"Liberal Lion Of The Senate," Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Has Passed

by: Autumn Sandeen

Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 04:29:15 AM EDT

NOTE FROM PAM: The lion has passed, but even when ill, Senator Kennedy cared deeply that his legacy as a voice of equality for all will live on in the work of others. My heart goes out to his family.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                             August 26, 2009

Statement from President Obama:

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague.  I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency.  And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've profited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time.

And the Kennedy family has lost their patriarch, a tower of strength and support through good times and bad.

Our hearts and prayers go out to them today--to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

By Massachusetts law, Kennedy will be replaced in a special election later this year, although the 77-year-old's final public statement was a letter to state leaders asking that they adopt a law that would allow Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint an interim senator so that the state could have two senators during the interval before the special election. State leaders have given no indication whether such a change would be made.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) called Kennedy a "great elder statesman" and a "treasured friend" whose influence could not be overstated. Kennedy will always be remembered as someone "who lived and breathed the United States Senate and the work completed within its chamber," Hatch said.

David Mixner:

My first .interaction with Senator Kennedy was in 1969 (I was 23 years old). Doris Kearns Goodwin had invited me to his home in Virginia, to speak with him about the War in Vietnam and the passion of American youth against it. My first impression was the huge smile, a rolling laugh and a legend that immediately made me feel at home and like a long lost friend. There were only a few of us there that night and I was struck how carefully he listened as we spoke of our hatred of the War. This articulate man, whose life was filled with some of the nation's greatest minds, made me feel intelligent and of value. I never forgot his kindness.

That meeting began 40 years of working together for peace and against war, for LGBT rights and against hate, to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and against discrimination for those with HIV/AIDS. Those years were filled with legislative maneuvering and passionate speeches for equality.

There is not room in this piece to list the endless moments when Senator Kennedy fought for the LGBT community and for people with HIV/AIDS. He was the first Presidential candidate to make an appearance at an LGBT event. With his good friend Jim Foster and Steven Smith, he attended a fundraising event for his Presidential campaign at the home of Clyde Cairns in Los Angeles When others attempted to close the event to the press, Teddy immediately lifted the ropes and invited them to join the party. He was not a fair weather friend to our community. He embraced us and we embraced him.

"It is impossible to fully describe the transformative impact of Ted Kennedy in the Senate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. From the outset, he valued our contributions and supported our equality.  In those early years, his support may have turned heads but didn't dampen his support--and eventually helped change hearts and minds about LGBT equality in the Senate and around the country."

"Personally, he was a friend whom I worked with on many issues in the Massachusetts senate, and my husband Doug and I have the print he gave us for our wedding framed at home.  His passing is a loss for many of us who knew him, and all of us who benefited from his uncompromising support of our full equality."

"Senator Kennedy helped pass the Matthew Shepard Hates Crime Prevention Act and also introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which, if passed, would help LGBT people in the 29 states where it is still legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation and the 38 states where it is legal to do so based on gender identity or expression. GLAAD urges media to include Senator Kennedy's strong history of advocating for LGBT issues in media coverage of his unfortunate passing."

"Sen. Kennedy was a champion of all whose voices are not often heard in public debate.  He was a model legislator to those of us who relish the democratic process and work to find common ground with colleagues on both sides of the aisle.  I share his fervent desire to ensure health care for all in America and will carry on this quest inspired by his commitment.  My thoughts are with my friend and colleague, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, and his entire family."

"The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force mourns the loss of Senator Edward Kennedy, a true champion of the people and a dear friend to our community. The senator was a hero to many across the country and around the world. He spent his life fighting for justice for working people, people of color, children, women, LGBT people, immigrants, people with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS and so many others who looked to his leadership for a more just society. Senator Kennedy was unmatched in his compassion and in his willingness to stand with those who often lacked a champion. Even after his death, his vision will inspire generations to work for the health, welfare and equality for all he so doggedly pursued. We offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this difficult time."

Ted Kennedy was a hero to tens of millions of LGBT people across America.   In advocating for our equality earlier and bolder than practically any other straight politician in America, he made us feel loved and respected in ways that too many of our own families have not.  

That, of course, was Senator Kennedy's gift to everyone who has been disenfranchised, disinherited or dispossessed, for whatever reason.  If you suffered discrimination, he made your cause his cause.  He made you feel as if you were part of his life.

Senator Kennedy was a pioneering champion of LGBT civil rights, including marriage equality.  As he said at the 2008 Democratic convention, "There is a new wave of change all around us, and if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination.  Let us close the book on the old politics of race and gender, and group against group, and straight against gay."

Today, in honor of the blessed memory of Senator Kennedy, we resolve anew to win equality, including the freedom to marry for all.

"I'm not sure America has ever had a greater Senator, but I know for certain that no one has had a greater friend than I and so many others did in Ted Kennedy.

"I will always remember Teddy as the ultimate example for all of us who seek to serve, a hero for those Americans in the shadow of life who so desperately needed one.  

"He worked tirelessly to lift Americans out of poverty, advance the cause of civil rights, and provide opportunity to all.  He fought to the very end for the cause of his life - ensuring that all Americans have the health care they need.

"The commitment to build a stronger and fairer America, a more perfect union, was deeply ingrained in the fiber of who he was, and what he believed in, and why he served.

"That's why he stands among the most respected Senators in history.  But it was his sympathetic ear, his razor wit, and his booming, raucous laugh that made him among the most beloved.

"Whatever tragedy befell Teddy's family, he would always be there for them.  Whatever tragedy befell the family of one of his friends, he would always be there for us.  And in this moment of profound grief, our hearts are with his wonderful wife Vicki, his fantastic kids Ted Jr., Patrick, Kara, Curran, and Caroline,  his grandchildren, and the wide and wonderful extended family for whom he was always a safe harbor.

"I will miss him every day I serve, and every day I live."

"We have known for some time that this day was coming, but nothing makes it easier. We have lost a great light in our lives and our politics, and it will never be the same again. Ted Kennedy was such an extraordinary force, yes for the issues he cared about, but more importantly for the humanity and caring in our politics that is at the center of faith and true public service.

"No words can ever do justice to this irrepressible, larger than life presence who was simply the best -- the best Senator, the best advocate you could ever hope for, the best colleague, and the best person to stand by your side in the toughest of times. He faced the last challenge of his life with the same grace, courage, and determination with which he fought for the causes and principles he held so dear. He taught us how to fight, how to laugh, how to treat each other, and how to turn idealism into action, and in these last fourteen months he taught us much more about how to live life, sailing into the wind one last time. For almost 25 years, I was privileged to serve as his colleague and share his friendship for which I will always be grateful.

"Teresa and I send all our love to Vicki, Teddy Jr., Patrick, Kara and their family, and to the entire Kennedy family for whom Teddy was always a rock at times like this. Massachusetts and our entire nation shares their loss and grieves with them."

"Today our country and the world lost a leading light and a legislative legend. Edward Kennedy was the greatest senator this country has ever known and an inspiration to all who have answered the call to public service.

"Never afraid to sail against the wind in the name of justice, equality and opportunity, Senator Kennedy was a treasured friend and a legislator without peer. Throughout his distinguished career, he helped bring health care to millions of children, enabled many young people to afford a college education and ensured that so many could realize the American dream. "In these difficult times, my thoughts and prayers are with the entire Kennedy family, especially with Senator Kennedy's wife Vicki, and with Kara, Teddy Jr. and my colleague Patrick."

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold:

"Senator Kennedy was a hero of mine both before and after I came to the United States Senate.  Senator Kennedy was one of the greatest Senators in American history and serving alongside him in the Senate is one of the great honors of my life. His unyielding dedication to equality, justice and improving the lives of his fellow citizens was unmatched and his loss is immeasurable. He championed civil rights and worked to expand the rights of voters and working Americans.  Children are healthier and young Americans have more educational opportunities because of Senator Kennedy's decades of service. And we will achieve real health care reform thanks to the groundwork he laid. Senator Kennedy's legacy will live on in the Americans who walk through doorways he opened through his lifetime of countless achievements. Like the millions upon millions of Americans whose lives he touched, I am deeply saddened by his passing and my thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."

"To echo his own immortal words, the causes which he championed shall endure, his hopes will live on in the millions of people his work touched and the dreams of Ted Kennedy shall never die."

----

From Chris Geidner at Law Dork:

...He was not a perfect politician or a perfect person, but he taught - and often reminded - much of today's Democratic party about our ideals - and the worthwhile struggles we all face to reach toward them.

One of the 14 Senators who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, Sen. Kennedy was a strong supporter of lesbian and gay equality before it was even vaguely popular - in any crowd - to do so.  Even earlier, in 1993, Kennedy replaced the retired California Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston as the chief sponsor of the "gay rights bill" that was then being introduced in the Senate.  Ted Kennedy was one of the stalwart - and much needed - voices of equality in our nation, and I particularly mourn for this loss.

For much of Kennedy's political career, universal health insurance was a goal at the heart of one of those ideals.  As he said in his 1980 address to the Democratic National Convention - the end of his failed run at the presidency - "[L]et us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth."  His spirit, if not his voice, has been and will be a part of this year's debate about the future of health care in America.

In his struggle to do good by his brothers, and for our nation, Ted Kennedy has done well.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat and icon of American liberal politics who was the last surviving brother of a legendary political family, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., his family announced. He was 77.

Kennedy had been in declining health since having a seizure in May 2008. Subsequent tests determined that he had a malignant brain tumor...

From CNN:

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the patriarch of the first family of Democratic politics, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. He was 77.

"We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," a family statement said. "We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice."

Kennedy, nicknamed "Ted," was the younger brother of slain President John F. Kennedy and New York Sen. Robert Kennedy, who was gunned down while seeking the White House in 1968. However, his own presidential aspirations were hobbled by the controversy around a 1969 auto accident that left a young woman dead, and a 1980 primary challenge to then-President Jimmy Carter that ended in defeat.

But while the White House eluded his grasp, the longtime Massachusetts senator was considered one of the most effective legislators of the past few decades. Kennedy, who became known as the "Lion of the Senate," played major roles in passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, and was an outspoken liberal standard-bearer during a conservative-dominated era from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, the last remaining Kennedy brother and a tireless champion for LGBT rights, died early Wednesday morning after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. He was 77.

The Kennedy family released a statement announcing that he died at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass.

"We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," the statement said. "We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him." ...

From New York Times:

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a son of one of the most storied families in American politics, a man who knew triumph and tragedy in near-equal measure and who will be remembered as one of the most effective lawmakers in the history of the Senate, died late Tuesday night. He was 77.

The death of Mr. Kennedy, who had been battling brain cancer, was announced Wednesday morning in a statement by the Kennedy family, which was already mourning the death of the Senator's sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver two weeks earlier.

"Edward M. Kennedy - the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply - died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port," the statement said. "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever."

Mr. Kennedy had been in precarious health since he suffered a seizure in May 2008. His doctors determined the cause had been a malignant glioma, a brain tumor that often carries a grim prognosis...

From Washington Post:

Friends and colleagues of the late  Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) mourned the loss of the Senate's "patriarch," whose legislative and political impact lasted until his dying days. Many wondered this summer what the current health-care debate would be like if the "lion" had been present for the negotiations.

Kennedy, the Senate's third -longest serving member, was a liberal guidepost in the chamber, spending almost 47 years advocating for national health care and civil rights, in particular. But his friendships crossed the aisle, and his absence over the last 15 months while battling brain cancer has cast a pall on the chamber.

"The Kennedy family and the Senate family have together lost our patriarch. My thoughts, and those of the entire United States Senate, are with Vicki, Senator Kennedy's children, his many nieces and nephews, and his entire family,"  Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement. "It was the thrill of my lifetime to work with Ted Kennedy. He was a friend, the model of public service and an American icon. As we mourn his loss, we rededicate ourselves to the causes for which he so dutifully dedicated his life."

Arrangements for Kennedy's funeral service were not yet known, according to senior Senate aides. By Massachusetts law, Kennedy will be replaced in a special election to be held later this year, although the 77-year-old's final public statement was a letter to state leaders asking that they adopt a new law that would allow Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint an interim senator so that the state could have two senators during the interval before the special election. State leaders have given no indication whether such a change in law would be made...

From Los Angeles Times:

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat and icon of American liberal politics who was the last surviving brother of a legendary political family, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., his family announced. He was 77.

Kennedy had been in declining health since having a seizure in May 2008. Subsequent tests determined that he had a malignant brain tumor.

Kennedy had not been to the Capitol since April, missing the passage in June of his groundbreaking measure to regulate tobacco. In July, he could not participate in the drafting of healthcare legislation in his role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

He did not attend the funeral for his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died Aug. 11, or a White House ceremony during which he was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom....