VIDEO: President Obama: Ted Kennedy Was The "Greatest US Senator Of Our Time"
Posted on Aug 26, 2009 @ 07:17AM
Tributes Wednesday poured in for Senator Ted Kennedy, the longtime Massachusetts senator who died Tuesday night at 77 after battling brain cancer for a year.
"An important chapter in our history has come to an end," President Barack Obama, vacationing at Martha's Vineyard, said Wednesday. "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."
Obama learned of Kennedy's death shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday, and talked to the senator's widow, Victoria, around 2:25 a.m, according to a White House official.
Obama credited Kennedy -- the second-longest serving senator of all-time, whose tenure overlapped nine presidents and 10 senators -- for personally supporting him in both his bid for the White House, as well as once he got there.
"I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the presidency," Obama said. "Even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've profited as president from his encouragement and wisdom."
Also chiming in with words of wisdom was former first lady Nancy Reagan, who issued a statement lauding Kennedy’s relationship with her late husband, former President Ronald Reagan.
"Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family,” she said. “But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him."
PHOTOS: Remembering Ted Kennedy
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, related to Kennedy by his marriage to Maria Shriver, praised him for his work in the senate and at home.
"He was known to the world as the Lion of the Senate, a champion of social justice, and a political icon,” Schwarzenegger said. “Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle."
Kennedy’s career was marked by a series of triumphs and tragedies: the weathered leader held strong as both of his brothers were assasinated, establishing himself as a foremost advocate for health care and civil rights. On the flipside, his image was seriously tarnished by the Chappaquiddick incident, in which a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne was found drowned in his car; pundits point to the incident as the reason Kennedy was never a serious presidential candidate.
His death comes just two weeks after his sister, Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, died at 88.
Kennedy is survived by his wife, Vicki and his children, Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara. Funeral plans are pending.
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May 18, 2011 @ 04:30
KENNEDY MONEY+INFLUENCE GOT THIS BIG, FAT LOSER BOY OFF. TIME DOES***NOT***CHANGE THE FACTS THAT HIS ACTIONS CAUSED THE***DEATH***OF MARY JO KOPECHNE AND THAT **LOER-BOY** WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO JUSTICE!
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 8:39pm
I will do a research on Ted and Mary JO.well it will be judge by THE GREAT MAN and GOD not on this earth today.Take care I don't know what to blog about Ted anymore
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 8:14pm
THAT'S ***WHY***WE HAVE A JUSTICE SYSTEM, LB, AND IT IS***NOT***TO BE***BOUGHT OFF*** WITH MONEY+POWER LIKE THOSE**WINDBAG**KENNEDY'S DID.HER NAME WAS MARY JOE KOPECHNE AND SHE***NEVER***GOT JUSTICE.
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 8:44pm
KENNEDY MONEY+INFLUENCE GOT THIS BIG, FAT LOSER-BOY OFF. TIME DOES *NOT* CHANGE THE FACTS THAT HIS ACTIONS CAUSED THE***DEATH***OF MARY JO KOPECHNE AND THAT LOSER-BOY WAS***NEVER***BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 7:46pm
mrtree Ted wasn't a loser he worked took care of his family a loser is thiefs,murders,child molester,child killers,people that won't work I could keep on with the names.he didn't murder Mary Jo it was a accident .
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 5:49pm
TEDDY LUSH-BOY WAS A LOSER. HE ****NEVER**** PAID THE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF HIS NIGHT OF DRUNKEN DEBAUCHERY WITH ANOTHER WOMAN (BY THE WAY, WHEN HIS ***WIFE*** JOAN WAS AT HOME PREGNANT WITH HIS KID).
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 7:43pm
CHAPPAQUID****. MARY JO KOPECHNE. JULY 18 1969. LOOK IT UP!!!! MARY JO KOPECHNE ***DEAD*** BECAUSE OF THAT CHEATING (WIFE JOAN AT HOME PREGNANT AT THE TIME) LOSER + LUSH TEDDY KENNEDY.
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 4:37pm
Well Ted is no longer here and can't read about himself at least have respect for his family.Sorry about Mary Jo even it been 40yrs ago Gosh that a long time I wasn't born ,all the men&women unfaithful then.
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 12:46pm
TEDDY WAS A LOSER AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT HIS FAMILY. **HE** DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MARY JO KOPECHNE'S FAMILY WHEN *SHE* WAS SUBMERGED DEAD UNDERWATER IN A CAR AND HE DIDN'T BOTHER TO TELL ANYONE!!!
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 4:34pm
DALLIANCES THAT JUST HAPPENED TO RESULT IN THE *****DEATH***** OF *****MARY JO KOP-ECHNE.******
Posted Wed, 08/26/2009 - 10:51am