THE DEATH OF TED KENNEDY - AT 7:58 A.M. ET:  Ted Kennedy has died.  Like many in my generation, my early interest in politics paralleled the rise of the Kennedys in American political life.  I recall when Ted Kennedy first ran for the Senate, propelled entirely by his family name, and the outrage many felt at his sense of entitlement.  I recall when he was presiding over the Senate when the news of President Kennedy's assassination came through.

His legacy, as an honest obituary in today's New York Times points out, is mixed.  On the one hand, he started as a privileged lightweight with no qualifications, his legacy and future marred by Chappaquiddick in 1969, when a car he was driving ran off a bridge, killing one of his female assistants.  His failure to come to her aid as the car went down forever marred Kennedy's reputation.

On the other hand, give the man his due.  By testimony across party lines, he developed into a respected senator who could work with senators of all points of view.  He must be praised for championing the least among us, something men of his class don't often do.  We can disagree with his prescriptions, but his concern for those at the bottom always struck me as genuine. 

It always struck me as odd that Kennedy didn't show more interest in foreign policy, a departure from his family's tradition. 

Over the years, some have said that Ted Kennedy was the best of the Kennedy brothers, the one with the largest heart and deepest commitment.  It's hard to say.  He died at 77.  His brothers died young.  No one knows how they would have evolved.  One of my revered mentors, Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois, once described Jack Kennedy to me as "brilliant but cold," which I think applies.  No one ever called Ted brilliant, but he seemed to have a warmth that the other Kennedys may have missed.

There will be a series of tributes.  Some will be tasteful, others not.  Some will be profoundly tasteless.  A few buildings and institutions will undoubtedly be named for Ted Kennedy, and appropriately so. 

There will, also, probably be an attempt to get health care "reform" passed as a living tribute to Kennedy, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the bill renamed for him - something like "The Edward M. Kennedy Universal Coverage Health Bill."  That won't have much effect.  Historically, Americans are perfectly prepared to name some concrete for a major figure who's passed on.  But they're not willing automatically to accept that individual's policies. 

President Obama will make the most of Kennedy's death.  That's the way it works in politics.  But, after a few weeks, the old debates will rage again, with little change.

August 26, 2009