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'''Edward Moore ("Ted" or "Teddy") Kennedy''', (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009) was the third longest-serving [[United States|U.S.]] [[Senator]] in history, a [[Democrat]] from [[Massachusetts]]. He was a leading [[liberal]] force in American politics, opposing free market solutions in everything from [[education]] to [[health care]].  He pushed for federal taxpayer funding of education in the 1960s, poverty programs in the 1970s, disability coverage in the 1980s; education again in the 2000s and immigration (both in tandem with President [[George W. Bush]]); throughout his Senate career—and especially in 2009 until the day he died—he promoted [[socialized medicine]].   

'''Edward Moore ("Ted" or "Teddy") Kennedy''', (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009) was the third longest-serving [[United States|U.S.]] [[Senator]] in history, a [[Democrat Party|Democrat]] from [[Massachusetts]]. He was a leading [[liberal]] force in American politics, opposing free market solutions in everything from [[education]] to [[health care]].  He pushed for federal taxpayer funding of education in the 1960s, poverty programs in the 1970s, disability coverage in the 1980s; education again in the 2000s and immigration (both in tandem with President [[George W. Bush]]); throughout his Senate career—and especially in 2009 until the day he died—he promoted [[socialized medicine]].   

Ted Kennedy always led the most [[liberal]] side of the Democratic Party, from support for taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] to [[same-sex marriage]].  Kennedy played the instrumental role in blocking a referendum on same-sex marriage in [[Massachusetts]].<ref>[http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=95626 How Ted delivered marriage to Massachusetts]</ref>  Kennedy tried and failed to win the White House and was ousted in his Senator leadership role by [[Robert Byrd]], who defeated him for Majority Whip in 1971.  

Ted Kennedy always led the most [[liberal]] side of the Democrat Party, from support for taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] to [[same-sex marriage|same-sex "marriage"]].  Kennedy played the instrumental role in blocking a referendum on same-sex "marriage" in [[Massachusetts]].<ref>[http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=95626 How Ted delivered marriage to Massachusetts]</ref>  Kennedy tried and failed to win the White House and was ousted in his Senator leadership role by [[Robert Byrd]], who defeated him for Majority Whip in 1971.  

Kennedy exerted enormous power thanks to his seniority and committee chairmanships, his willingness to work with Republicans, his unusually energetic staff, and the celebrity accorded the most famous name in politics. More than any senator in recent decades he was the master of legislative legerdemain: handling negotiations over broad policy goals, vetting the smallest details, negotiating with the concerned lobbyists, orchestrating the public hearings, briefing and leaking to the media, crafting compromises, cutting deals with the White House and with Republicans, and designing a legislative path through committee and onto the floor to get his legislation passed.  

Kennedy exerted enormous power thanks to his seniority and committee chairmanships, his willingness to work with Republicans, his unusually energetic staff, and the celebrity accorded the most famous name in politics. More than any senator in recent decades he was the master of legislative legerdemain: handling negotiations over broad policy goals, vetting the smallest details, negotiating with the concerned lobbyists, orchestrating the public hearings, briefing and leaking to the media, crafting compromises, cutting deals with the White House and with Republicans, and designing a legislative path through committee and onto the floor to get his legislation passed.  

Kennedy garnered the nickname "Lion of the Senate" for his long and vigorous career in public service. In the club-like atmosphere of the U.S. Senate, Kennedy enjoyed personal support from Washington insiders.<ref>Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] (R-Utah) said "he's like a brother to me,"[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/the-lion-of-the-senate_b_103322.html] while Senator [[John McCain]] (R-Arizona) said that he has "the highest respect for him," calling him a "skillful, fair, and generous partner" in the times they have worked together.[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1807447,00.html] President [[Obama]] called Kennedy "the greatest United States Senator of our time."[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Senator-Kennedy]</ref>  But outside of Washington, Rev. Thomas Euteneuer had a more objective view of his fellow Catholic:  "It is not enough for Kennedy to have been a 'great guy behind the scenes' as we have seen him referred to even by his political opponents. ...  Every indication of Senator Kennedy's career, every public appearance, every sound bite showed an acerbic, divisive and partisan political hack for whom party politics were much more infallible than Church doctrines."<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/6125411376.html Human Life International's Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy]</ref>  

Kennedy garnered the nickname "Lion of the Senate" for his long and vigorous career in public service. In the club-like atmosphere of the U.S. Senate, Kennedy enjoyed personal support from Washington insiders.<ref>Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] (R-Utah) said "he's like a brother to me,"[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/the-lion-of-the-senate_b_103322.html] while Senator [[John McCain]] (R-Arizona) said that he has "the highest respect for him," calling him a "skillful, fair, and generous partner" in the times they have worked together.[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1807447,00.html] [[Barack Obama]] called Kennedy "the greatest United States Senator of our time."[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Senator-Kennedy]</ref>  But outside of Washington, Rev. Thomas Euteneuer had a more objective view of his fellow Catholic:  "It is not enough for Kennedy to have been a 'great guy behind the scenes' as we have seen him referred to even by his political opponents. ...  Every indication of Senator Kennedy's career, every public appearance, every sound bite showed an acerbic, divisive and partisan political hack for whom party politics were much more infallible than Church doctrines."<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/6125411376.html Human Life International's Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy]</ref>  

The [[Kennedy Family]] has been a major part of the Democratic Party for a century, beginning with his grandfather as mayor of Boston, his older brothers President [[John F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1963) and [[Robert F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1968) and their [[special needs]] sister Rosemary.  Despite the family's immense [[financial]] resources she was shunted off to an institution in [[Wisconsin]] at the age of 23 and spent her entire life abandoned by the family where she died alone in 2005 at the age of 86.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-01-07-kennedy-death_x.htm Rosemary Kennedy dies at 86], [[USA Today]]</ref><ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/RonaldKessler/Rosemary-Kennedy/2008/06/17/id/324146/ Rosemary Kennedy's Inconvenient Illness], [[Newsmax]]</ref>  Ted Kennedy was long a presumptive nominee for president himself, but the [[Chappaquiddick]] scandal in 1969 caused him to delay his candidacy until 1980, when he was defeated by the unpopular incumbent Democratic President [[Jimmy Carter]].  

The [[Kennedy Family]] has been a major part of the Democrat Party for a century, beginning with his grandfather as mayor of Boston, his older brothers President [[John F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1963) and [[Robert F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1968) and their [[special needs]] sister Rosemary.  Despite the family's immense [[financial]] resources she was shunted off to an institution in [[Wisconsin]] at the age of 23 and spent her entire life abandoned by the family where she died alone in 2005 at the age of 86.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-01-07-kennedy-death_x.htm Rosemary Kennedy dies at 86], [[USA Today]]</ref><ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/RonaldKessler/Rosemary-Kennedy/2008/06/17/id/324146/ Rosemary Kennedy's Inconvenient Illness], [[Newsmax]]</ref>  Ted Kennedy was long a presumptive nominee for president himself, but the [[Chappaquiddick]] scandal in 1969 caused him to delay his candidacy until 1980, when he was defeated by the unpopular incumbent Democrat President [[Jimmy Carter]].  

==Early life==

==Early life==