Ted Kennedy was a great American. He was born into a family of great wealth and led a privleged life as a child. There were nine children in his Irish Catholic family and they wanted for nothing. His mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy was a very strong, devout woman that instilled her values and her faith into her children. I read once that she said, make sure you raise the first children as best you can and they will help you with the others. Ted's father was very ambitious, and wanted one of his sons to be the first Catholic president of the United States. He instilled the desire to be public servants,despite all of their riches.
In 1988, Keith, Brian and I had front row positions at a political event. Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were running for President and Vice President that year and Louisville was one of their campaign stops. We were lucky enough to be given tickets to attend the event. I can't recall where the event took place but there was a small stage with folding chairs to accomodate the state and city dignitaries that were attending. The stage was cordoned off by purple, velvet ropes and in front of that stood the Secret Service men. The audience, encluding us, stood in front of the roped off area. It was a very intimate setting. Among the pols on the stage was Ted Kennedy who accompanied Lloyd Bentsen. (Dukakis was not there, just Bentsen and Kennedy).
Standing next to me was an older woman, she was in her early eighties, I would guess. The event was just about to begin when Ted Kennedy stepped off the stage and asked the woman next to the older woman if that was her mother. She said yes and he said she should not have to stand and he turned to one of the Secret Service men and askedif there was a chair availabe. The chair was brought and the woman was promptly seated. I was so impressed that he saw that need and responded to it so q uickly. Compassion comes from within, it cannot be taught.
When we went to Washington with our eighth graders we went to Kennedy's office, just to see where it was. His door has a sign that says, "Cead Mile Failce" which is Gaelic for " One hundred thousand welcomes"(Pronounced: Ked Me-la Fall-sha)
He was a true champion for the poor and the down trodden, for the disabled, the handicapped, the deprived. He wrote and helped pass bills to provide employment opportunities for disabled Americans, he sponsored the Handicapped Children Protection Act, He helped steer Northern Ireland near peace, He was in on the final passage of Civil Rights. He was passionate about health care and diligently fought for it from 1966 til his death. One of his quotes from a speech in 1970 was: "No other industrial nation in the world leaves its citizens in fear of financial ruin because of illness."
He was in on 2500 bills during his years in office, 350 of his bills passed, 550 of the bills he dealt with he co-wrote. He was always willing to have the co-author of his bills be named first on the bill, ahead of his name.
He backed Obama for president and had great hopes that he could carry on some of the work that he was so passionate about. Especially, health care. I watched the inauguration on TV and saw him enter the arena. He was still a dashing figure, he had on a black fedora and a light blue scarf and his black great coat. The day was blustery and cold with the chilling winds blowing and his warm smile and cheery wave warmed the cockles of many a heart. His savoir-faire was evident. He was an Irishman!!
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