Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy Has Died

Tributes are pouring in from people of many varying and often conflicting political positions for a man who certainly will be remembered as a political icon.

BOSTON, Mass (Catholic Online) - In a prepared statement, his grieving family told a waiting world that U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy had lost his battle with cancer: "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... 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, fairness and opportunity for all."

The man whom Senator Harry Reid called the "Patriarch" of the Democratic Party, known as a "liberal lion", was the last son of America's Kennedy family, a political dynasty. He died at the age of 77 at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of 2008 he had recently been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy in his battle against cancer.

Tributes are pouring in from people of many varying and often conflicting political positions for a man who certainly will be remembered as a political icon. Even those who fought with Senator Kennedy over his political positions attested to his warmth and personal likeability. He was a strong supporter of candidate Barrack Obama during the hotly contested 2008 Democratic primary.

Now President Obama, vacationing in Martha's Vineyard, said upon hearing of the death that he and the First Lady were "...heartbroken.... 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."

The Senator was elected in 1962 during his brother John's presidential administration. That made him the third longest serving Senator in U.S. history. The Senator whom everyone called "Ted" spent almost half a century in the Senate. During that time some of his early positions clearly changed.

He came to be known as a stalwart proponent of what is currently being called a "liberal" or even "progressive" social agenda. However his change of position on the fundamental human right, the right to life, like others now identified with those labels including Rev. Jesse Jackson, changed entirely. In fact, with Kennedy's change the entire content of the meaning of those political labels seems to have changed. Senator Kennedy began his political career as a strong defender of the rights of children in the womb. For example, in 1971, Senator Kennedy described his then strongly Pro-Life position in these words:

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"While the deep concern of a woman bearing an unwanted child merits consideration and sympathy, it is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized -- the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grown old.

"I share the confidence of those who feel that America is working to care for its unwanted as well as wanted children, protecting particularly those who cannot protect themselves. I also share the opinions of those who do not accept abortion as a response to our society's problems -- an inadequate welfare system, unsatisfactory job training programs, and insufficient financial support for all its citizens.

"When history looks back to this era it should recognize this generation as one which cared about human beings enough to halt the practice of war, to provide a decent living for every family and to fulfill its responsibility to its children from the very moment of conception."

After his change on this fundamental human rights position, Senator Kennedy became one of the most ardent defenders of the prevailing state of affairs in a post Roe v Wade America. He supported unrestricted abortion on demand.

There is no doubt that Senator Kennedy was a man who had earned the respect of his colleagues in the Senate. He had also earned the respect of his political opponents. A strong advocate of the proposed Health Care Reform currently being proposed by the Administration, his death comes during the heated debate over that contentious subject.

"Health Care Reform" will be the subject of continued debate when Congress returns in September. In an interesting turn of events, Senator Kennedy's successor in the Senate will now have to be chosen through a special election. Many States authorize an appointment by the Governor. However, that method of replacement was changed in 2004 in Massachusetts.

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