Ted Is The Stuff Work

Calixtro Santos Mrs. Wells English III -5 7 September 2009 Ted biography by Calis Ted Kennedy is the official lion of the U.S. Senate because it seems that he had more power to influence than any President while he was in office. He fought for his cause even on his last breaths. He is one of those people that shape peoples’ lives for the better which makes him a legend in history and a hero in our hearts. Edward Moore Kennedy also known as Ted served as a senator from Massachusetts in the senate of the U.S. He served the senate for 46 years and was reelected nine times. He was first elected in November 1962 into the senate. Ted is one of nine Children of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. The family has had many tragedies and only two of the eight children have die of natural cause. The family is one of the wealthiest families in the country. Ted helped both of his brothers’ campaign for the presidency and was very affective because he could talk to the common people. Ted himself got into politics in November 1962 to fill in the vacant seat his brother John left which had being occupied by a friend of the family for two years because Ted was not 30 at the time the seat was left vacant. Ted had to earn his seat in the senate and that meant first defeating Edward McCormack for the Democratic Nomination. Ted defeated McCormack in a two to one margin. The next step was to defeat the Republican Party nominees who happen to be George Cabot Lodge II. George loss by 10 percent of the votes and Ted took the seat. A year later he was presiding over the Senate and an aide told him that his brother John F. Kennedy had being shot. Ted immediately flew to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts to tell his father the bad news. About a year later, Ted was passage in a private Aero Commander 680 that on final approach in bad weather, in the western Massachusetts town of Southampton. The plane was heading to Massachusetts from Washington. The pilot and Edward Moss, one of the Kennedy’s aides, were killed. Ted suffer chronic back pain ever since. While he was hospitalized after the plane crashed his wife, Joan campaign for him and won. Ted return to the Senate in 1965 and hired a better and more effective legislative staff. He almost succeeded in passing the Voting Right Act of 1965 which would ban the poll tax. Robert decided to run for president in 1968 and Ted helped him win many victories in the western states. Robert Kennedy was shot after midnight in Los Angeles, which completely devastated Ted because he was so close to Robert than any other person in his family. Ted delivered the eulogy at Robert funeral which became one of his greatest speeches. Ted defeated Russell B. Long for Senate Majority Whip and was expected to run for president in 1972, but that would not be possible due to the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident where he fled the scene of the accident. In the accident Mary Jo Kopechne drown when Ted drove off a bridge, and the car flip upside down in the water. Ted pleaded guilty for leaving the scene of an accident, and was sentence to two months in jail suspended. He later asked the Massachusetts electorate whether he should stay in office, and he got a positive answer. The incident would affect the rest of his political career especially at any chance for the presidency.

In 1971 Ted lost his position as Senate Majority Whip which he found as a blessing because he wanted to focus more on issues and committee work. In 1970s Ted apposed war for example the British in the northern counties, the Vietnam War and the U.S. support for Pakistan. Ted refuse to run for president due to the Chappaquiddick incident in the 1972, and 1976 election even thought polls said he had a chance to win. He also had a lot of family problems during the 1970s like his wife, Joan alcoholism. Ted decided to run in the 1980 election, but mess up in an interview with roger Mudd of CBS News when he couldn’t answer the simple question “why are you running for president”. Carter won but didn’t win over Ted supporters so he didn’t stand a chance against Ronald Reagan. The in the 1980 the Republicans had not only capture the presidency but also the Senate, and for the first time Ted was not on the majority party. Ted chose to become the ranking member of the Labor and Public Welfare Committee. Ted was the leader in the effort to block Reagan actions. He work long hours and did made public forums to invite intellectual to talk about things that matter to him. He had a lot of problems like his wife filing for divorce. During the early 1990s, Ted life became like that of a Hollywood celebrity. Ted was caught having sex on a motorboat in Europe. He was not very good in the Senate because he compromise just -to pass laws. In 1991 he left for a bar with Patrick and nephew Smith after a family get-together. Patrick and Smith returned with some women they met there but one of the girl name Bowman said she got rape by Smith after going out on the beach. This incident made Ted the frequent topic of late night shows. Ted stopped the Racist Bork from being appointed to the Supreme Court. Ted started a movement in the Senate to get rid of all radicals. Ted try to stop Thomas from being appointed to the supreme court ,but when a sexual harassment charges were brought up against Thomas ,Kennedy was hamstrung by his past reputation and the ongoing developments in the case of his nephew Smith. He said almost nothing for three days and when he did say some he was criticized for being too little, too late. In June 17 1991 at a dinner party, Ted saw Victoria Anne Reggie his future wife. Ted was clear from the Smith rape trial. In 1994 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, Ted face his first serious challenger, Mitt Romney, but thanks to his new wife he won by 58 to 41 percent margin this being his closes race. In the 2000s, Ted led the Democrats and carry on for them gathering support etc. When president bush was elected Ted saw to be friend him and work with him because no democrats were willing to. Ted like that Bush supported education that they pass the no child left behind act. Ted also like that Bush supported immigration reform. The Bush often may Ted feel betray by them for example on Medicare expansion the seniors steer to private plans. Ted didn’t give an opinion on the 2008 election until it was between Clinton and Obama. Kennedy supported Obama and with his support Obama got a lot of voters and won the Democratic nomination. Kennedy promised to see Obama Inauguration, and so he did on January 20, 2009, but later on had a seizure due to being diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier in 2008. He dropped his spot in the Senate Judiciary Committee to focus all his attentions on health care issues, which he regarded as “the cause of my life”. He hope that universal health care would pass do to the democratic majority. The sum of Ted is life is too great to calculate, but he did get an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II, got to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway

Park and Presidential Medal of Freedom. HBO was showing a documentary tribute to Ted’s life “in His Own Words”. The Senate wore wrist bands to support Ted. Bills were name after him. He was a vigorous man who even at his last weeks still did his jobs and duties. He was the third oldest Senator of his time. Ted was born on February 22, 1932 and die this pass August 25, 2009, but his legend still lives on, the torch has being pass and the foundation set.