>> well, music was so important in his life, and words. the english language. and teddy jr. and patrick, the poignant recollections of teddy jr. about his amputation, the leg he lost to cancer at age 12. and how, when he thought he could not meet that challenge, physically, he felt the strong arms of his father around him, helping him through. and patrick, acknowledging his frailties, his recurring problems with substance abuse and how proud he was to sponsor with his father the legislation that he said his father worked on so hard to take the stigma away from he, among the 50-plus million americans suffering from that. the mental health act. both of them, so powerful in the emotional connection, the father, and the grandchildren

and grand-nieces and nephews. the deliberate choice of the family of teddy and vicki who planned all of this so carefully, to have the youngest of each generation, their grandchildren, but also the youngest of each other part of the family, rory and the others, speaking today. it could not have been a more powerful portrait of all of the public and private and prayerful reasons why teddy kennedy is so beloved. >> michael said he was a man seldom alone. and often thought of as just one part of this whole family we see on display today. >> yeah, and in the memoir, the true compass that's about to come out in about two weeks, that ted kennedy wrote before his death, one of the few things he said in it that he said it took me a long time to realize that my history was inextricably a part of that of my family. >> andrea, is it -- we've heard a lot of people say, and here it

is over, and modern american political history, is that accurate? is it material? is it too trite to say at this point? >> i think it's too early to say. i think we've seen incredible eloquence at the shriver funerals and this. and we've seen great thoughtfulness. ted jr. and some of the other young members of the extended family. and so i think that their contributions, either in elected politics or other endeavors, when we're seeing with special olympics and best buddies and all the other contributions, and maria shriver and her work for women. i just think that this family is inextricably tied to the fabric of america. as teddy realized as he was writing his memoir. and perhaps not inheriting the seat that may not come to pass. in this generation.

but look at all those little faces. they have lives yet to be written. >> the freckle-faced children that we remember through the many generations. and today's generation on display.

>> military pall bearers, leaving the vehicle now. to paraphrase one of his favorite poetry selections that we heard repeated during the mass, ted kennedy has miles to

go before he arrives at his final resting place later today. his body will now be taken to hanscomb air force base in boston and flown to andrews air force base. they'll drive by capitol hill, and they'll stop and be greeted by members of senator kennedy's staff. as you may know, among many things senator kennedy was known for compiling absolutely the best and brightest staff on capitol hill. it grew in size as his power grew. and it has launched so many other famous careers. a current supreme court justice, stephen brier, just one of them. they're going to pause and say a prayer. there's a report they'll even

sing a hymn together. and then he will arrive at arlington national cemetery. it's well known that he could see his brother's eternal flame from his office on capitol hill for many years. and he will go to his final rest near brothers bobby and john, president of the united states. you see there. and the senator from new york. jim is standing by at arlington. jim, what will happen there? >> well, brian, we're here at the entrance to arlington national cemetery. and high on the hill above us is arlington house. and it's just below that where the family, kennedy family grave site is located. and it's said that on the day after president kennedy was assassinated, jacqueline kennedy came here personally to the cemetery and selected that site. senator kennedy will be given a

congressional funeral, and not a full state funeral as was his brother, president kennedy. but the only visible difference, brian, will be that senator kennedy will arrive in a motorcade, in a hearse, while president kennedy, of course, was borne to arlington cemetery on a horse-drawn caisson. once senator kennedy's body will arrive here at the grave site, it will look like the full-blown military ceremony, with a nine-member military casket team. there will be taps played and a three-round volley in a military rifle team. it is then after a brief ceremony with the former archbishop of washington, cardinal theodore mckerick, that senator kennedy will be laid to rest alongside his brothers, president kennedy and robert kennedy. >> jim, thanks. i should mention the burial

ceremony will be offered live here on this nbc station. tom brokaw will be along for that coverage. michael, all these many days, people have been talking about his life and career in the senate. and more than one staffer quoted as saying, people in other states who had two senators, after all, didn't necessarily know who their senators were, so letters would just come to senator ted kennedy, the one senator they thought they knew. really an incredible sweep of power. >> and i think if they asked ted kennedy to do something for them, even if they were from wyoming or utah, he probably did it. you know, that was part of what he did. jack kennedy and bobby kennedy always felt that the senate was a weigh station. ted kennedy, needless to say, took it very seriously. >> seriously he did. and you see the distinguished

guests, about 1,500 people received invitations to be part of this gathering today. and a look at any section of the crowd will turn up famous names and faces from law, politics, news media, and what have you. really, andrea, a cross-section of the power elite in this country as we look at arlen specter and orrin hatch and so on. >> democratic representatives that teddy jr. said, his father told him that republicans were real people, just like democrats. this driving rain, perhaps the perfect weather for such a sad day, tears of heaven coming down on senator kerri there, who has been limping with a cane because of a hip replacement. senator ted kennedy was last at arlington on june 6th of last year, the anniversary of bobby's

death. he and members of the family. they went often, really, he went often, not only on anniversaries, sad anniversaries like november 22nd or june 6th. but that was the last visit. and he also went for people far less famous for the fallen soldiers of iraq and afghanistan from massachusetts. and would meet with the families and follow up. legendary, as you've been saying today, for following up with a phone call. in a report by our colleague, mike, the other evening, one man he met on the street in boston played him a cell phone message, senator ted kennedy following up on a constituent need. remarkable. >> and of course, michael, with the very few degrees of separation between ted kennedy and any issue or place in washington, arlington was a cause of his. he was frustrated that u.s. military families who had lost a loved one in iraq, afghanistan, often had to wait an average of

two, sometimes as long as three months or more for a funeral at arlington. >> that's exactly right. and he probably would have felt that way anyway. but the fact that his brothers lay there, and that that had been chosen as a kennedy resting place, i think gave it an added measure of impact. >> we should also point out he was there for the burial of jacqueline kennedy onassis. >> and with thanks to my colleagues here in the studio, andrea mitchell and michael, this will conclude this portion of our coverage. again, we'll be back on the air later this evening for the burial at arlington. and we thought it appropriate to end this broadcast today with the words of the man whose mass you've seen celebrated, who you've heard talked about today as the nation mourns the passing of 77-year-old senator ted kennedy. here now, some of his own words.

>> i came to this body believing that the privilege and the powerful can look out for themselves. but that our challenge is to make sure that we're going to have as even a playing field as we possibly can for all americans. i'm announcing today my candidacy for senate of the united states. >> the young man i wanted to see in america where everyone made his contribution, a man who will be measured not by the color of his skin, by the content of his character. each of us must do his individual part to end the suffering, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to strengthen and renew the national spirit. for all those whose cares have been our concerns, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.

as long as i have a voice in the united states senate, it's going to be for that democratic platform that provides decent quality of health care north and south, east and west for all americans as a matter of right and not a privilege. the fundamental test of our society is how it treats the least powerful among us. we must pray the glass ceiling that stretches across our government and our economy, so that at long last all americans will be equal in life as well as in law. there is a new wave of change all around us. and if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination.

not merely victory for our party, but renewal for our nation. i love this country. i believe in the bright light of hope and possibility. i always have, even in the darkest hours. i know what america can achieve. i've seen it. i know what america can achieve. i've seen it. i've lived it.

i'm a single mother with two kids, i work a lot. i come home tired. you do miss a lot. he dropped out for a whole month. sometimes i would talk to him and he wouldn't even turn around and look at me. i would just get frustrated because any way i would talk to him, it just doesn't go through his head. i didn't give up because there is always hope that they will snap out of it. announcer: give your teen the boost they need to graduate. call 1-877-for-a-kid or join us at boostup.org for tips and advice.

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