On Tuesday August 25, 2009 the world learns that U.S. Democratic Senator, Ted Kennedy, dies of brain cancer. Ted Kennedy began his political career during November of 1962. He has had his moments in the sun and his moments in the clouds, as the second most senior of the Senate had little to say, unless he meant it. Ted Kennedy quotes are witty, comical, serious and stern. Here are some classic Ted Kennedy quotes.
The World According to Ted Kennedy:
“Frankly, I don’t mind not being president. I just mind that someone else is…”
“I think about my brothers every day…”
“I seek the presidency with no illusions…”
History will now say on this impeachment, as they said on the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, that it was the radical Republicans. … And that is going to be the judgment of history.”
“Well, here I don’t go again…” Ted Kennedy’s response to his not running for presidency in 1988.
“It’s time that Gerry Adams free himself from the IRA. We cannot in Western countries have a political party that has its own private army, particularly one that’s been associated with criminality and violence…” Agreed.
“Ulster is becoming Britain’s Vietnam…” Ted Kennedy’s observation of Northern Ireland during October 1971.
“My brother need not be idolized or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life, to be remembered as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it…” Ted Kennedy’s eulogy for Robert Kennedy during June of 1968.
“I regard as indefensible the fact that I did not report the accident to the police immediately…” Ted Kennedy during a televised statement after he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. This would be the Chappaquiddick incident of July 1969. Kennedy Chappaquiddick has never left the public microscope.
“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die…” Ted Kennedy’s speech during the Democratic National Convention after pulling out of the August 1980 presidential race.
Here’s what President Bush said in his State of the Union address two months ago: ‘This economy is strong and growing stronger. Productivity is high and jobs are on the rise.’ Last month he said it again…”
What we have in the United States is not so much a health-care system as a disease-care system…” Ted Kennedy;s words during 1994 about the health care reform for which he campaigned throughout his life.
“I am extremely disappointed that [the president] has proposed this relief using such a politically charged approach. This is not time for a partisan political debate on vouchers…”
“With Barack Obama, we will turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion. With Barack Obama we will close the book on the old politics of race against race, gender against gender, ethnic group against ethnic group, and straight against gay…” Barack Obama received Ted Kennedy’s political support during January of 2008.
