Day 220 in the Age of Obama...and the passing of a great Senator

[Catamount]

Remembering the Lion of the Senate and his brothers.

I heard the sad news late last night, as I lay in my bed, sleepy as anything—after a series of late nights in a row.

At that moment all I could think was “Those damn scandal mags in the checkouts were finally right about something!” I had been seeing the headlines “Ted Kennedy dying” screaming at me ever since the inauguration, (and sometimes they are right) but he was still making public appearances and there were even some reports of a full recovery, so I chose to believe the better option.

Shocked but still ‘under’ from the pill I’d taken, I remember mumbling to my son who had brought me the news,” He lived longer than anyone thought he could, and even with the best health care in the country, (as in the Senate) his cancer was too advanced for any happy ending.”

As the day dawned, I immediately remembered last night’s news, and was overcome with emotion. This was only the beginning of what has turned out to be a day of remembering everything that was decent about this man, lone and last survivor of the three outstanding men who gave their lives for this amazing country.

Instead of continuing to write, I took some time off and listened to my usual suspects—Thom, Stephanie and Ed, as well as Ron Reagan, and now Mike Malloy. A lot of the people were either choked up or actually weeping as they expressed their sorrow, and it got me every time.

They all had a lot of people calling in to relate their personal experiences with the best Senator this country has had so far, and we will have to wait for quite some time before we can find somebody else, who is so passionately devoted for no other reason than the love of his country and the less fortunate people in it.

Was he the last true liberal voice in a position of power for us? I hope not, but I will miss his wonderful, powerful, passionate speeches in that unmistakable Kennedy voice. I know that the Kennedys were not exactly angels, but they certainly gave all they could, and with Ted’s passing we have lost the last of an amazing generation of brilliant politicians.

If anyone ever had enough reason to live somewhere less publicly, it was Senator Kennedy, after all he had lost all three brothers while he was still a young man, and he had the means to live a life of luxury-anywhere in the world, and yet he chose to serve others and for that he deserves my gratitude.

Just today I learned that it was largely his work many years ago that created our Community Health Centers around the country; for people who had no health insurance, and I have used ours for more than 15 years now! So thank you for that Senator “Lionheart!”

I do hope that we will all call on President Obama and insist that he finish Teddy’s job by giving us a universal Health Care system that Teddy would be proud to have named after him.

I was quite touched to receive a rather personal –looking, email message from the President and his wife in regard to Senator Kennedy tonight, so I replied in kind and asked him to do exactly that.

I somehow think it will happen, but then I am more hopeful these days in the age of Obama.
Yes, despite of all the right wing nuts crawling out of shadows with their shrill voices and filthy lies.

Lastly I want send my deepest condolence to the remaining Kennedy family.


PS I began this post yesterday--hence the discrepancy of the date.

[ZRB]

1. Teddy Care

First of all--excellent post. I agree with everything, but especially your thoughts on universal health care. I think it should be dubbed "Teddy Care" (which rhymes with Teady Bear and is thus totally non-threatening. I have no doubt that Senator Ted Kennedy will continue to affect this country for the foreseeable future despite no longer being with us. That is the kind of person he was, and the impact he made. We are very lucky to have had him for so long. I'll miss him. K+R