Sen. Ted Kennedy dies at age 77 after year-long battle with brain cancer

[metsfan]

Sen. Edward Kennedy, the indefatigable liberal icon whose 47 years in the Senate were often overshadowed by his twin roles as keeper and casualty of the Camelot myth, died late Tuesday night after a long battle with brain cancer.

 

He was 77, and passed away at the famed Kennedy family compound 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 heartbroken Kennedy family said in a statement.

 

"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."

 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said, "We have lost our patriarch."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_sen_ted_kennedy_last_of_the_camelot_court_has_died_at_age_77.html#ixzz0PIW6NxQ9

 

Devastating. :cry: :confused::tdown:

 

- A

[Brighton Local]

Just heard about / watched it on Anderson Cooper..

[Grand Concourse]

Wow, this is a shocker, I knew he was in bad health, but i didn't think it was this serious.

I never agreed with much of his political views, but i will hope he is at peace now.

[metsfan]

 

He championed civil rights act, voting rights act, was the driving force behind the ADA, and when the senate came to an impasse, he reached across the aisle to find common ground.

 

you will be missed.

 

-

[Shortline Bus]

 

He championed civil rights act, voting rights act, was the driving force behind the ADA, and when the senate came to an impasse, he reached across the aisle to find common ground.

 

you will be missed.

 

-

 

Also not mentioned is the world turns the page one of the most most political families in US History. The last direct link to his brothers President JFK and Sen. RFK. His sister Eunice Kennedy Shirver dies a few weeks ago and she got almost no attention from these boards or the media as she did alot for the world too including the special olympics. Here link. http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12219

 

Kennedy did alot as a US Senator but his personal life and his long bout w/ alcolism costed him a chance to be President. That for another day for discussion though.

 

 

 

RIP TED and also Eunice now you can go play touch football go sailing and play softball w/ "Jack' "Bobby' and more forever.

[Shortline Bus]

Also not mentioned is the world turns the page one of the most most political families in US History. The last direct link to his brothers President JFK and Sen. RFK. His sister Eunice Kennedy Shirver dies a few weeks ago and she got almost no attention from these boards or the media as she did alot for the world too including the special olympics. Here link. http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12219

 

Kennedy did alot as a US Senator but his personal life and his long bout w/ alcolism costed him a chance to be President. That for another day for discussion though.

 

 

 

RIP TED and also Eunice now you can go play touch football go sailing and play softball w/ "Jack' "Bobby' and more forever.

 

FYI. Unlike most states. the commonwealth of Mass. has an 'immedate' election no more than 150 days after the incumbent dies or resigns/is removed from the office to replace Sen Kennedy.

[lilbluefoxie]

Personally, I wont cry for him, hes got a lot of answering to do in the next life particularly about Chappaquidick.

[Shortline Bus]

Personally, I wont cry for him, hes got a lot of answering to do in the next life particularly about Chappaquidick.

 

 

Here the info on that infamous incident.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappaquiddick_inciden

 

 

His reply and press conference after cape cod 1 week after the incident.

 

[lilbluefoxie]

I said the same thing when Michael Jackson died, we dont know if they exactly did the things they were accused of, the courts might find them innocent, but the real judgement is the afterlife, they can not hide from the eyes of god. If they truely are innocent then they will enjoy the afterlife, but if they really were guilty, they will have to answer for what they did.

[CPBO]

The Kennedy grip on our nations politics is over......what a long run they had.....this guy was in office for like forever.....we need term limits on all of politics......so this type of thing does not happen..........reminds me of some bus drivers I know.....Retire already guys......you had a good run....some 40 years.....or more.....let the new generation take over and move up!!!!!!

 

RIP Ted

[Shortline Bus]

The Kennedy grip on our nations politics is over......what a long run they had.....this guy was in office for like forever.....we need term limits on all of politics......so this type of thing does not happen..........reminds me of some bus drivers I know.....Retire already guys......you had a good run....some 40 years.....or more.....let the new generation take over and move up!!!!!!

 

RIP Ted

 

 

 

Agree 100% on terms limits. Whethers its Charles Rangel on the Demo. (35 years-plus as US Congressmen from Harlem) or people on the GOP for 20-plus years like Sen McCain, Sen Hatch etc it be nice to see a more diverse group of people in both levels of the US Congress instead of the same old faces. The current system makes very hard for incumbents, especially in the US Senate to lose and thus these pretgious public service posts become a semi-lifetime jobs.

 

For US Senate and House of Representaives it should be a maxiumiuim of 12 years imo period. It rewards the members of both houses who done a good job but does not turn into a joke under current system for job until retirement age either.

[Pu3rToRoCk8947]

Ted Kennedy had his faults as a politician and as a human being as well.I will remember him for the good things he has done as a senator and for him being the last of the old school patriarchs of the family.The family has been embroiled in tragedy and sadness,as well as triumphs over the decades and throughout everything they have and will survive.

R.I.P Ted

[Shortline Bus]

Ted Kennedy had his faults as a politician and as a human being as well.I will remember him for the good things he has done as a senator and for him being the last of the old school patriarchs of the family.The family has been embroiled in tragedy and sadness,as well as triumphs over the decades and throughout everything they have and will survive.

R.I.P Ted

 

Agree 100% bro. I dont condone his actions w/ "Chappaquidick" and maybe he should have spent some time in jail or stiffer punishments but both the courts and poltical system in this country benefits in most cases the rich anyhow. That another day to discuss. After "Chappaquidick' he became a semi-philanthropist/humantrain as well. Kennedy donated millions of his own money to schools/colleges and sick people around the world. How many Politicans or Rich people other than recently Bill Gates does this.

 

Just saw a nice piece on CNN on how he helped a former Russian Jewish Family from the old Soviet Union whose infant daugther life was saved because he arranged for her to get surgery here in the US. After the surgery that family became US Citizens and the daughter now works in the Boston area as an advocate for the poor and homeless. So guys lets us please look at the big picture before we make Ted Kennedy this horrible man.

 

 

 

 

 

'Littlest refusenik' on Kennedy: 'He saved my life.

 

BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN August 25, 2009) -- She was called "the littlest refusenik," one of the many Soviet Jews denied permission to leave the Soviet Union because her father had been exposed to government secrets.

 

But the case of Jessica Katz was special because she was a baby born with a nutritional deficiency that stopped her from growing. She was a tiny baby dying in a Moscow hospital, getting weaker by the day.

 

It was U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy who, her parents say, eventually saved her life.

 

Jessica was born in Moscow in 1977 with malabsorption syndrome, which prevented her from digesting food or milk properly. All she needed was baby formula, but it wasn't available in the Soviet Union.

 

The Soviet doctors couldn't save her. Jessica's parents, Boris and Natalya, were desperate.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/26/littlest.refusenik.kennedy/index.html

[Pu3rToRoCk8947]

Off topic for a sec,i am really tired of seeing guys like Charles Rangel stick around like old bubblegum on the bottom of a shoe lolz

term limits=:tup:

any other dead crone politicians like Charles Rangel who are not making an impact anymore and are in office for the hell of it=:tdown:

let's get these old farts out and replace them with young and motivated politicians who can and will do the job

[CulverLineGuy]

R.I.P. Ted Kennedy.

 

PS. I'm very surprised to see so much off topic conversation... about term limits, and such, bordering on disrespectful.

[Shortline Bus]

R.I.P. Ted Kennedy.

 

PS. I'm very surprised to see so much off topic conversation... about term limits, and such, bordering on disrespectful.

 

 

 

While you got a valid comment to point,(ie Charlie Rangel) his 45-years plus in the US Senate and his ill health in recent years does bring up the issue of term limits. So just like other aspects of his controversial life and carrer, term limits is also big part of his legacy. Many people in the political field believe he stayed in the office as much as 8-10 years too long.

Ted Kennedy had the 2nd or 3rd longest stint of US Senate in American History so by the year 2000 you think he might 'retire.'

[SubwayGuy]

This sucks. The healthcare system actually needs to be fixed, and while the well off half of this country scratches their balls and wonders "um...do we even actually, like, need to do anything???" and the rest of us get f-ed over daily, no one is willing to do anything about it. Ted Kennedy was one of the few "well off" willing to do something about it, and without his reasonable voice driving the debate, it's going to be more media propogranda bullshit about "death panels" and how private insurance is good and profits are good and free market free enterprise blah blah all the crap that got the economy into a mess. And no one will actually look the real problem in the face cuz it's just politicians spreading lies to advance their own agenda, so nothing gets done and the American middle class gets screwed. Ah yes, welcome to the 21st century all right.

 

RIP Ted, it's a shame you weren't around to see the reforms this country so badly needs go through. We'll need them more than ever with you gone.

[nel070]

although many may have not agreed with senator kennedy personal life he was a very effective legislator who was renengade for many causes he didnt have to fight for like healthcare and social programs sen kennedy was rich and these issues never affected him but he was a straong champion for these causes and as far as term limits lets start on the local level and remove lord bloomberg then work our way to the city council who have extended their own term limits and then lets go to the state and get rid of these bums in the state senate lets give them one term as far as national politics if u try to get term limits u would have to amend the constituition which i think wont happen because the guidelines reguarding congressman and senators is explicitly written in the constituiton and does not leave any room for interpretation

[Shortline Bus]

although many may have not agreed with senator kennedy personal life he was a very effective legislator who was renengade for many causes he didnt have to fight for like healthcare and social programs sen kennedy was rich and these issues never affected him but he was a straong champion for these causes and as far as term limits lets start on the local level and remove lord bloomberg then work our way to the city council who have extended their own term limits and then lets go to the state and get rid of these bums in the state senate lets give them one term as far as national politics if u try to get term limits u would have to amend the constituition which i think wont happen because the guidelines reguarding congressman and senators is explicitly written in the constituiton and does not leave any room for interpretation

 

Its nothing wrong w/ 'dreaming' with term limits in both chambers of the US Congress but you make a great point. Money is 98% factor in bills or laws bing passed or not and changing the constitution to allow term limits make it more likely for 3rd party canadiates to win. That why it wont change any time soon on the federal level.

[nel070]

exactly and u would would need both houses to sacrifice their cash cow and vote for term limits in order to amend the constituition in reality they would be voting to fire themselves and give up all the pac money and hidden perks and power they obtain from being in the congress and senate i cant see that and in addition they dont want a 3rd party canidate threatening the two party monopoly they enjoy now in washington so that amendment would be dead on arrival it wouldnt get out of committee

[metsfan]

Guys try to stay on topic. B)

 

- A

[Urbanfortitude]

such disrespect...if you guys want to debate issues then create a new topic. This is about discussing the passing of a very famous and influential person. Not the structure of politics and the senate...

 

 

I got to meet this guy briefly as a child but barely knew who he was then. I'm glad I got the chance. RIP

[Shortline Bus]

Well His funeral is set for this Saturday(8/29/09)in Boston and among the main speakers at his burial is his former 'protgee' and US Senate collugue President Obama.

 

Of course the cable news stations ie CNN, Fox News, C Span will provide extensive coverage but will the 'free stations' be at Ted's funeral? Saturday is the opening weekend for the '09 college football season as well so will ABC-TV show it if the funernal goes very long?

 

The Ted Kennedy death, also recived international media coverage as well as his passing marks the end of arguably the most important political dysnatys in US History. Only the Roosvelts(FDR/TED)Adams(John and John Quincy)Rockfellers(Vice President Nelson)and more recent the Bushes(George HW his sons Jeb and GW)can rival them.

 

Ted Kennedy like him or not, is a perfect symbol of the summer of 2009 in which tons of internationally known celebrities have died in a short amount of time.:cry:B)

[R68 Subway Car]

I did not agree with his views, but Rest in Peace.

[Aqueduct]

Ted Kennedy donated a lot of his time to some worthy causes including foundations for cancer research and childhood astma. From what I have read, he cared about the well being of others and trie to make their lives better. He will be missed.