The man called the Lion the Senate attend Kennedy of Massachusetts the brother of President Kennedy the last surviving son of a political dynasty is dead tonight at the age of seventy set.
This is NBC nightly News with Brian Williams.
And good evening from Hyannis port Massachusetts the home of the legendary Kennedy family compound it is quiet collection of homes tonight because it was here last night that an American political here came to one and senator Ted Kennedy was the last of the Kennedy men and the only one of the four Kennedy brothers to die of natural causes he died here late last night of incurable brain cancer he was seventy seven years old Ted Kennedy was a legend in American politics and for that matter in this part of the country he was a lot of things a liberal who often reached out to the right a man of great flaws who became a family leader he was a towering legislator and President Obama today said he was not only one of the greatest senators of our time but one of the all time great honor.
Words morning his ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws reflected in millions of lives and seniors who know new dignity and family is that no new opportunities in children who know educations promise in all who can pursue their dream in America that is more equal and we're just including myself.
Reaction to the late night news from here spilled out from East to West across this country it was visible today on flag polls lowered to half staff the condolence book at the nearby Kennedy library and now the process of remembering begins it's likely no two Americans are going to remember Ted Kennedy quite the same way tonight we begin here by remembering a colossal American life.
From the looks of things it was a wonderful life he was the son of the American ambassador to Great Britain the youngest of nine he was the toast of the town in London at the age of six.
And today the official opening at home by thicket okay candidate.
He was a lucky young man and then his luck began to change.
His childhood hero was his dashing older brother Joe killed in a plane crash in world war two his older sister Kathleen also died in a plane crash soon after the war his brother Jack the thirty fifth president of the United States killed by an assassin so was his brother Bobby his sister Rosemary was left incapacitated by a low botany his sister Eunice died this summer it was and enough that the surviving brother.
Ten had to watch it all an indoor and but it was all public weaned watched him through all of.
The this is Robert.
And no one watching the eighteen police and coverage of President Kennedy's funeral in November of sixty three would ever have dreamed that the Kennedy the next two American generations would come to know best would be ten.
As the son of parents who moved around a lot Ted Kennedy attended ten different schools by the time he was eleven.
He went to prep school then Harvard he was good at football but bad behavior got him thrown out after two years in the army he got back he and then went to law school.
Then the family business he ran his brothers presidential campaign in the Western states where Harris that you're talking about too many Kennedy said should have talked to my mother.
Father a time when the beginning.
At the age of thirty Edward Moore Kennedy ran for his brother Jack's old Senate seat where he won despite being called out by his opponent on his qualifications.
Yet been named look at what more qualification not wallet quickly yet but what then what more not he would you go.
the.
Early on in his Senate career his life almost came to win and in margin lending hidden ones again.
Flying to a Democratic party event in Massachusetts in bad weather his small plane crashed two passengers died Kennedy survive with a broken back.
He was pulled from the wreckage by fellow senator Birch Bayh he was laid up for eight months he won re election while recuperating but they remained in chronic pain for the rest of his life then came a public hanging of his brother Bobby's assassination those of us eleven.
And of taking your was rested it pray that body was to us what he wished for others will someday come the best role the world.
As he said many times in many parts of this nation to those he touched who sought to touch him.
Some menace see things as they are in Sabine I dream things that never wear and say why not.
And if his younger years were marred by tragedy his later years would be marked by indiscretion chiefly Chappaqua and island in Massachusetts that be.
Came shorthand for the UN reported death of a young woman campaign aide Mary Jo compact.
Me he was found guilty only of leaving the scene of an accident and he went on national television to explain himself.
Well kind of Graham want.
well been confused.
Some of them irrational.
Many of them which I cannot recall.
And some of which I would not have seriously entertained under normal circumstances went through my mind during that period.
In the years that followed in the Senate Ted Kennedy made a decision to pare down and do the work he concentrated on running the decidedly unsexy labor and public welfare committee it had a clunky name and yet it is a business that reach.
Into American life and Kennedy hired a world class staff health care reform was always his long term goal in his stem Winder of us.
Speech to the party in nineteen seventy eight today he sounds like a preview of two thousand nine.
As as in the United States Senate it's the kind of these.
His last hope for the presidency for himself died on the stage at the Democratic convention in nineteen eighty he had challenge the incumbent President Jimmy Carter and lost he went down swinging he snubbed the president with a cursory handshake Carter later lost to Reagan and Kennedy gave the speech of his life the work goes on.
The clause indoors thought hopes.
Billions and the dream shall never die happen.
Returning to his work in the Senate Kennedy led the successful fight years later against Robert Bork President Reagan's choice for the Supreme Court with high drama and hyperbole Kennedy attack mercilessly.
Robert forks America is a land of which women thirty four cent a back alley abortions much.
Years later with Americans fighting and dying in Iraq Donald Rumsfeld got the same treatment in baseball it's three strikes you're out what is it for the sector defends the man so often called the lion of the Senate and he was was also all in whale of a fund raiser for both part.
Yes Democrats praised Kennedy said Portsmouth and for the.
Republicans he was often let's hope outside the room Kennedy's home life was laced with sadness as well his first wife.
Joan years ago acknowledged her battle with alcoholism his son Ted Jr lost a leg to cancer his daughter Kara underwent surgery for lung cancer his son Patrick a congressman has battled substance abuse.
Kennedy's modern day low point came in nineteen ninety one late night outing with his son and his nephew William Kennedy Smith it resulted in disaster Smith who was cleared of raping a local woman after a spectacular in protracted court trial Time magazine published a story about the senator's quote grotesque image as who's Sir in the event forced an eventual change in his life and he reconnected with family friend Vicki Reggie divorced mother of two.
The new marriage and a new mate settled the senator it reformed and in a way he found it easier to talk about his own failings.
I recognize my own shortcomings the Fulton in the conduct of my private life.
The irrepressible Irishman.
Could never be totally he seemed to attack life his image as the life of the party was richly deserved and Ted Kennedy never met a song he didn't at least try to conquer.
Not the.
Without much success a bra cloned off sometimes even when the children were present.
It's being its beat tighter time well there's.
Late in life Ted Kennedy took on the role of family patriarch when his niece got married when his nephew's plane was lost said was team leader and crisis.
Manager thank you thank you.
Proved at the only Democratic.
Convention you have one last hurrah left in.
This November up but torch will be passed again join new generation of Americans the work weekends and though the Hall rises again and the trading lives on Pathak.
He was happiest in the Senate and the war and when is.
Giant heart stopped beating a giant life came to one and end an American ear a ended he was the last of the Kennedy men and the last prominent post FDR un reconstructed oversize liberal in national politics the Senate produces few Lions and the last of the modern easier it is now gone.
Funeral arrangements for Ted Kennedy are as they say still being finalized tonight here is what we know tomorrow morning the senator's body will be taken from here by motorcade to the Kennedy library in Boston where it will lie in repose prior to a memorial service Friday evening a funeral mass will be held Saturday morning in Boston after with senator Kennedy will be brought to Arlington national cemetery where he will be buried not far from his brothers Robert John NBC News by the way will offer live coverage of the mass on this NBC station when nightly news continues here in just a moment more on the extraordinary life of Edward M Kennedy including a conversation it's a long time for.
We did warnings on MSNBC border Joe when he did talking about forget everything we weren't about what appeared to be served with the hottest the Supreme Leader thinking will turn that back the bitter talking politics morning show the season six on the sentencing place politics.
We're back here at Hyannis port if you wanna know whom Ted Kennedy was it's best to ask those who knew what we have two such people with us tonight both long time friends I should add partners of ours of NBC News long time Boston area journalist MSNBC regular Mike Barnicle skier and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin whose book the Fitzgerald and the Kennedys brought this family the life for so many readers so many Americans and Doris will begin with you very.
A simple question when people ask you what's Ted Kennedy like what did you answer.
Well I think what I remember most about him was this incredible ability to bring work and play together we stick a vacationing with him in the Caribbean we'd be up having tropical drinks at night he'd been bellowing with stories he would be booming in singing my wild Irish rose and then we go to bed and I'd wake up sort of sleep early in the morning and keep the out on the debt pie also Senate documents in front of him and starting to talk about the past talk about immigration reform we've got to talk about the minimum wage he was a bit able to somehow connect those two parts of his life amazing and Mike in the.
Dimmed in this neighborhood growing up as a kid every member the black and white life magazine photos of kind of strange breed of people I've never seen them before they were there polo shirt collars up and they were these tweed jackets Tana hair a town the teeth they drove around in convertible send me is seem to be living the life how is he part of that.
In this town Wallace and oddity mean growing up you're right it means we're creatures with great hair and straight way to you think and they went to parochial school many of them and went to went to Sunday mass yet they lived here in this very small community you could fit the community into inaudible largely Republican largely conservative Republican and yet this was Ted Kennedy's this was the family home in politics stopped being of Scudder Avenue right here you see sky there behind us and he was a neighbor he was Ted Kennedy resident have in a sport here much more so than he was a liberal United States.
Doris we said at the top of the broadcast is it accurate in Europe in American politics ended last night when his heart stopped beating.
I think there's no question about that I mean certainly there may be Kennedy children that will stay in public life but that family Joe Kennedy senior's family arose Kennedy's family this is on that the brothers are gone think about it I mean Joe Kennedy Jr Dyson in world war II and then the responsibility goes on to Jackson Jack goes on to Bobby Bobby goes on to Teddy antennae carried it in a way he's the cuckoo so the family music on the little guy and he became the engine of this family the patriarch not only of the Senate but of his family you know when he was born Jack that fourteen wanted to call him George Washington because he was born on Washington's birthday so think about how much of his life Washington will be remembering he's one of the great centers.
Long and they're missing is quite simply their neighbor here at Hyannis port tonight my thanks to you both for coming by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Mike by Michael as they say the country.
When NBC nightly news continues here in just a moment more the death of senator Ted Kennedy and a look at some of this is.
MSNBC weeknights ones Rachel talking about for the Obama is holding our own won't the ever talk about before there was Michael stone this is strategically for dummies yet we're talking politics the ritual ocean weeknights at nine missing this is the place for politics.
We want now to cover some of the other news of this day starting with news on the economy tonight new home sales jumped nine point six percent in July spurred on by lower prices and a rush to lock in at eight thousand dollar tax credit for first time home buyers before the deal expires and this is a big move New home sales have risen now for four months in a row there still seventy percent below their peak in all five Wall Street was little changed on this trading day the Dow was up just over four points we also have new numbers tonight on just how successful this cash for clunker straighten program actually was in the end the government counts six hundred ninety thousand clunker is taken off the road that's almost three billion dollars worth of vouchers submitted by car dealers and on the list of the top five brands of cars that people actually purchased the only American based car brand was the Ford focus it's been another bad day for American forces in Afghanistan two more US troops killed today as we've been reporting August is now on track to be the single deadliest month of the aft in war at least four US military forces in the region we also have a consumer recall report five and a half million window blinds and Roman shades are being recalled five and a half million of them because three children have been strangled by the courts the blinds were sold under various names at Ikea pottery barn target other national chain stores will put more information on our website tonight and we sadly have to report that another prominent American has died the well known writer Dominick Dunne television viewers may remember his rise to prominence while covering the OJ Simpson trial but his readers knew him as an accomplished and prolific writer and journalist he wrote almost a dozen books in his life time and until recently when he decided to focus on a new novel he wrote a monthly feature in vanity fair magazine he covered often the rich and famous among others the Kennedy family when nightly news continues tonight more on our top story here this evening the death of senator Ted Kennedy and White for this family this is the spot the return to again and again for stress.
In general we will see with Joan got MSNBC dot com in the test of and Joe Di the Ms. NBC dot com.
We're back here and Hyannis port mass on a late summer evening earlier today the win was up to twenty knots out of the West tonight it's hot and humid it's getting still neighbors are coming out it's the kind of night when you used to see Ted Kennedy on the street on the dock on a sailboat he was after all a citizen of this town known by all if not loved by all and so the people here today we're remembering him our report tonight from NBC's in town.
the.
Hyannis port the Kennedy touchstone for more than eight decades the family would travel the world but they always came back to this Hamlet by the sea the Kennedy legend forged in touch football games on the manicured lawn their vitality and competitiveness on vivid display it was here they waited through that long election night in November nineteen sixty when John the second son won the presidency.
So now my wife and I prepare for a new administration and for a new baby thank you half.
Three years later senator Ted Kennedy would come here to tell his father the president had been shot the drawn Hyannis port water at every stage of life the Kennedy sail on Nantucket sound they found adventure testing their votes and themselves none more so than Ted Kennedy of Jack Driscoll crude for him in races and fun.
The lover racing and he did that though for two or three hours we just invigorate him.
As the second generation of Kennedys grew up the family's familiar rhythm of great joy and great Sorrell would continue with the case senator Kennedy walk Caroline.
Down the final here with a private neither he nor Jackie could contain a decade later paying which is he received the body of John jr. who crashed his plane into the waters off Martha's Vineyard.
Should the senator's cancer diagnosis the sea would once again be his refuge taking long sales on his B law but both the mile tonight she stands in silent salute to her captain who now has embarked on what he once called the next great voyage and Thompson NBC News Hyannis port.
And depending on where you're watching this broadcast tonight for a lot of you will be back right after a short break or after your local programming for more of our special coverage tonight of the death of senator Ted Kennedy if it doesn't air on your NBC station where you are it will be on our website nightly dot MSNBC dot com for now from Hyannis port mass I'm Brian Williams in our special coverage Wilkinson.
CNBC with times what's in talking about already a stay and that's what Americans one of them is the number one issue on the minds of people like a good scrap yes he's talking politics yet show weeknights at six on MSNBC he plays the politics.
Senator Edward M Kennedy of the liberal lion of the US Senate the final link really to Camelot a veteran of almost fifty years in the US Senate is gone tonight of incurable brain cancer he was seventy seven years old.
This is NBC nightly News with Brian Williams.
This is NBC nightly news and we're now continuing our special coverage of this story from the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis port Massachusetts this tiny community where the Kennedys were not just a political dynasty as we all like to say they were friends and neighbors the folks you'd see on the street on a night like this the reaction to the senator's death as you might imagine pouring in from far and wide as this story continues to spread tonight our own Andrea Mitt.
Shell is here with us tonight in Hyannis port Andrea good all the news was long.
Spent to do that still did not reduce the pain candies family and children said that they've lost the irreplaceable center of their family the nation lost a leader we had an impact on public policy in the half a century.
From the historic Kennedy compound in Hyannis port the news came overnight that senator Kennedy's valiant battle was over President Obama whom Kennedy all but anointed as his political heir during last year's campaign was vacationing just across Nantucket sound on Martha's Vineyard the president spoke to Kennedy's wife Vicki just after two o'clock this morning.
Extraordinarily good that he did lives on for his family he was a Guardian for America he was defender of a drink.
Vice President Joe Biden sat next to senator candy for decades in the Senate their bond was deep and personal.
So many of his.
So many of his folks immigration because they know he made them bigger he made them more graceful.
By the way in which he conducted himself.
In fact Kennedy was legendary for reaching across the aisle today Orrin Hatch a conservative Republican posted a song on his website that he wrote in Kennedy's honor.
Kennedy's closest Senate ally and sailing body Chris Dodd.
Dell the middle of the ocean ideas only audience be bang in disgust on the side of that vote about health care about mental health about what was happened a few unemployed at Ceyhan the only audience her not to scream.
Kenny a challenge his party's incumbent president for the nomination in nineteen eighty a bitter feud Jimmy Carter today.
His whole life has been devoted to the improvement this status of life of those who the land and deprived and and persecuted and ignored all the Evas repeated his devotion to civil rights.
No one no one in the Senate and no one in the house stood taller than senator Kennedy.
And late today I spoke to John Kerry of course the Senate partner to senator Kennedy right out here on this corner.
I actually worked for when I was a kid in high school his first race I've been watching the amendment privilege to work with them now for almost twenty five years learning from them he's been a great mentor isn't.
And senator Kerry also said that a caretaker senator should be appointed quickly a senator who says that he will not run for the seat and that would ensure that senator Kennedy's voice will still be counted in this vote will be counted on issues like health care.
Another component of this who fills these shoes Andrea Mitchell thanks for being with us tonight.
And out let's get into the political piece of all this as you've heard the Democrats have sorely missed Ted Kennedy's voice his leadership in this health care debate this summer it's an issue as we just heard the senator was passionate about passion enough to bang a sailboat with his fists and now ironically the fact that he did not live long enough to see if possible over all of the system will this be the very thing that might break the logjam over getting it done or not NBC's Kelly O'Donnell is on Capitol Hill tonight with this part of the story Kelly giddy.
Good evening Brian in months of contentious debate over what to do about health care we've heard claims from both Democrats and Republicans that the tone and outcome might have been different had senator Kennedy really been able to participate that may be true or not but looking forward the emotional impact of Kennedy's passing could become a factor now.
This is the author five.
One year and one day and if be declared that Washington was ready to reform health chief.
And guaranteed that every American no sound.
This seems like he'd raged for decades.
as the.
This year Kennedy shadow has hung over the health care debate.
Doctors Americana nearly this morning he wishes he could be here.
But the government run insurance plan he wanted has stolen with no Republican support and the White House saying it is not essential to fix health care the Democrats are saying respect for Kennedy could change minds now.
The ironic thing is that now that is not there might finally get done might get opportunities for Democrats Republicans to come together.
hi.
National sorrow has created political momentum before.
Null Laura a ration are eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory.
Than the earlier comparable publish overall it though we're working and.
Within months the civil rights act passed with young senator Kennedy's help today a similar suggestion from House speaker Nancy Pelosi Ted Kennedy's dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made reeled this year because of his leadership and his inspiration and outside groups were even more direct the seniors lobby AARP wrote as Congress seems poised to act this fall senator Kennedy will no doubt be watching and the service workers union said let's continue his cause let us take action this year to pass health care reform but Republicans even close friends of Edward Kennedy say adoration not scrutiny.
I don't think anybody should be trying to take advantage of the current situation attorneys death to try for something that really doesn't merit bipartisan support.
And some Democrats say the bill should ultimately be named for Edward Kennedy in endeavors another gesture here tonight the senator's desk on the Senate floor has been draped in black there is a base with white roses there along with the Robert Frost poem the road not taken an issue no that was also the desk used by John Kennedy when he was.
Kelly O'Donnell who actually broke this news at our network for us last night Kelly thanks let's go across town in Washington to the moderator of meet the press NBC's David Gregory and David you're known to like get tough questions here's one what happens to health care reform.
It's an important question right now and no doubt they're thinking about it inside the White House says is the president spoke to a senior adviser tonight who hope there might be something of an emotional lift as the result of the senator's death because he was such a champion for health care going back to nineteen sixty six he said does it then senator Obama I'll give you my endorsement but you've got to make Universal health care your top priority and senator Obama agreed but is also a bit of realism within the White House it's been a tough go on health care so far senator Kennedy has been on the sidelines there feeling his impact because he's not there day today in the middle of the fight but they're still not very optimistic that just because he wanted it that in death it's gonna change any.
Months right.
David Gregory at the end of this long day in our Washington newsroom David thanks and from the Bay State of Massachusetts let's go West to the great state of Montana and another man who cover the Kennedy family along the way for many years our partner Tom Brokaw Tom you and I were on MSNBC together last night from our respective homes by telephone the wee small hours of the morning reacting to this news and you brought up an important point your wish that in the coverage that follows the the so called Irish side of Ted Kennedy his playful side his sense of humor doesn't get forgotten or plowed under.
He never fail to have a good time and he was the last personally of any cocktail party or dinner party he did go Gohel room filled with his former co Arbor stories so one of those big meaty arms around a minute sure was some some raucous story generally at his own expense and make the entire room abrupt laughter Ted Kennedy Brown was a man of many many parts some of them were roll demons as we know he he made some huge mistakes in his life Chappaqua tick he brought on a lot of us difficulties himself with his of drinking too much and carousing but I think the last part of life has been a verdict of life and I think in part he wanted to set everything right and pursue the policies that he cares so passionately about and I think you have to give great credit to as well to Vicki his wife since nineteen ninety two.
the.
And Tom to pursue them pointing continue the conversation that started so many hours ago last night the misbehavior forced the kind of buckling down that the drudgery though work in the Senate where he drilled down again committees like labor and Human resources he recognized the value of hard work and hiring the best staff on Capitol Hill.
I love to go to was set off a Seattle Ohio and the back worry had post of letters from his mother when he was a teen ager about watching his manners yet memorabilia from his brother Jack and from Bobby as wealth but it was a real nerve center though for senator Kennedy and what he cared about and he did break this exceptional staff to the Senate they were they love working for him and then he would go from there are across the aisle or across the Hall in some instances to get people to if not see it entirely his way to advance the cause and I think what's been missing from a political dialog in recent years of course is that it's been so mean spirited on both sides too often and senator Kennedy was not one who believe in using his political philosophy as a weapon rather as a means of advancing what he believed was in the best interests of the sky.
Well I must say we thought we were doing a broadcast from a pretty beautiful place tonight until we saw Tom Brokaw tonight in Bozeman Montana one of the truly great towns in the American West and Tom as always a pleasure thank you very much for being with us we'll take a break here and when we come back the women who stood by Ted Kennedy in some of his toughest time.
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Gain more names clear your schedule and meeting the in ninety inch in is in DC the place for politics.
We're back now from Hyannis port mass with an interesting component in this story of the death of Ted Kennedy we have a look at three major players in the life of senator Ted Kennedy all three are women the matriarch his mother rose his first wife the mother of his children Joan Kennedy and his second wife now his widow of course Vicky the story tonight from NBC's Norah O'Donnell.
The Kennedy men are famous but it is the women in Ted Kennedy's life who are legendary first it was his mother.
She had an inner strength that radiated from her life.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy this steel willed matriarch who encouraged public services.
If they were sons of privilege they could easily have gone into a life it was much easier.
But it was the women married to Ted Kennedy who stood by him during the years of tragedy and scandal in nineteen sixty four year after JFK was assassinated Ted was almost killed in a plane crash his wife Joan then twenty eight hit the campaign trail to push for his re election to the Senate.
After Chapman quitting Joan was closed by his side at the funeral of Mary Jo comeback need who'd drowned.
The depths of the Kennedy brothers her own bout with alcoholism for miscarriages and detainees philandering probably as well all made it hard for to find her own space in the world.
The wind and the women Bolton took its toll on her and they divorced.
You would not marry again until nineteen ninety two this time to Washington lawyer Victoria Reggie who came from a famous Louisiana political family.
Vicky really a weekend he's these feelings emotions that I think it it really been banked in my life and that I don't really think probably existed it more.
They married right after Kennedy was caught up in another sordid story the Palm Beach rape trial of his nephew William Kennedy Smith the senator had been out drinking with Smith that night is the time it was Victoria Reggie the head to go before cameras and promised chain.
Sure I recognize my own shortcomings.
The faults in the conduct of my private life.
That she took control of his life both mentally and physically and gave him a form of stability that he had been lacking.
Anthony and Victoria was he's sailing partner and sole mate who friends say ultimately helped him anchor his life Norah O'Donnell NBC News Washington.
And a quick program note here tonight MSNBC will air a special broadcast was Chris Matthews the Kennedy brothers you may recall it was slated to debuted tomorrow night but because of what happened here last night we thought we should air at this evening it premieres at nine PM Eastern time on MSNBC when we come back after a break why some say the last brother maybe the brother who mattered most of all.
We say it's the CNN I hear Nancy weekdays at noon in the CDC the place holiday.
We now ask you to join us in a moment of silence as we remember the life and legacy well senator Edward more or connected.
Course this is the heart of Red Sox Nation and they wore their hearts tonight on their sleeve at Fenway Park hosting the Chicago White Sox the hosting team the Boston Red Sox decided to on her the senior senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts also by the way today both Time and Newsweek magazines announced special issues on senator Kennedy the last brother according to Newsweek and the Kennedy brother who mattered most according to Time magazine and that is a perfect starting point really for our talks with NBC News presidential a story and an author Michael Beschloss so look at these three brothers Michael in politics Jack becomes president Bobby as senator perpetuates the anti war movement and yet the work of the Senate the decades of the Senate perform by Ted could you argue the third and final was the most import.
No one no question because Ted Kennedy did so much to shape American history during the forty seven years that he was in the Senate and you know after he lost to Jimmy Carter in nineteen eighty he really buckle down and decided to make his career in the Senate but you can push that too far no I didn't know and well I was talking to him two years ago just before the campaign which block Obama was running and I said you know it's very impressive that after nineteen eighty you realize how much can be done from the Senate you don't need to be president he said well actually I hate to tell you but if I were ten or fifteen years younger I'd be running for president next year.
And what do you feel when you come to this intersection looking down that small pave road the pictures we all grew up looking.
No don't to feel that to come here and it's hard to walk down that street and not remember for instance we were talking earlier about what it looked like the morning that John Kennedy won the election nineteen sixty with Ted Kennedy standing behind him in Hyannis armoury but that was another legacy after the assassination of Robert Kennedy in nineteen sixty eight you have tremendous Ted Kennedy's courage staying in public life he knew that there could be another assassin out there I was once once on the porch of the house with he was sitting down behind him there was a door that's slammed quickly Sharp sound sounded like gunshots and he just came out of his chair like this this was obviously someone who even a quarter century later this is very much on his.
Well Michael Beschloss we wouldn't try to remember a towering figure like this without your help thank you very much for taking us on the broadcast tonight.
Will take another break and when we come back just some of the lives that would have perhaps been very different without Ted Kennedy.
We it's an African story teller who maintains the tradition and history the fillets and that was that this is now is degree that hundred the African American perspective on news to a global community our alliance Ilo the other story we're back on a division of NBC News.
At least one political writer said today that senator Ted Kennedy affected more social legislation than any other lawmaker in the history of the Republic we thought one way to look at his life might be the way some people look at him today the way film maker Frank Capra might have looked at life what would've been like without Ted Kennedy it's an interesting question to ask our report tonight from NBC's Kevin Tibbles.
Didn't catch on top sites.
Without Ted Kennedy the University of Notre Dame swimming volleyball team just might not have a place to play at least on equal footing.
I think one thousand the urgency or at the passion that Edward Kennedy had for this movement I I question whether it whatever happened I think it would have happened but certainly not in the time that it did.
Kennedy steadfast support of the title nine educational amendments made it law that women be afforded the same opportunities as men from the freedom to play to freedom of movement Ted Kennedy's battle on behalf of the disabled has made America far more accessible just ask twenty eight year old Joe well here is ever.
This helps us re interpret back to the community without it I in my I never need the house because you know the whole city will be inaccessible.
From immigration and education reform for health care affordable housing the common thread of Ted Kennedy's life's work many say it was their welfare.
They can't tell him when you wife all Merck of icon pick up all woman claimed they work on the American you could count on Pitcairn this stunning that with strength.
Here's to prove otherwise for the elderly Kennedy were also meant Indocin then threw his support of the Meals on wheels program which now delivers a million Meals a day across America.
Congress should be able to receive mealtime on with otherwise I I don't know how I would be existing really.
Without said Genevieve this program probably would have never come into existence they would never receive the help that they had no almost never met him many say Ted Kennedy's passion was people tonight they have lost a champion Kevin Tibbles NBC News Chicago.
And that is the second half of our special broadcast tonight thank you for being with us for all of the Brian Williams reporting tonight from the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis port Massachusetts good night...
