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The [[Kennedy Family]] has been a major part of the Democratic Party for a century, beginning with his grandfather as mayor of [[Boston]], and his older brothers President [[John F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1963) and [[Robert F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1968).  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 unable to overcome the power of incumbency enjoyed by Democratic President [[Jimmy Carter]].  

The [[Kennedy Family]] has been a major part of the Democratic Party for a century, beginning with his grandfather as mayor of [[Boston]], and his older brothers President [[John F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1963) and [[Robert F. Kennedy]] (assassinated in 1968).  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 unable to overcome the power of incumbency enjoyed by Democratic President [[Jimmy Carter]].  

==Career==

==Education==

After being expelled from Harvard for cheating on exam, he served two years in the [[United States Army]] and subsequently graduated from Harvard in 1956.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kennedys/timeline/timeline2.html</ref>  He graduated from the University of Virginia law school in 1959. He is the father of Congressman [[Patrick J. Kennedy]].

 

Among other schools, Kennedy attended Fessenden School, and later the private Milton Academy, earning only C grades. He was admitted to [[Harvard University]] as a "legacy", due to his  his father and older brothers having attended there. In 1951, Kennedy was expelled from Harvard for cheating, having paid a classmate to take a [[Spanish]] test for him. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to England, worked with the Boston Globe's top political editor on how to blunt the impact of this revelation. His father further advised him to refrain from cheating, stating,  "you're clever enough". After his expulsion, Kennedy enlisted in the [[United States Army]], receiving no special treatment according to his sergeant, but his father worked to keep his son out the [[Korean War]]. Instead, in 1952 Kennedy was assigned to the NATO honor guard in Paris, France..<ref>Peter Canellos; ''Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy'', pp. 39,40</ref>  Kennedy failed to advanced beyond the rank of Private, and upon being discharged he returned to Harvard, subsequently graduating in 1956. Kennedy also graduated from the University of Virginia law school in 1959, where he was the winner of the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition. <ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kennedys/timeline/timeline2.html</ref><ref>Adam Clymer; ''Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography''</ref>  Harvard University later bestowed an honorary degree on Kennedy when he was 76-year-old, with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer providing  featuring remarks by and a performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. <ref>Harvard to Honor Ted Kennedy, Once Expelled for Cheating Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press  Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press (Monday, December 01, 2008)</ref>

 

 

 

In 1980, Kennedy campaigned to become the Democratic nominee for president, but lost to incumbent Jimmy Carter. Tales of problems with alcohol and martial fidelity followed him, and in 1984 he divorced his wife of 24 years. He later became the object of more controversy in 1991, when after the end of a night out with the senator, his nephew William Smith was charged with raping a woman  Although Smith was acquitted, but the media attention negatively affected Kennedy. In 1992, Kennedy remarried, to Washington lawyer Victoria Reggie.<ref>[http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Biography-of-Ted-Kennedy Biography of Ted Kennedy]</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/tedkennedy/index.htmlAssociated Press, ''Timeline of Sen. Kennedy's life.'']</ref><ref>Bonnie Malkin and agencies in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, ''Ted Kennedy timeline'' (Aug 26, 2009)</ref> Kennedy also was the subject of controversy regarding his alleged advisement to the Soviet Union during the Presidency of Ronald Regan.<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=30980 Jamie Glazov; ''Ted Kennedy and the KGB'' FrontPageMagazine.com (Thursday, May 15, 2008)]</ref>

 

During his career as Senator, Kennedy is credited with several legislative endeavors, primarily in liberal goals in welfare, civil rights, and education. He was instrumental in passing ''Head Start'' (part of the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act), promoted the ''No Child Left Behind Act'', increases in minimum wage, and fought for unrestricted access to abortion, even in late term, and voted against  the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. He repeatedly sought to pass hate crimes legislation, such as would penalize discrimination against [[homosexuals]] and women<ref>.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/26/sen-ted-kennedys-legacy/</ref> Kennedy was one only five senators who had publicly announced support for same-sex marriage, and voted against [[DOMA]]. Kennedy was a strong supporter of the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, which  signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson,  which dramatically changed US immigration policy and numbers.<ref>http://www.michaelsavage.wnd.com/?pageId=487</ref>

 

 

Before his death, Kennedy was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in May 2008 and underwent surgery and a grueling regimen of radiation and chemotherapy.<ref>www.msnbc; '' After cancer fight, Sen. Ted Kennedy dies at 77'' (Aug. 26, 2009)</ref> He is the father of Congressman [[Patrick J. Kennedy]].

==Chappaquiddick Scandal==  

==Chappaquiddick Scandal==