_{^{Senator Ted Kennedy, on the Tavis Smiley Shoe, PBS.com}}

A giant among Americans, in more ways than one, Senator Edward Kennedy has died, today, August 26, 2009. He was 77 years old.

Brain cancer was his cause of death. He had fought it for almost a year and a half since he was diagnosed.

He lived through some of the worst things that can happen to a family. If the Kennedys were considered "America's Royal Family" as I often read, we did not treat that family very well.  One brother KIA in WW2, two brothers killed by assassins, and most recently, a sister who was a mover and shaker in her own right, died. There was also a sister born with Down's Syndrome, very tragic too.

He was thinking about his larger family - constituents in Massachsetts and the country as a whole - to the very end.  He most recently sent word to the governor of Massachsetts that he (the governor ) should find a way to appoint a successor to him should he die and force a special election because the people of Massachsetts deserved 2 votes on the Senate floor at all times.

Notwithstanding his faults, which were many, but which I will not discuss at this time, he was one of the few remaining statesmen we had.  The support of the friendless in Congress was his major focus in his political life.  Ted Kennedy wanted to see the Health Insurance overhaul through to the end, whatever that end might be.  He didn't wuite make it. Sadly, he was denied a vote on the final Bill by Congressional politics, partisan feuding, special interests.

He will be sorely missed by many, including me, but others will be glad he is gone. That's also sad.

Rest in Peace, Senator. Husband, father, son, uncle, and a friend of mine. RIP.