Ted Kennedy is going to be eulogized in a lot of places today and by writers a lot better than me.  But I would be remiss if I did not use this space to say goodbye to one of the most influential lawmakers in United States history.

His legislative record is legendary and quite possibly beyond compare.  And not the cheap stuff either.  We're talking civil rights, voting rights, poverty, education, health care- the kind of legislation that has a profound effect on our society.  His passion for the causes for which he fought was matched only by his ability to make friends and cut deals with those who called themselves his political enemies inside the chamber and his friends outside it.  Ted Kennedy was a bastion of liberalism, but he also knew full well that nothing can be done in the US Senate without a willingness to take into account the other side's fundamental beliefs.  That is why you see his name on over 2500 pieces of legislation.

Ted Kennedy's life was also filled with more personal tragedy than one should ever have to endure.  He lost all three of his brothers, one of his sisters, two of his sons were stricken with cancer, and of course there was more death.  His nephew among others.  After his brothers' assassinations the weight of a family empire fell to him when he was only 36 years old and still in his first full term as Senator.

The pressure to fulfill the promise of John and Bobby; to have their presidential destiny thrust upon him had to torture Ted.  For he was never an ideal Presidential candidate.  Yet the Kennedy name and the legacies of his brothers hounded him until at last he gave it a shot in 1980.  And though he had accomplished so much up to that point I believe it was after running in '80 that he became more comfortable as Senator.  The United States and Massachusetts were better off for it.

Of course, the man had his flaws too.  Who among us does not?  Were his magnified because of his stature?  Possibly, but they cannot be overlooked.  He relentlessly drank and womanized as a young man.  The Chappaquiddick incident is a stain on his legacy that will never be removed, and well it should not be.  But he overcame these flaws by the sheer force of his personality and by the intense passion with which he went about his job.  The causes for which he fought never had a more determined advocate.  The downtrodden and working class never had a better friend.  And the Commonwealth of Massachusetts never had a more beloved public servant, which is why we sent him back to Washington every sixth year since 1964.

Being only 30 years old., I was not here to witness much of Senator Kennedy's historic career.  That said, the time I did have to watch and listen to this extraordinary Senator was more than enough to make him one of my political heroes.  He stood for every political ideal that I hold dear.

As a resident of Berkshire County in western Massachusetts I will never forget how Senator Kennedy always made time for our oft-forgotten part of the state.  Being two-plus hours west of Boston and having a small share of the state's population have never afforded the Berkshires much attention from the state house.  But Senator Kennedy's visits would always serve as a reminder that he never overlooked any part of his state or any group that needed his attention and energy.

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy's senatorial accomplishments are historic, his personality legendary.  While our country is a lesser place today because of his death, it is also infinitely better because of his life.

My deepest sympathy to the Kennedy family.  Ted will be sorely missed.

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