The world is better for his life here.

Most will never know.

Teddy at his most moving.

Hard to imagine a Senate without him. May he rest in peace.

Here’s a great example of what Gary Hart was refering to with this Huffpo article…

May 20, 1969
Kennedy criticizes the “Hamburger Hill” battle

As part of a growing outcry over U.S. military policy in Vietnam, Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), in a Senate speech, scorns the military tactics of the Nixon administration. He condemned the battle for Ap Bia Mountain, which had become known as “Hamburger Hill,” as “senseless and irresponsible.”

The battle in question had occurred as part of Operation Apache Snow in the A Shau Valley. Starting on May 10, paratroopers from the 101st Airborne had engaged a North Vietnamese regiment on the slopes of Hill 937, known to the Vietnamese as Ap Bia Mountain. Entrenched in prepared fighting positions, the North Vietnamese 29th Regiment repulsed the initial American assault, and beat back another attempt by the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry on May 14. An intense battle raged for the next 10 days as the mountain came under heavy Allied air strikes, artillery barrages, and 10 infantry assaults. On May 20, Maj. Gen. Melvin Zais, commanding general of the 101st, sent in two additional U.S. airborne battalions and a South Vietnamese battalion as reinforcements. The communist stronghold was finally captured in the 11th attack when the American and South Vietnamese soldiers fought their way to the summit of the mountain. In the face of the four-battalion attack, the North Vietnamese retreated to sanctuary areas in Laos.

During the intense fighting, 597 North Vietnamese were reported killed and U.S. casualties were 56 killed and 420 wounded.

I loved Teddy…
Rest in peace

What a passing…what a loss. The cause of his life should not be lost…
Up so early…did not think about this. Prayers & Peace.

Man, I loved that ole lion with all my heart.

He was in the Senate for just two years when he took up my cause against being drafted. He intervened and saved me from being yet more cannon fodder in the Vietnam corporate war. He personally arranged for me to get into the Army reserve as we fought the battle about immigrant, non citizens, being forced into the army and being sent to Vietnam. He was caring, helpful and absolutely committed to a cause that he thought wrong. I could not vote for him as I was newly “off the boat” but that we laughed about and I promised to vote for him as soon as I could.. Later, when there was an almost years wait to be sworn in as a citizen, he again intervened and arranged for my swearing in in just days. Senator Edward Kennedy cared deeply about every person no matter who. He took up my cause because he thought it right even though I was a “nobody”, an absolutely broke immigrant trying to get a foothold in a new country. The country and the world will be less well off without him.

Here’s Uncle Ted yelling at the republicans about health care for children:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..re=related

And here he is slapping the republicans around about the minimum wage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SicFn8rqPPE

I loved watching Uncle Teddy on these days. It was glorious.

He stood for everything good. Howie Carr of WRKO radio out of Boston should be ashamed of himself for blasting Ted Kennedy when the family sent the letter out to the Governor. He was not faking it, Howie, you asshole!!!! He was dying and those of us who have REAL compassion in our hearts knew he was!

I heard the news at 3 am on BBC softly under my pillow. I took a sleeping pill to get through the rest of the night.

Teddy was my senator for over 20 years. I never had to worry about how he would vote on something important to me. How many of us can say that?

I had the privilege of attending the tribute to him that was done at Symphony Hall during the 2004 DNC. It was fantastic. The evening started with the big screen lowered in front of the stage so we could all watch him give his speech in the convention center. Then the whole Kennedy clan got on a bus and arrived enmasse at Symphony Hall and came in in a cloud of Kennedys to their seats in the middle.

Great music. Glenn Close hosted. YoYo Ma did a duet with Bono if you can imagine that!

THe highlight was Teddy picking up the baton and conducting Stars and Strips Forever complete with a balloon drop. It was glorious and he was obviously having so much fun.

Wish I had pictures to share but taking them was a no no. so I didn’t.

So Sad.

What a sad day. We must all remember his dream lives on in all of us. We will follow his example and keep up the good fight and make this country a better place for all Americans. Let’s get the best deal we can on health care and then keep fighting for more. My sincerest sympathy and best wishes to the Kennedy family and gratitude for all their hard work on behalf of all of us.

Thanks RevDeb.

Do you think Ted would be ok with the idea that we used the example of his life and his commitment to the causes that were important to him to redouble our efforts and get a good health care reform bill passed, not a bail-out for health care industry corporate interests?

Were you there, Raven…?

Thank you for sharing.

I never got to meet the man, but he was my senator for about 6 years. It was a thrill just to see him marching in a parade, waving at all as he passed.

He’d cheer us on.

I can’t even control the tears this morning! Ugh. I loved the man so much.

The senate has lost one of its greats. Bless Ted Kennedy.

Moving from having him as my senator to having Scrapple and Casey is an assault on my inner sense of fairness. (not quite the word I was looking for but words are failing right now.)

The end of an Era.

He gave voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless.

He lived in his heart.

Now he will live on in ours.

RIP ,noble Lion.

From my perspective he was on the correct side of most issues and argued passionately and intelligently. He was and should be an example to all who attempt to serve in the senate. He understood that the government IS the people, something too few critters seem to get.

He is the argument against term limits but about 90 senators today are the reason for term limits.

Hopefully his passing can be memorialized by the passage of a single payer health plan which he supported.

Thanks for all your work Ted. You didn’t have to, but you did.

Fair winds and following seas as you sail the heavens.

At Hamburger Hill? No, I was way South at the time. It was strange because one Bde of the 101st was actually at Bien Hoa at the time and the other was at Camp Eagle.

It does not matter that most shall never know; it matters that he helped.