Senator Ted Kennedy, the Great Lion who worked tirelessly for children & working people, has died

Posted on | August 26, 2009 | 30 Comments

The Great Lion’s torch is lit and has now been passed on. Hold it up high President Obama in honor of the greatest Senator to ever live…

Man, oh man. I knew the other day when I heard on the radio that Teddy (or his family) had sent a letter to the Governor…his days were limited. I felt it in my heart. For many of us, we’ve had a deep connection to the Great Lion and just like an ailing family member, we know when the end is near. I couldn’t even do THIS POST the other day, because the thought of him dying now would be too much to bear! Access to health care for all Americans, especially for children and for the hard working Americans, was a lifelong passion to him. Dying now would be a travesty! And it is. I’m a mess.

We love you Ted. May you rest in peace now, because as we look over your life today, we will know that you never ever ever ever stopped working for the people who mattered. You could have spent your life with all your money doing what is wrong….yes, you could have lived your life as a republican….but you chose not to! You instead spent your life with meaning and with a purpose for the common good of all.

I remember when you pointed out the selfishness of the republicans for trying once again to block minimum wage or screaming about health care for children and all Americans! You never stopped, Uncle Teddy! And you were always right about what you said. You said it beautifully too and you always had the children and hard working Americans in the back of your head when you took the republicans to task.

But most of all, we remember your words at your brothah Robert Kennedy’s funeral after he was gunned down by a madman. The words you spoke then could be used for you today….

You had moral courage in the face of Monsters, Teddy. When you saw suffering you tried to heal it! We thank you and will never forget! We love you. You touched all of us. May you RIP now.

Category: Politics, Progressive, democrat, liberal
Tags: Politics > Senator Ted Kennedy

Comments

30 Responses to “Senator Ted Kennedy, the Great Lion who worked tirelessly for children & working people, has died”

kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:04 am

Here’s what Nomolos (a Mainer) said on FireDogLake this morning:

“He was in the Senate for just two years when he took up my cause against being drafted. He intervened and saved me from being yet more cannon fodder in the Vietnam corporate war. He personally arranged for me to get into the Army reserve as we fought the battle about immigrant, non citizens, being forced into the army and being sent to Vietnam. He was caring, helpful and absolutely committed to a cause that he thought wrong. I could not vote for him as I was newly “off the boat” but that we laughed about and I promised to vote for him as soon as I could.. Later, when there was an almost years wait to be sworn in as a citizen, he again intervened and arranged for my swearing in in just days. Senator Edward Kennedy cared deeply about every person no matter who. He took up my cause because he thought it right even though I was a “nobody”, an absolutely broke immigrant trying to get a foothold in a new country. The country and the world will be less well off without him.”

http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/26/the-cause-endures/#comment-1964727

Ted Kennedy was a selfless man!
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:26 am

The New York Times has done an incredible obituary on Ted:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/us/politics/27kennedy.html?_r=1&hp

Anyone else crying uncontrollably this morning?
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 1:24 pm

Woke up this morning to find that my partner had our new flag in
the front yard at half mast. I wasn’t shocked since he was too ill
to attend his sister’s wake and funeral. He has been called the
greatest senator of the past century and being compared to the
likes of Daniel Webster. And he was supposedly once called the
“under achiever” in the Kennedy clan. He will be missed by
Americans.
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 2:51 pm

George Bush killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis. Ted Kennedy unintentionally killed a woman in a drunk driving accident.
Lisa K.
August 26th, 2009 @ 2:58 pm

It is a terribly sad day at my house. MoveOn has asked that we put
a candle in the window in memory of Ted tonight, and that is what I
plan to do. RIP, Teddy.
Lisa K.
August 26th, 2009 @ 3:01 pm

“George Bush killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis.” Not
to mention condemned thousands of American soldiers to a useless,
wasted death to satisfy his grandiose whims, and approved the
torture and murder of hundreds of detainees for no particular
reason whatsoever except that he was mad.
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

Move0n has a good video up now:
http://pol.moveon.org/kennedy/?id=17002-4245627-KRHwW1x&t=1 The
greatest memorial we could give Sen. Kennedy would be to pass
healthcare as he hoped to see come about in his lifetime. Just
reported he wrote 1500 bills, had 300 become law and voted over
25,000 times in his four decades in the Senate. Quite an
accomplishment.
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 3:37 pm

The Nation magazine has a nice tribute up:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020325/newfield So many tragedies in
one family, three killed in plane crashes (Teddy survived another
plane crash), and two assassinations.
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 3:47 pm

After his funeral mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (aka the
Mission Church) in Boston, Kennedy will be buried alongside his
brothers at Arlington Cemetery.
Temple Of The Dog
August 26th, 2009 @ 3:58 pm

Ted Kennedy may have been born into and enjoyed a life of privilege
which many of us could only dream about but as an elected public
servant he fought hard for people less fortunate than himself.
Whether it was health care, civil rights, women’s rights or
education Ted Kennedy was a champion for the average American
citizen and NOTHING will ever take away from his great
legacy….NOTHING!
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 4:17 pm

Gee, a TROLL calling Kay a “cunt”…how original? They can spell
four letter words! TROLL, why don’t you go over to Free Republic
where they are holding a pissing match and dance over Kennedy’s
grave at Arlington…a place where most TROLLS will never have
EARNED a plot. The TROLL should be erased since he is obviously not
here to say anything good about Sen. Kennedy.
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 4:28 pm

Kennedy died at 11:30 August 25. Almost to the hour (adjusted for
Mountain Time) on August 25, 2008, Kennedy gave a speech at the
Democratic National Convention in Denver promoting healthcare
legislation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IDN4b58pTU
james collins
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:21 pm

Breaking! Limbaugh to announce a move to Massachusetts to steal
Ted’s Senate seat. I got this from someone associated with the
show! He plans to announce this on Friday’s show. Body isn’t even
cold! Incredible!
Grant
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:08 pm

We are going to see a lot of HATE from the reich-wingnuts. Some
couldn’t get to this blog and other liberal blogs fast enough to
start flinging their crap, today. Real conservatives like John
McCain will even be speaking at his wake on Friday night! Problem
is the remaining TRUE conservatives are having their voices shouted
over by wingnut racist haters like Limbaugh and Beck.
Grant
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:28 pm

Limbaugh just a couple of days ago said that the Senators death
will be USED by Democrats to get healthcare passed. Limbaugh said,
“It’s obvious that the untimely death of Senator Kennedy here is
seen by some as an opportunity for political maneuvering. Now here
the eventual death of Senator Kennedy is being used by Democrats to
once again make sure that his death does not cause a loss of 60
votes in the Senate, all so this monstrosity of a debacle, national
health care, could be passed.” Then today, Rush laments that
Kennedy’s death will lead to an “inspirational effort or technique
to get national health care on the fast track. Before it’s all over
it will be called the Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care bill.” Then
he concluded, “The greatest tribute would be that every American,
every man, every woman, every child would get the same health care
options that Ted Kennedy got. Ted Kennedy did not have to face
death panels. Ted Kennedy didn’t have to face government-run
end-of-life counseling. Nobody said to Ted Kennedy’s family, “Give
him a pain pill.” I think if you want to move the health care
debate forward, let’s do Tedcare for all, forever, and make
sure that every man, woman, and child get the same health care
options that Ted Kennedy got.” I am sure Limbaugh with his hundreds
of millions doesn’t worry about healthcare either. He has HIS, to
hell with everyone else!
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:05 pm

Are you kidding? Rush Limbaugh can’t even run down the sidewalk without having heart pains so how the hell would he run for a Senate seat? It would kill him! Oh wait. Let’s hope he runs!
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:08 pm

Today has been very rough knowing Ted died last night while most of us were sleeping. I kept thinking today I would have wanted to be by his side! Man. I couldn’t believe it when I woke up, turned the tv on, and boom! there it was…..Teddy was gone. Surreal.
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:09 pm

Grant, thanks for all the links to Ted’s tributes! I appreciate it.
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:19 pm

Rush can dream his oxycontin dreams! Just went to a so-called
“progressive” blog and thought I had hit Free Republic. Too bad our
country seems to have gone to the fringes, both right and left.
This from a far-left “progressive” at the New Cafe: “He [Kennedy]
is scum of the earth. He went through the motions as do most
politicians, and also he never worked an honest day in his life. A
true politician to the end.” So some are not going to let Teddy
have a few days of eulogies, a moment of silence. I am grateful to
the Kennedy brothers for making me see our nation in a different
light and more than any other influence, brought me out of the
Republican party to become a registered Democrat in the last half
of the ’60’s.
Clif
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:27 pm

When I was young Bobby Kennedy made realize answering my conscience, not my pocket book was a more authentic way to live life.

RIP Bobby

Ted Kennedy showed me as an adult how to live that, in caring for others less fortunate then myself.

RIP Teddy
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:40 pm

Grant, only TRUE LIBERALS knew who Ted Kennedy was and loved him for it. All others are pieces of shit who couldn’t hold a candle to us or TEDDY! Just ignore them. There are many Democrats who are afraid of the conservaNAZIS so they tend to go along with these Nazis in the hopes they’ll be liked!

Clif, THANK YOU! ((((Hugging You)))) The Kennedy family has shown us what it means to give selflessly. There is not ONE REPUBLICAN in the past 20 years at least THAT WOULD BE MOURNED OR GRIEVED LIKE TED KENNEDY IS TODAY. None. Not even Reagan. In fact, I heard more people complaining about that bastard’s 5 day funeral! Reagan ruined America! He started the mess.
kayinmaine
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:49 pm

KO just asked why Ted Kennedy was called the “Lion of the Senate”. THE ANSWER:

BECAUSE HE ROARED LIKE A LION AGAINST THE ENEMY (the republicans), HE CIRCLED HIS PREY (the republicans), AND AT THE END OF THE DAY HE LAID OUTSIDE THE DEN DOOR PROTECTING THOSE HE CARED ABOUT (which was everyone including the bastard republicans!).
Grant in Texas
August 26th, 2009 @ 10:07 pm

I was an ardent Goldwater volunteer in 1960 and along with a few
other YAF friends, worked the floor of the convention that summer
in Chicago for Barry. I liked Goldwater’s conservative fiscal
policies but the Kennedy’s woke me up and made me see that human
beings are as important as budgets, etc. When Nixon/Pat Buchanan
formulated their “Southern Strategy” to actively invite racist
Dixiecrats into the “Party of Lincoln”, I realized the GOP I had
known had left me and others like me in the dust. When Kennedy was
assassinated, I threw my support to third party candidate Eugene
McCarthy as I wanted us out of Vietnam. Think of the 22,000
American lives which would have been saved if we had had a
President Robert F. Kennedy instead of Nixon, not counting the
larger number of Vietnamese, Cambodia, Laotian innocents.
Donna6167
August 27th, 2009 @ 1:55 am

KIM this has truly been a sad day. I feel like I lost a family
member He fought for the average Joe and the underdogs. Ted
Kennedy will truly be missed. For anyone to deny that he did such
good as a Senator is just assinine. He made a stupid mistake many
years ago, and probably paid for it daily in his personal life, it
does not take away from all the good that he has done since. RIP
TED!
kayinmaine
August 27th, 2009 @ 7:49 am

Hi Donna! It sure has been a sad day for all of us who cared deeply for Senator Ted Kennedy. Of course, there is the Hating Group out there who refuse to accept that Ted Kennedy killed a woman UNINTENTIONALLY while George Bush INTENTIONALLY killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis after he lied to the nation! I spit on those people as you know.
Palin Power
August 27th, 2009 @ 12:30 pm

I already have dg! RUSH to the Senate!
molly
August 27th, 2009 @ 8:12 pm

Still crying over our loss . I absolutely adored Ted Kennedy.
kayinmaine
August 27th, 2009 @ 8:46 pm

Molly, did you watch the footage today of Ted’s casket being brought to the hearse? Cried my eyes out! I was so filled with joy and warmth, though, seeing all the people along the route to Boston (or Bawstin) standing on the side of the road clapping & waving to him as he went by. No republican (not even Reagan!) produced that kind of love and respect! He was completely adored no matter how hard the wingnuts try to smear him or say otherwise. We loved him and Ted deserved to take one last ride to Boston. He made this trip a lot and it’s obvious he asked his family to make sure he could enjoy it once again. Man, I miss him!
Grant in Texas
August 27th, 2009 @ 10:20 pm

Ted Kennedy’s accomplishments are printed here:
http://www.vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?Id=makennedyedwardm The Rude
Pundit lists some of his efforts to make this a better nation and
asks those right wingers already dancing on his grave, these
questions: You think a woman shouldn’t lose her job if she gets
pregnant? You think 100,000 more cops on the street’s a good idea?
You think poor kids should have health care? You think soldiers in
Iraq should have the proper armor? Just check those things off the
list. He was an ardent supporter. Do you like your state and not
the federal government controlling the curriculum of your kids’
schools? Thank Ted Kennedy. Do you like being able to vote starting
at age 18? Thank Ted Kennedy. Do you think low-income people should
get help with heating their homes in the winter? Thank the man. Do
you think the federal government should fund cancer research? Yep.
Do you believe that Meals on Wheels is a good thing? Ditto. Does
your daughter (or you, if you’re female) like playing soccer or
basketball or softball at school? Thanks to Ted Kennedy’s support
of Title IX. Do you think that disabled people should be able to go
to school? Have access to buildings? Not be discriminated against
for housing and loads of other things? Kennedy, big time. You like
your cheap airfares? You know the answer. You think people on
welfare oughta get jobs? So did Kennedy. You think mental
institutions should treat people humanely? Yeah, so did your new
friend, Ted Kennedy. You believe that the Defense Department should
provide child care for the kids of soldiers? Kennedy did.
kayinmaine
September 7th, 2009 @ 6:33 pm

We are so excited about George Bush & Sarah Palin dying too! Whew, a nation without these fascist Pigs will be a good nation! In fact, we hope they both die horrible painful deaths too. The End.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

GLENN BECK AT CPAC 2010: ‘Hello, my name is the Republican Party, and I’ve got a problem. I’m addicted to spending and big government…I’m addicted to spending and I just don’t want to spend today.’ (CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO QUOTE)

"If by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.” ~ John F. Kennedy, 1960