not just their commitment to expanding opportunity, promoting civil-rights and promoting a more peaceful world. we talk frequently about hope because people would say where is hope. her deep faith in what we said, hope is sitting where it always has been. right between faith and charity. her deep faith in god and goodness of others, her faith in the charity of others gave her hope as well. she gave us strength to help america cope in establishing the robert f kennedy center for justice and human rights, which he carried on.

they transform their communities , her lifetime of service for the nation and was honored the presidential medal of freedom for that recognition. [applause] i met her maybe 60 some years before president obama in 1960 when my father was fresh out of being the mayor of baltimore and chair of the jfk campaign for president of the united states. the first event we had was tea to welcome the kennedys to maryland. my father was the mayor, he

became the person putting on the tea. the kennedy ladies would have an abundance of flowers, music, all of the rest. he saw this as such a great honor for baltimore to welcome them. ethel gave him that day, it meant everything to him. that is how we met her through her kindness. he was determined it would be a spectacular event to model the rest of the nation. over the years i saw her humor and communication skills, she was a great writer, storyteller, and funny person in addition to being a person of great faith.

her 90th birthday party, some of you were there in florida was like a sweet 16 party. it was so much fun. the guest of honor was so beautiful and full of joy. everything that we talked about was what we were going to be doing for a long time to come at this party. we shared stories about her. in 1979, larry bird was signed by the celtics. signed by the celtics and ethel was asked to have a dinner for him. you know basketball, they come

to the dinner. his hand was bandaged. a table full of kennedys and sportsmen it was noisy and then all of a sudden, a very uncommon thing happened, there was a lull in the conversation. we hear the mother and ethel proclaim, larry, telus, what role did your mother play in your basketball success? [laughter] as usual, she was a mother first. another was, forgive me, these were the stories ethel told. when aarti buchwald was going to

be the godfather of one of the children. as he told us, all of a sudden he went to the back of the church. she ran back and said are you ok? why did you leave the altar? he said i'm ok, i'm just not sure i'm ready to renounce satan and all of his works. he did resume his responsibilities. ethel enjoyed her politics. each year until recently we would join ethel in hyannis port . it was always spectacular. everybody wanted to be there. we would go sailing, go out pretty far, it would get cold,

windy, this and that. we would come in and the so relieved, we were freezing cold. she would get off the boat and then went out again. you know that, this was later in life. she was a national treasure, we all know that, just a remarkable woman. the matriarch of a great family. the breadth of her advocacy, the legacy of resilience and hope is such an inspiration. she was the personification of the gospel, not that one, a different one. that too. the one i'm holding now is matthew seven, verse 11.

this is ethel being very biblical. ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find. knock and the door will be opened to you. all of her charities and priority. it soon became as time went by the tournament, she came and played. she was remarkable. in every way she not only had the idea, she had this and how to get things done, she fully participated in every way. her fortitude and determination inspired all who had the

opportunity to know her. i don't know that it was much of a secret. i began with my father because my brother was a big supporter, we had a whole tradition. motherhood has overtones in all languages. like magic, it weaves a pattern full of joy, tears, patients, love. she went on to say we must listen to our hearts as well as our mind. ethel understood this better than anyone. to the children and great-grandchildren, six and a

half, almost seven decades, we prayed with ethel. that was part of the relationship. when we heard the news, we prayed for ethel. now children, we pray to ethel. god truly best -- blessed her family in america, this was an extraordinary, special, god-given person to us. as we play to her that she may rest in peace. [applause]

thank you. [applause] president clinton: father mcmillan, all of the kennedy family, president obama, thank you for what you said, kathleen, speaker pelosi, the first time

i've ever heard kenny chesney sing a cappella, it was beautiful. thank you, martin. to all of you gathered here, i was trying to think of if i could say anything that would add to what others have said, i doubt i can but i will try to do it. your mother was the cat's meow. she would flirt with me in the most innocent ways. arbor once i said why not a

replacement population, all of the politics are anti-immigrant, we need more people like you. a couple hundred thousand and we are back in business. she said that's not a good idea. i said first of all, she really wanted to be your mother, grandmother, mother-in-law. she was an amazing fireball of continuous energy. it was wonderful to be around her.

i remember, i loved all of these valentines cards. they are very political, i have one with president biden, president obama, they are wonderful. my favorite one had about 16 pictures of all of you, various family members, all cut out with small heart shapes. always had a little bit on them. i keep looking at it and looking at it.

. i actually have a picture of it here. i love the little poem. roses are red, violets are blue. i am surrounded by love. but there is still room for you. [laughter] i think that is the way she made all of us feel. there was still room. there is an incredible capacity to expand. i love listening to the speaker talking about her experiences with her. you just had the feeling that nobody should be this upbeat,

being through everything that she has, and yet, she is totally on the level. in a cynical, divided world where it seems like we always do with people trying to play us, trying to play, she was on the level. day in, day out, person income a person out. always making you feel like you made a difference. i remember back in 2000, right as i was leaving the white house , hillary had been elected to the senate, to the same seat robert kennedy had occupied as a senator from new york. so, ethel called me and said, if

i needed any instructions on how to be a senate spouse from new york, she would be happy -- [laughter] she would be happy to provide it free of charge. [laughter] then when we moved into this old farmhouse, about 125 years old now, she gave me this amazing gift. a letter signed by george clinton, who served in two stints as governor of new york for 21 years. we were not related. she knew what the deal was.

there is this amazing letter. so i hung it up in the entryway to our house and people say where in the world did you get that? ethel kennedy gave it to me. she said it was part of her husband's collection. so, i may be the only person who actually got a training certificate and how to be a senate spouse from new york from ethel kennedy. i cannot even begin to say how grateful i am that she lived to be 96, that she had her energy and brainpower and her love

power right through. i cannot -- and it would be wrong to dredge up every memory -- but i am telling you, i never saw her, even on sad occasions when we observed anniversary of her husband's death, i never saw her when she didn't have her game face on. even when her heart was heavy. i think the lesson of those 96 years and all those children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, is that the god she worshiped wanted all of us to be more other-directed.

to think more about how our words impacted other people, how our deeds affected other people, how our lives showed what we were for or against. i wanted to say that every time i think of her -- i thought of her ever since she passed -- i think she is the embodiment of, the definition of love that st. paul wrote about in first corinthians, not romantic love but agape love for your fellow human beings. a total immersion in the wonder

that every human life possesses. and she did it naturally, you'd think. but when you get hit by as many times by life blows as she did, it is a discipline. you have to decide whether you will keep your heart open or shut it down. whether you will still keep reaching out to people or clench your fist. whether you dare trust and dare love one more time. for almost a full century, she kept on giving it a try. there was always one more time. but there is still room for you.

think about how we live, think about how we think, think about what we say about each other especially now in this political season. think about ethel. there is still room for you. we got to clear the room now. it is our job. thank you. thank you for being my friend, thank you for being hillary's friend, thank you for caring, thank you for the family you built, and the untold families you inspired. the good lord knows, if anybody ever deserves a quality escort

to the pearly gates, it is you. god bless you. thank you. [applause] [applause]

>> please be seated. not you, mr. president. you are up next. [laughter] president biden, ladies and gentlemen. [applause] [applause] >> thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. i'm sure you are clapping because i'm the last speaker.

that was worth a partial concert. he said if i'm get it grammy, i'm going to give it to you. the only guy in this whole darn church or can't sing a note. [laughter] my dad used to have a band he said, you can't carry a tune, you can't sing, you can't dance, but i love you anyway. [laughter] thank you for everything. thank you for being so good to us. president clinton, president obama, distinguished guests. the kennedy family, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family. it has been an emotional journey listening to all of you. i knew i was going to be the last speaker. i thought, how did that happen? it brings back so many memories. ethel was always there for so many people.

she played an essential role in my life as well. maybe a little different than with others. she was there as soon as i set foot in office as a 29-year-old kid before i got sworn in. i was in teddy's office, i was only 29. you had to be 30 years old to be sworn in and i wasn't there to get. i got a phone call. from a fire department by my house. there had been an accident. tractor had broadsided my wife's automobile christmas shopping. december 18. killed my wife and killed my daughter and my boys weren't expected to live. when i lost my family, and she was there, joe, your mom was there, then. as soon as i got elected

president, i received a letter from your mom. the letter was titled, mrs. robert kennedy. it had very neat handwriting, she had written she took great comfort in knowing the country was in good hands. she had no idea for a 29-year-old kid how much it meant. some of you know, bill knows, i didn't plan on sticking around after that accident. she said she was honored and proud there was a bust of her husband bobby kennedy in my office, the oval office. i had only two political heroes in my life. dr. king and bobby kennedy. not a joke. i didn't realize my two colleagues who were president now, you get to pick what you want in your office and i wanted to be able to see both of them from the resolute desk by the fireplace, dr. king and bobby

kennedy. and days later, another letter from her. i know all of you look forward to each year, a valentine card. a valentine card. which in our house, valentine's day is known as jill's holiday. [laughter] i guess jill is a practical joker. it was no surprise, it was no surprise that jill loved ethel's that yearwood said, i'm not sure the hundred others who received it felt the same way, because apparently she sent that card she sent to everyone that year. it was the picture of me and ethel surrounded by hearts. [laughter] you think i'm kidding. it meant a lot to me. i'm telling you. on the card it said, i'm not

biden my time waiting for you, valentine. [laughter] then in her handwriting she said, 'cause he is no ordinary joe. [laughter] i don't know how many of you got that damn valentine, but it meant a lot to me. [laughter] i have received a lot of honors in my life, but that might be the best one i ever received. [laughter] [applause] you know, yes, ethel was mrs. robert kennedy, he was one of my heroes, but i always knew her as ethel kennedy. in her own right. i loved bobby kennedy, i only met him once when i was at syracuse law school and he was campaigning. but i admired him so damn much. i told john kerry this, my

buddy, i could picture bobby at my kitchen table with my dad and my mom. i could picture him there. but you know, ethel was a hero in her own right. full of character, full of integrity, and empathy. genuine empathy. she was a great athlete in her own right for real. she was a mother. there is nothing from my perspective that she could not do, nothing. four years later, after bobby, after she lost her beloved bobby, she invited me and my boys to her home, after the accident. left my family broken, having lost my wife and daughter, and my boys barely making it.

she got me through a time i didn't want to stick around. i wanted no part of being in the congress or the senate, i mean it. we reelected a democratic governor to find a replacement for me. but teddy and ethel kennedy would hear none of it. you know, the fact is she did for the country, ethel helped my family find a way forward with principle and purpose. we saw how she picked up bobby's cause and stamped her own mark on our country. marching for civil rights that you heard about today.