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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy
By the Team at The Boston Globe
Edward Moore Kennedy, aka Ted, aka Teddy, has been a fixture in American politics for a half a century. Just hearing his name causes reactions from people. They either love him or hate him. But do they really know him? This book dissects his life but mainly his career and puts his reputation into perspective.
The Kennedy family itself is an icon in America. Beginning back with Ted Kennedy’s grandparents, various entities of the family have been serving the public. Kennedy is the youngest of nine children and was brought up in a strict Catholic family. His generation pledged to their parents not to drink or smoke until they were 21. They continually received notes of praise and suggestions from their parents. This was before email and texting. Much was expected from his generation and the course of their lives was primarily dictated by the family unit.
With is brother John elected president and his other brother the attorney general, Ted and his wife Joan decided they would move out west and start their life together away from the family. Not having spent much time together before their 1958 wedding, they were eager to be a young couple free of the family ties. But that was not to be. With the coaxing of his family, Ted ran for the Massachusetts senate seat vacated by his brother John. The rest, as they say, is history.
Throughout his life Ted Kennedy lived in the shadow of his brothers. With two martyred heroes, this was a burden but it was also something that meant a lot to him. When it was feasible, he invoked the memories of John and Bobby, which benefited him in various situations. But he was also compared to their reputations, which was before the age of tabloid magazines and television when neither John nor Bobby was scrutinized for indelicate personal actions. They also didn’t have the longevity of life so their images are frozen at the ages of 45 and 42, respectively. Now in his 70s, Ted shows the signs of age, something not afforded his brothers.
In the senate Kennedy has forged strong ties with unlikely colleagues. Having the reputation of a staunch liberal, Kennedy and Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, a staunch conservative, are allies on many issues, as well as close friends. They have worked together behind the scenes to advance several issues, and Kennedy has also worked with others on both sides of the aisle. He has a reputation of reaching out to fellow senators and lending a hand, as well as joining forces. Many bills have passed the senate and gone on to become law without his name associated with them but with his imprint, invisible yet significant. He is not one to seek the praise or recognition for his deeds. He only wants the results.
Ted Kennedy felt the pressure to follow his brothers and run for the presidency. He acknowledges he missed his best chance in 1968, 1972, and 1976. When he finally gave into mounting pressure from the public, he chose to seek the office in 1980, which turned out to be a disaster. But he was happy to remain in the senate where he learned the ropes and knew how to get things done. He is a senator who has accomplished perhaps more than any other in the history of this country. Whether you agree with his philosophies or not, you have to agree that he is committed to working for the country and the people on the issues he feels are important.
Health care has been on the top of his agenda for decades, and he is responsible for COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) which allows workers to continue with their health insurance for a certain amount of time while between or after jobs. He is also responsible for HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) which disallows insurance companies from using preexisting conditions to deny coverage to people.
Besides working on bills, Ted Kennedy cares deeply for his constituents. After the 9/11 attacks, he made a point of personally calling every Massachusetts family who lost a loved one on that tragic day. He has also maintained ties to many of them, some of which have been invited to his house for bar-be-ques or on his boat for an afternoon of sailing around Cape Cod. He also worked with one family who lost a son in Iraq because his humvee did not have the armor to protect him. Now every vehicle must be adequately equipped with protective armor.
This book is not a tabloid document. It does cover the Chappaquiddick incident as well as other unsavory circumstances. It also shows the man behind the image. Written by journalists instead of biographers, the book is clear, comprehensive, and tells the entire story of the man called Teddy by his family and “The Senator” to George W. Bush. While not glossing over indelicate issues, like Chappaquiddick, his divorce, and his family’s indiscretions, it clearly shows the entirety of the man and how he has evolved during the last 50 years.
Most readers will gain a new perspective on Ted Kennedy from this book. Whether you love him or hate him, the book will shine a new light on your point of view. You might still love him or hate him after reading it, but you will also know more about the man and his dedication to the country.
© 2009 Francine Brokaw
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