What can be said? What needs to be said about Senator Kennedy? His death today at 77 was expected yet still shocking. Tributes from the President, a tearful Vice-President, world leaders, and the Kennedy family are expectedly, and justifiably, glowing. They reflect his lifetime commitment to service and family. The family called him their "irreplaceable center," which comes as no surprise given his leading role in the many public moments of the life of the Kennedy clan.
The record he built in the Senate is staggering in terms of scope and impact. It's also his legacy, a word that gets thrown around too much. You can - should - check his record as a Senator to see the incalculable impact he had on the lives of people in every walk of life through legislation. Immigration, education, civil rights, housing, and of course, healthcare. As the healthcare debate rages, one of the many Kennedy quotes we remember comes to mind "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
Ted Kennedy wasn't perfect, far from it. There's a time to review that. Not today.
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