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The last days of Ted Kennedy

Posted at 11:12 AM on August 20, 2009 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)
Filed under: Icons

If missing his sister's funeral wasn't an indication enough that Sen. Ted Kennedy's brain tumor is about to claim his life, today's letter to Massachusetts state officials is. In it, Kennedy asks the state to revise a 2004 law to allow a temporary appointee to fill his unexpired term.

The political analysts suggest the move is also an admission that health care reform itself is on its deathbed at the Capitol.

I prefer to use the occasion -- as a son of the Bay State -- to recall significant moments in Kennedy's life. Such moments, it seems, have to start with this one:

Never quite the orator that his brothers were, it only took two words to finish Kennedy's career as president-in-waiting: "I know."

His national "goodbye" came one year ago next Tuesday. :

Regardless of where you stand on Kennedy politically, you'll want to spend some time with the Boston Globe's seven-part series on him.

Comments (4)

I truly hope that the governor of Massachusettes takes into account the unbelievable debt we owe to Edward Kennedy. He has fought for every one in this country. I hope that politics takes a back seat to gratitude and that the republican governor will not toy with the needs of the American people over this health care debate. It is true that the vote can come down to one. I hope governor Romney remembers the ONE who fought for the people of Massachusetts and this country so brillantly throughout his life.

Posted by j walsh | August 20, 2009 1:02 PM

FYI, Romney isn't the governor of Mass. Anymore. Deval Patrick is. The law was changed in '04 with the idea of taking the power away from the governor, most of whom are usually Republicans in Minnesota.

The governor of Mass., is like the Queen of England. Pretty much a figurehead. It's the Speaker of the House that rules Massachusetts politics.

Posted by Bob Collins | August 20, 2009 1:15 PM

j walsh - Gov Romney is a former governor. Gov Deval Patrick (D) is the current Gov of MA.

Regarding Sen Kennedy's successor, it seems that the MA legislature perhaps acted too hastily when they changed the law in preparation for Sen Kerry's departure (whoops). They should consider more than the short term situation if they choose to rewrite the law again.

Posted by bsimon | August 20, 2009 1:16 PM

Thanks, Bob Collins, for posting "The last days of Ted Kennedy".

Posted by Mike | August 23, 2009 4:38 PM

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