For forty-seven years, Ted Kennedy worked hard in the Senate for the underdog. Those he felt should have a chance at an education, livable wages, health care, jobs and the right to vote in the country in which they lived. Late Tuesday night, just before mid-night, Ted Kennedy, the senior Senator of Massachusetts and champion of the people lost his battle with brain cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family, in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Senator Kennedy took his brother, John F.Kennedy's, seat in the Senate when JFK won the presidency, he kept that seat for forty-seven years. He suffered through having a broken back in a plane crash, where he almost died. His reputation suffered when a young woman died in a drowning incident. But he fought back and applied himself in working to change the country for the better. He had a hand in the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Immigration Bill, the Medicare changes, the Education Bill to give more young people grants for college, the Women's Rights Act, and on and on. He was not destined to be president of the United States, but in a way, Senator Kennedy influenced more domestic policy changes than most presidents have ever done. He endorsed Senator Barack Obama over Senator Hillary Clinton, in the 2008 primary, saying it was time for a new generation of political leadership, it was time for Barack Obama. His speeches saying "for those whose cares are our concern, the work goes on, the cause still lives, and the dream will never die" were tremendous rallying cries for the Democrats. When he endorsed Senator Barack Obama, he said it was time for change and he felt Senator Obama represented that change.
Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer in May, 2008.
He is survived by his second wife of seventeen years, Vicki, his three
children and seven grandchildren. One of the greatest liberal politicians in the history of the United States government. A man most say who knew how to work together with those in the Senate, a fighter, a champion for those without. A void has been created in the Senate and we need another gladiator, as someone called him, to pick up the sword and shield, and go forward to fight the good fight, the cause of his life as Senator Kennedy called it. Senator Edward Moore Kennedy was 77 years old. He died one year to the day when he made the speech in Denver, Colorado endorsing Senator Barack Obama. It would be a huge understatement to say that Senator Kennedy will be missed. A giant of a man has left the stage,let the curtain come down slowly. May God bless the entire family and all of his friends. The funeral will reportedly be at Our Lady of Perpetual Help of Basilica on Saturday, of this week.