Remembering Ted Kennedy

Within our industry, Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said, “Senator Edward Kennedy was America’s health care champion. His contribution to health care policy is unmatched.  AHIP and its members join the entire health care community in extending our thoughts and prayers to the Kennedy family.”

I also find particularly touching this comment from the first President Bush: “Barbara and I were deeply saddened to learn Ted Kennedy lost his valiant battle with cancer. While we didn’t see eye-to-eye on many political issues through the years, I always respected his steadfast public service–so much so, in fact, that I invited him to my library in 2003 to receive the Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. Ted Kennedy was a seminal figure in the United States Senate–a leader who answered the call to duty for some 47 years, and whose death closes a remarkable chapter in that body’s history.”

What I think is remarkable about Ted Kennedy’s life is how he grew in stature over time, how he was able to recover from the devastation of the killing of one beloved brother and then a few years later of yet another brother.  These jolts never turned into an excuse for becoming bitter or losing the compassion that motivated so much of what he did and stood for.

While he never compromised his vision-and yes, let’s be clear here that that vision was as liberal as they come-he understood that it was important to reach across the aisle to get things done, to move the agenda forward. 

Of all the remembrances that have been issued up to now, the one I like best and the one that I think Kennedy himself would like is from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who said, “The liberal lion’s mighty roar may now fall silent, but his dream shall never die.”