov. Journal article on it (bottom) + Andrea Mitchell speech ARTICLE: 3/17/03 FIRM of MIND; SOFT on FACTS
See how this holds up today