Long Live the Lion

Senator Ed Kennedy passed away Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. He was 77 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer last year.

Kennedy was born February 22nd, 1932, and was first elected to the Senate in 1962 to fill the seat of his brother, John. He was the second senior member of the Senate and the third longest serving member in it's history. Over the years he was a champion of liberal policies, and became known as the "Lion of the Senate." In 1980, he challenged incumbent President Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination. The two fought a long battle, the likes of which was not seen again until 2008. Kennedy eventually lost the nomination. The battle produced an awkward moment on stage at the 1980 Democratic Convention in New York, and the party limped to November and defeat to Ronald Reagan. He appeared at the 2008 Democratic Convention to deliver a speech and endorse Barack Obama.

It has been said that health care for all Americans was the cause of his life, which goes to show just how long the current argument has been going on. Many people on both sides of the political spectrum have said that his death aught not be used for political gain, and thier calls are no doubt sincere, but is that what the Senator would have wanted? Most of his brothers have given their life in service to the country. Would Ted have given his life for universal health care? Liberals have lost ground in the debate since the beginning of the August recess, and Kennedy's death serves as a stark reminder, a wake up call, of how long we have wanted this, how much the special interest have spent to deny reform, and how many more Americans, that don't have access to the world class health care that the Senator did, will die in the months and years to come if we accomplish nothing.