We woke this morning to the news that Senator Ted Kennedy has succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 77. Much will be said about his political legacy, which will be substantial, having served in the U.S. Senate for 47 years, but I'm struck by a more prosaic thought. Senator Kennedy was one of four Kennedy brothers - all of whom seemed destined for political greatness - and all of whom except Ted died long before their time. In fact, their deaths spanned my lifetime. The oldest, Joe, was killed in WWII. John and Robert were both assassinated in the 1960s (The only time I ever saw Ted in person was when the train bearing JFK's body passed my house and Ted was standing on the back of the train as it passed).
Senator Kennedy's life was filled with scandal and tragedy, but he managed despite it all to become one of the most influential voices ever to serve in American politics. As a young man he seemed the least promising of the Kennedy brothers, but he managed to overcome personal shortcomings and inadequacies to become one of the most influential politicians of the last forty years.
He will be mourned by friends on both sides of the political aisle.
RLC
