Kennedy's life of service

Edward Kennedy was committed to helping people in need.

The death of Sen. Edward Kennedy is made more poignant by the realization that he was the last of the Kennedy brothers. Sen. Kennedy had carried the torch for a political dynasty that had stood as an ideal among Democrats for most of the second half of the 20th century.

It is ironic in a way that, of the four Kennedy brothers, Teddy, the youngest, managed to accomplish more in a life of public service than his more charismatic siblings. Ted Kennedy, the only brother to die of natural causes, endured, despite setbacks and scandals, to become the third-longest serving senator in U.S. history, behind only Robert Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat who has served for more than 50 years and still is in office, and the late Strom Thurmond, Republican from South Carolina.

A younger Edward Kennedy had been regarded as the heir apparent, the surviving Kennedy who would follow the presidential aspirations of his brothers. But those early plans were stymied by a controversy 40 years ago that came to be identified with one word: Chappaquiddick.

In July 1969, Kennedy drove his car into the inlet off Chappaquiddick Island, near Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. His companion, Mary Jo Kopechne, a campaign worker for his brother Bobby, drowned in the accident. Details surrounding the incident and Kennedy's decision not to call for help immediately after the accident aroused suspicions of foul play. Although Kennedy was cleared in the incident, it derailed plans to run for president in 1972.

He would run for president in 1980, trying to unseat President Jimmy Carter in the Democratic primary. But Carter held on to the nomination only to lose to Ronald Reagan in the general election.

While Kennedy continued to be mentioned as a presidential candidate, that dream had died. And in a sense, it was a reawakening for Kennedy.

After losing in 1980, he seemed to take stock of his life and to find contentment in his role as one of the nation's most venerated senators. And in doing so, he became a master at what would be his life's work in the Senate.

In more than 47 years in the Senate, Kennedy sponsored and passed more than 300 laws, many of them aimed at improving the lives of ordinary citizens, the disadvantaged, the poor, the homeless and, above all, those without access to health care. Kennedy called health care “the cause of my life.”

Among the bills he championed were those creating Medicare and Medicaid in the ‘60s. The COBRA Act of 1985 gave the ability of workers to continue their health care coverage after they leave their jobs. The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 extended insurance coverage to those with mental impairments. The Children's Health Insurance Program of 1997 expanded health care coverage for millions of children. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 made public buildings more accessible to disabled Americans.

While Kennedy was regarded as a liberal icon, he also was lauded by conservatives for his willingness to cross the aisle and seek compromise. He worked closely with the administration of George W. Bush to produce the “No Child Left Behind” act. He co-sponsored an immigration reform package with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who regarded Kennedy not only as a force for bipartisanship but also a friend.

Many Republicans offered similar accolades. While Kennedy may have been a fierce advocate for his causes, he also was practical, adept at finding ways to pass worthy legislation even when it fell short of what he had hoped.

Kennedy had his flaws and often was his own worst enemy. Otherwise, he might have been president.

As it was, though, he was the consummate senator. Like his siblings, he eschewed the easy life of inherited wealth, viewing his privileged birth as a reason to give back to the country he loved.

The Kennedy clan has a remarkable record of public service, and Ted Kennedy, in the end, may have embodied that devotion to country and commitment to those in need more than any other Kennedy.

We hope Congress will honor his legacy by passing the comprehensive health care reforms to which he devoted his life.