Z,

Thanks for this article. I have been watching it too. I agree, I hope they "give us all they can". I was too young to remember JFK's death, but I do vaguely remember my mom being upset and not knowing why. Through the years the Kennedy family has been a prominent driving force in political history, even if we disagree or agreed with some of it. I did always admire Ted Kennedy's seemingly tireless efforts to try to improve quality for those sometimes less fortunate. He fought in my opinion for many good causes in his lifetime. Condolences to his family, this has to be a great loss for them and all of the nation. I will be watching.

Z, better today! Thanks for your help.

... It's a national disgrace that the media is deifying this man.

Edited for language. Z

MPT rebroadcast a three-hour American Experience documentary on the whole Kennedy saga. It showed video clips that I had never seen before as well as interviews of insiders such as Clark Clifford, who are no longer alive. Clifford, for example, tried unsuccessfully to persuade patriarch Joe Kennedy not to have Bobby Kennedy named Attorney General. The documentary apparently was produced before Ted Kennedy began to be lauded for his Senate achievements. Instead, it covers his unsavory earlier life and ends with his defeat in his presidential bid and decision to concentrate on the Senate. I saw him for most of his public life as a spoiled, reckless playboy, but he redeemed himself in spades once he emerged from his brothers' shadows and found his niche in the Senate.

Regarding Iann's post that "the media is deifying this man". In the first retrospective that I saw on Wednesday morning on NBC, prominent mention was made of the Chappaquiddik scandal and the effect it had on Senator Kennedy's career. I have even seen a report on his failed presidential bid in 1980 that talked about the disastrous Roger Mudd interview. I wouldn't say that this is deifying the man. Yes the coverage is overwhelmingly positive but the media are not glossing over his mistakes. I'm reminded of Robert Novak's death when some were deeply offended that anyone would criticize the recently departed. But neither men were private citizens. When an influential and powerful person dies, the media has an obligation to discuss the impact he or she had on the country both for good and for bad. Any whitewashing of such figures in death is a failure to inform the public.

Hi Michelle, I agree. And I have to say, most Tv pieces I saw (even the most sympathetic) at least mentioned the transgressions with Kennedy. That was one of the reasons I praised MSNBC's piece by Matthews. Thanks. Z

...
As a social worker that fights in the "trenches" for social justice everyday, Ted Kennedy truly did not know the meaning of social justice.

You've probably heard this remark before from folks in that work in the helping profession or just everday folks that contribute money or time to charities. "If our efforts help even save one life, it's worth it." That's how much folks that are genuinely interested in social justice value life.

Ted Kennedy was never a true fighter for social justice because on that night in 77 that he "panicked" and choose to cling onto prestige, money, and power rather than try to save a young women's life.

No amount of public praise, power, or money will ever take that away. The media can glorify him the way they just did the pedophile, Michael Jackson.

As a guy that fights everday to intervene before the next suburban kid dies of another heroin overdose, I value life too much to glorify a man that took another’s.

Hi Ballz: I edited out the remarks about a colleague. You know, I always do that. As for everything else you wrote, it's there.; Z

Z, I liked the podcast for the radio station. Keep putting those on if you can. I sometimes find listening fun. Although I love to read.

One thing that struck me today is I remember the salute that John-John gave when JFK's funeral procession passed by. It seemed poignant. I am sure that much of the tragdey that the Kennedy family had to bear was definitely upon Senator Ted Kennedy's shoulders. I'm glad that the Chappaquiddik scandal was covered, as it should have been, but glad it has not completely overshadowed some of the other aspects of his life.

Your blog about Larry King/Kate has drawn 71 comments. The blog about Ted Kennedy has drawn only 5. Does that mean anything about the tastes of our neighbors?

The Larry King/Kate Gosselin post wa sup for some 36 hours longer, Howard. That would be my guess in the difference in number of replies. Whom or what do you meaan by "neighbors," though? Thanks. Z

Hi David Z.,

Thanks for the above fine, and informed article about the most recent pan-T.V. media coverage of the passing, life-story and lasting-legacy of "The Lion of the Senate", political-animal extraordinaire, Ted M. Kennedy.

I couldn't help but be struck by, and supportive of your kudos directed to the ABC network's heads-up decision to have their fine "Nightly News" anchorman Charlie Gibson report last night on the sad passing, amazing life, and lasting legacy of "Teddy" Kennedy, planted on that hallowed stretch of road within view of the cosy Kennedy family compound where all of America was witness to, as you put it, the many "triumphs and tragedies" endured in that magical domain of privilege and fame we, mere mortals, came to know as Camelot.

David, your astute observation that "that little stretch of Hyannis Port road is the way back to shared memory and collective consciousness", really hit home for me, an early baby-boomer, having been a young witness to the tumultuous, and dramatic socio-political paradigm-shifting events of' the '60s and '70s, particularly thru the powerful, omnipresent medium of T.V., capturing in striking imagery, and in-the-field reportage the evolving civil-rights struggles, the flower-power/ Peace and LOVE movement, the effects of changes in sexual mores, and of course the horrors of the interminable travesty, the (undeclared) war in Vietnam.

I remember as an ever-curious teenager growing up in suburban Toronto, Canada, the profound impact the shocking news of JFK's assassination in downtown Dallas had on our entire nation, and how millions of fellow Canadians sat totally riveted to their T.V. sets , as we all bore witness to the emotional events that followed; the 'live' telecast of Jack Ruby's unexpected shooting of hand-cuffed and shackled suspect Lee Harvey Oswald, surrounded by that phalanx of Dallas police officers. As you Americans mourned, we Canucks did as well.

Who could forget the whole pomp, ceremony and gut-wrenching, deep sadness of the slain JFK's lying in state in the capitol building and the subsequent funeral service w/ that iconic image of little John John saluting his ftaher's flag-draped coffin beside the grieving Jackie, shrouded in black, veiled, holding young Caroline's little hand. Even now, over 40 years hence, the memories of those tragic days, are so vivid as if it was only yesterday.

Again I want to commend you for giving a shout out to ABC News and their considerable 'news smarts' in having Charlie Gibson "on-scene", so to speak, broadcasting directly from that historic tract of New England road so special to the Kennedy clan.

I truly believe historical memory can be rekindled just by 'being there', by physically being in a particular locale where major events, or a singular event unfolded.

In the summer of 2003, my girlfriend and I were touring the South-East of the U.S., by car, visiting old friends of hers, while taking in as much history, and natural wonders as we possibly could in the roughly the three weeks we had allotted ourselves for the trip. It was my first-ever visit to this very beautiful, historic and may I say extremely hot and humid region of the Country, but my transplanted Belgian-born girlfriend had spent some years, in her late-teens, living just outside Montgomery, Alabama, and later for some time in both Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta, GA., before moving out to California in the late-'80s. She definitely had a first-hand feel for the South, and in-the-main, an enduring affection for the more laid-back vibe, its charming people, storied-history and natural splendor.

One of our absolute highlights of our entire journey thru Georgia, Tennessee, the Florida Panhandle, and Alabama was our little planned side-trip to historic Selma, Alabama.

As we entered the still smallish, quaint , homey little town, I imagine looking much as it had back in those heady times in the '50's and '60s, I couldn't help but be transported back to memories of those momentous civil-rights marches in this very place that so altered the path of U.S. history, forever crystalized in that disgraceful episode of pure brutality and law-enforcement run amok , against innocent, non-violent protesting citizens, "Bloody Sunday" (Mar. 7, 1965), erupting at the famed Edmund Pettus Bridge. The largely red-neck State Police corp, under express orders from the then Gov. George Wallace, took "any means necessary" to prevent some 500-600 civil-rights marchers from crossing that bridge leading to U.S. HWY 80, and their ultimate destination , Montgomery, Ala..

The courageous John Lewis (SNCC) and the Rev. Hosea Williams (SCLC) spear-headed this historic aborted march on "Bloody Sunday", w/ Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. being the guiding force behind the whole non-violent 'civil disobedience' movement, essentially at the time, fighting for basic equal voting-rights for Selma's (and environs) Black citizenry.

When my girlfriend and I finally stood at that hallowed bridge, at the very spot where hundreds of largely brave Black protesters were unmercifully, and brutally beaten by State-troopers w/ billy clubs, rifle butts, bull whips and truncheons, we just kind of stood there in silence and total awe, trying to somehow conjure up the events of that horrific day, and the days that followed. There were other attempts to cross that bridge, and eventually the marchers valiant efforts were rewarded.

I'm sure I shed at least a few tears standing before that humble, shortish Edmund Pettus Bridge, filled w/ both sadness and a sense of thankfulness that I stood for a moment-in-time in the 'footsteps' of history, all be it a tragic chapter in that long and complicated civil-rights saga.

Still very emotionally moved, we then walked over to a very modest little wood-frame, one-storied, attached building on Selma's main drag w/ a small marque reading "The Selma Civil-Rights Museum", entered and were greeted most warmly by two older African-American women docents, who frankly, couldn't have been more helpful and hospitable.

Although modest in size, the permanent exhibition of beautifully displayed memorabilia from Selma's civil-rights era (vintage photos, artifacts, letters. etc.) was truly amazing, and very enlightening.

As my girlfriend and I were intently studying items in the exhibit, in walks this bigger-than-life, towering, handsome, beaming African-American gentleman, in a stylish tailored dark suit as if he had just left Sunday church services. After a perfunctory greeting to the lady docents, he came over to us (we were the only 'tourists' there) and asked us if we were just visiting Selma for the first time, and if so, what were our impressions, thus far. Turns out, we were talking to the newly-elected Mayor of Selma; the very FIRST Black mayor in the storied town's entire history.

We were, as that recent Brit singing-sensation, Susan Boyle would say, "totally gobsmacked" What are the odds of meeting the town mayor, completely out of the blue, on your first-ever visit.....I'd say slim to none.

Meeting this confident, dynamic, enthusiastic and most personable Black man, the Mayor no less, really gave me and my girlfriend pause, kind of putting everything into historical perspective, realizing in a fundamental way that all the blood, sweat and tears shed by those courageous early civil-rights marchers and activists to come, made a real, and monumental difference in the lives of generations to follow.

The proud, Mayor, on this sunny, sticky-humid mid-summer day in Selma, Ala. circa 2003, was living-proof that the "eyes" never really left the"the prize", a small reflection of MLKing, Jr.'s "DREAM" being actualized.

As we left the modest Civil Rights Museum, we were almost immediately accosted by a dapper young White gentleman, who assumed we were visiting tourists (not local-yokels), and proceeded to introduce himself as the publisher of the only major daily newspaper in town, which just happened to be housed right-next-door to the civil-rights museum. He offered to show us around town, and couldn't have been more welcoming. Talk about Southern hospitality personified!

By this time we really thought we must have been caught up in some kind of weird, surreal reverie, having met both Selma's mayor and its major newspaper publisher, in the span of less than an hour. It was a magical day, to say the least.

When hark back to the unyielding efforts of the late Ted Kennedy to fight to right the shameful wrongs of history vis a vis White America's inhumane, degrading, violent, and 'uncivil' treatment of Black folk in this nation, I can't help but marvel at how much those indelible images, both still and moving, on T.V., or the popular press, have informed and shaped our collective consciousness, especially us baby-boomers who saw, first-hand, such momentous societal change, political upheaval, and tragedy wrought large, in our lifetimes thru the lens of the T.V. camera.

When we are lucky enough to actually be physically at THE place, on the very hallowed ground on which significant history has transpired, we are able to tap into that reservoir of "shared memory and collective consciousness", drawing on all those impactful media image-fragments from our past. They can, if we are fortunate enough (and there are enough viable brains cells left and synapses firing), stream back into our awareness in-the-now, truly touching our hearts and minds, almost as vivid as when we first watched these events unfold on our T.V. screens so many moons ago.

I recall back in June of 1996, and my first-ever visit to Scotland, I had made a point to trek to the ancient battlegrounds of Culloden (April 16, 1746), west of Inverness in the gorgeous Scottish Highlands. This was the site of the last major battle, of note, on UK soil; one of the most hellish, clan-against-clan, sword-shields-rifles and bayonets, hand-to-hand clashes in British military history.

As a light Scottish mist descended on this particularly gray, forlorn morn, I walked the expansive, revered battlefield, a broad, flat, open grass and heather-covered meadow (moor), and proceeded to read the various granite mass-grave markers memorializing where 15 gallant members of the Campbell clan met their final demise, or over there, where a little cairn marks the very locale where a brigade of some 25 brave Jacobite 'insurrectionists' were slain. It was a day I'll never forget...... eerily transported back over two hundred years to a most pivotal event that forever altered the course of Scottish history, and to this day resonates w/ those proud and independent Scots.

The fact that my dear, late Dad had been born back in Glasgow, and emigrated to Canada in the early 1920's as a "wee bairn(boy)", also made my Culloden experience all the more heartfelt and significant.

(Ironically, I was born on June 15, 1946, almost 200 years, to the day, of the bloody "Battle of Culloden".)

I know my little trips back in time didn't really focus on the passing of the great Ted Kennedy, but at least I may have given some fellow bloggers out there a little 'noodge' to never forgo, or miss an opportunity to experience the places where 'significant' history has been made.

David, I concur w/ your article's closing sentiment, that , in essence, America, right now, deserves as much T.V. coverage as possible of the life and legacy of this true giant of the U.S. political arena, this unrelenting champion of the underclass, under-served and under-appreciated of American society, Ted Kennedy----the last of a bigger-than-life, incredible "band of brothers"--The Kennedy Boys.

ALEX

Dave, Hi!

I am surprised at how unmoored I feel at the death of the last Kennedy brother. I had always considered him the least worthy of the three, the irresponsible one, the Chappaquiddock one. So why am I sitting here crying?

A man is more than the sum of one or two acts, good or bad, and the growth of Edward Kennedy from the playboy youngest Kennedy to the Lion of the Senate has been breathtaking.

If we have to forgive George W. Bush his "youthful indiscretions," Teddy Kennedy is surely entitled to the same consideration (yes, I'm looking at you, Ballzmahoney!). When one comes from a privileged background, it isn't easy to put oneself in another's shoes, but somehow Teddy did it, and he did it pretty consistently. He came from a family which believed in itself, sort of a one-family manifest destiny (something very American!), but also believed in "noblesse oblige" - from those to whom much has been given, much is expected. Maybe Teddy wasn't presidential material, but he found himself and his redemption in the Senate, and I honestly believe that he has left this country a better place to live than he found it.

May we all have that as our epitaphs!

Peace!

Jane

Hi Jane, Unmoored is a good word. I am feeling some of that as well. Thanks. Z

Hi Jane,

If it helps, I cried yesterday too. And, I agree that I am glad Chappaquiddock did not overshadow all the other important things he did. Just saw today that he devoted a lot of time to read to youth through a program, can't remember the name, but it was inspiring for many of the young people who have since gone on the college. On young girls in particular had a wonderful story of how Sen. Kennedy had touched here and made her want to acheive and go to college through the readinig program.

Z , have you looked up that author yet?

Hi, No, I am slammed on writing a Sunday piece for the paper. Z

Hi Z - I resent the you noted my previous comment was edited for "language". There wasn't a curse or untrue word in my entire comment. Perhaps, edited for content would have been a better choice? I also find it interesting that you chop my comment to pieces and let another poster go on a bizarre journey down I Love the Kennedy's Lane.

Finally, to all the others who have commented on Senator Kennedy's greatness, I do wonder if they would feel differently if it was their mother, wife, daughter, niece, or best friend who was left in that car to die instead of Ms Kopechne. In my opinion, all the legislation in the world can't make up for hypocricy or the lack of a conscience.

Z,
Thanks, understand slammed. Me too!

Hi Jane,

I really appreciated your comments re/ Ted Kennedy's much ballyhooed shortcomings and personal 'stumbles', which probably in the end nixed any hopes, or aspirations he may have had in attaining the Presidency. However, as you intimated, even though he was raised in a life of extreme privilege, wealth, and opportunity, " Une vie du noblesse oblige", somehow, likely thru dealing w/ his cumulative personal tragedies and self-inflicted demons over the span of much of his life, he appeared to acquire a genuine empathy for the common, working-stiff, under-served, average-Joe-type American, and for more than 40 years as "the Lion of the Senate" fought the good fight as a champion for these ofttimes forgotten, misunderstood folk.

Your closing sentiment about Ted Kennedy's lasting legacy was very profound, and I believe contained much more than a grain of truth in that moving statement. (Maybe a whole beach full? HA HA!)

Jane, once again you have succinctly, and most eloquently, without malice, or rhetoric cut thru all the bull-crap, and shone light on some truth. Thanx.

ALEX

Iann,
I can kind of understand where you are coming from in the Chappaquiddik case (why is that so hard to spell)? I struggle with that. Anyway, Sen. Kennedy did go to trial for that and whether or not the sentence was just I guess the courts spoke. Everyone has there own issues in life. I still feel like he did a lot of good, not that it makes up for the past. I would hope in the same situation I would make a better choice. No one knows for sure how they might react. Not willing to overlook his shortcomings, just try to understand them. I know we won't agree on this.

Iann,

Sorry, Sen. Kennedy didn't go to trial, my mistake, but he did plead guilty. The sentencing may not have been just? I guess it is what it is. I can't make resolution with this either sometimes. I guess I have to forgive and move on. In God's eyes one sin is equal to another.