I usually stay away from politics on my blog. As I have said before, it is my blog and I can write what I want, but politics usually is just to controversial for me to write on. Upon hearing the terrible news about Ted Kennedy's malignant brain tumor, I was moved to write something, than thought twice about it and thought yet again. However, Ted Kennedy and his life and times has been such an influence and part of my life, that I am compelled to write. So on this night where it appears that an African-American has won a majority of the pledged delegates of the Democratic Party, while running against a woman, I think it only fitting to remember Ted Kennedy. I do not mean this as a eulogy or obituary and in fact hope against all that I have read and heard that a miracle will grant him many more years of serving in the Senate. But it seems Teddy has a tough road ahead and this is as good as a time as any to speak out.

One of my earliest memories of current events was when Ted's brother John was assassinated. I was a little boy playing catch with my Dad when my Mom came to the door and called us in because something terrible had happened. I didn't really understand, but my parents told me that the President (who I had seen with VP Johnson drive by in a motorcade months before) had been shot. I don't remember a lot more of the details, but do remember Oswald getting shot and some pictures of the funeral. The mind of a young boy is quickly filled with other things though and I moved on past that horrific November day.

Next when I was a bit older, the crazy year of '68 was upon us. I was still fairly young, but I remember riots in the cities, pictures on the news of the war and Bobby Kennedy, the Senator from NY running for President when President Johnson said he would not run. Martin Luther King was shot and killed and so was Bobby shortly after. By now I was old enough to realize the tragedy of these killings. I remember hearing Teddy's eulogy of Bobby and thinking what a terrible thing to have happened to this family, losing two of their sons like this.

For me it was the start of a life long interest in all things Kennedy. I read many books about all of the Kennedy's and lamented what could have been if not for the bullets that killed first John and than Bobby. A key part of my core political beliefs was that if John Kennedy would have served out his first term and been re-elected, how different the world would have been.  If Bobby Kennedy had been elected President instead of Nixon, what would the world look like now? There was always a sense that Teddy, the baby Kennedy brother would rise up and take the mantle and place that seemed to belong to this family. He would restore Camelot. Alas it was not to be. His time just never came. Though he ran a noble race, Chappaquiddick haunted and doomed his candidacy. After that Teddy was the patron of a family that just seemed unable to escape tragedy. One mishap after another befell this family that had been previously granted so much good fortune. It truly did seem as if they were cursed. Teddy himself had his ups and downs with drinking and divorce and the health of his children. Though he asked us to never let the dream die, the legacy of Camelot did seem to pass on.

Through it all Ted Kennedy continued to do good work for this country in the Senate. Looking back Teddy's legislative record has probably had more of an influence on this country than either of his brothers had. His name is attached to many of the greatest laws passed over the last 40 years. Teddy was also a great orator. Many say that his finest speech was as the keynote speaker at the 1980 Democratic Convention, when he mounted his challenge to a sitting President Carter. But for me Teddy's finest moment was in delivering the eulogy for his brother Bobby. The "some man ask why, Bobby dreamed of what could be and asked why not" speech never ceases to move me. I include this You Tube as a tribute to Ted Kennedy and all that he and his brothers meant to me along with my prayers for a recovery from this terrible condition.