Ted Kennedy: Death of a legacy

I woke up this morning to the news that Edward M Kennedy, known prominently as "Ted" Kennedy,  Democratic Senator of Massachusetts, died Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009, of brain cancer.  Ted was the last of four brothers from the Kennedy clan, all of whom had led a prominent career in politics.  The oldest of the four brothers, Joseph Kennedy, Jr., was expected to become the next president when his sudden death during WWII brought an end to that dream.  And the assassinations of both John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy left the nation distressed and outraged, as I remember all too well.  Now as the last of the Kennedy children has died at the age of 77, he leaves behind a legacy of significant contributions to our American political system.  Both Republican and Democratic parties came together to memorialize Senator Kennedy.  The first Republican voice to speak out was Nancy Reagan as she said, "...Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. In recent years...I found ...him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him."  The Newsvine reported "California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose wife, Maria Shriver, was Kennedy's niece, said in a statement: 'He was known to the world as the Lion of the Senate, a champion of social justice, and a political icon. Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle.'"  Ted Kennedy's death comes just two weeks after Schwarzenegger's wife's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, died at the age of 88.  Newsday.com reported President Barak Obama  as stating '“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. 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.'” 

Ted Kennedy was responsible for successful and historical legislation on such issues as health care, voting rights, minimum wage and education.  I know that despite differences in the party system, Ted Kennedy will be missed and honored, as his brothers had been, for his timeless service to the American legislation.