As a child growing up in a Catholic family of Democrats, the Kennedys seemed to be always around me. Ted Kennedy was the patriarch of the Kennedy clan for my entire life, his older brothers having already passed away before I was born.
He left his mark on many issues--immigration, education, civil rights, voting rights, labor--and, of course, healthcare. Regardless of one's politics, it cannot be denied that Ted Kennedy was a powerful and prolific legislator, who earned the respect of colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
He wasn't seen much in the last few months, though, as he spent his final days battling brain cancer--a reminder of just how much work we have ahead of us in the fight against cancer.
His absence will no doubt be felt for a long time. Our thoughts are with his family.
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