I’ve lived in Massachusetts for 33 years, longer than any other place in my life. I went to college here, married here and my children were born here. Ted Kennedy has always loomed large in this state; and like anyone who has been in the public eye for many years people got used to him and either disliked him intensely or voted for him out of habit. Massachusetts is a funny place, it’s a small state with a big personality and Senator Kennedy was in many ways an archetypal Massachusetts politician. He had the twinkle. He had the reach. When he wanted you do something you did it. He never cared who got the credit as long as he got what he wanted. Despite his chaotic personal life, it cannot be denied that the man wrote a mountain of legislation that will stand as an enduring monument to the best ideals of this country. In a way I’m glad he was never elected president because by staying in the Senate he was able to accomplish much more in 40 years than he ever could have done within presidential term limits. He was the youngest Kennedy and his family had low expectations of him, and yet in the end he accomplished more than any of them.
Thank You and Rest In Peace Ted.
First I love the pic of him and my main man!
Second, I’m sooooo glad that the legislation he wrote and the causes he championed later in life overrode his earlier personal stumbles. He did the Kennedy name proud! He will be missed!
Amen. As the years have proven, he was the most important of the Kennedys. Thanks, Teddy, with our love.
A senator who will be sorely missed. He was the consummate deal maker, a man who could reach across the aisle and get things done. A wonderful legacy.
I really appreciate this viewpoint from a ‘native’.While we understand the Kennedy significance in Australia, we can’t get the dominance of public life that this Kennedy had from an insider’s perspective. I learn a lot from you – thank you
I lived in Mass. too. When DH was a child Jack, Bobby, and Ted came to visit his small Catholic grammar school. It was something he will never forget.
Ted Kennedy has done more for this country and it’s people than many know. His legislations has wonderfully touched all of our lives. There was a gripping story on NPR today of how he enabled a young Russian Jewish couple and their dying child leave the Soviet Union to get to the US for healthcare for their child. That was in 1978, way before the Berlin wall ever came down. He truly was the greatest Senator and sets the bar for all others.
Well said . . . he was a fine man and an honorable politician. He will be missed, but long remembered.
Teddy Kennedy was very human: flawed, a total mess at times, messed up a barrel load of opportunities – in other words, a lot like the rest of us. The big difference for me is that no matter what happened to him personally — he never took his focus off what mattered most and to him that was working very hard, every day, for the rest of us, the ‘lesser’ of us. This is a guy who could have coasted for the last 10 years – but who did not. This is a guy who could have rested after his cancer diagnosis last spring — but who did not. This is a guy who could have used all of his energy to just keep himself alive – but who did not and who was up and working and calling people, and trying to make something good happen for everyone right up to the day that he died. This country will miss him. The world will miss him. And the rest of us have this huge challenge — if a man who was this messed up could come back so many times to do so much good for so many people – what’s our excuse?
Toby, that was exquisitely spoken.
I think you are absolutely right about Sen. Kennedy. He will be missed.
Toby, very eloquent.