and then bobby kennedy is gunned down and ted kennedy in many ways, it was really continuing robert kennedy'sy. and he did it in an awkward way. he didn't have some of the grit, at first, that bobby kennedy had had. willing this to be mean-spirited. bobby kennedy would go after the bad guys. ted kennedy was about redemption, reconciliation, and reaching across the aisle. but over a period of time, kennedy's, just, tenacity, and his ability to survive the political cycles was remarkable. and i think once he lost in 1980 and realized that his presidential aspirations were over and found a new role for himself, the one guy that was willing to say, i'm a liberal. bill clinton was saying i'm a new democrat and others were kind of abandoning the new deal and the great society and the new frontier, but not ted kennedy. and at that point, he became a folk hero on the left and he widened what was the robert kennedy coalition of '68, and to the point today, he is literally beloved by the disenfranchised of america. >> john king, it can't be understated, or overstated, i should say, the effect that his

but family tradition the kennedy compound used to be open to the public every year on rose kennedy's birthday. >> i was very surprised it was not like a glitzy, it was not like walking into a rich person's house. the rugs were worn, the furniture was worn, the e cushis were lumpy. then they took us into another ro where rose was siing and flanked rather poignnantly by eunice and ted. on the wall, lots of photographs of herer sons and none of her daughters. >> the compmpound includ several adjacent houses owned byther members of the kennedy clan. >> this is my brother'shouse. >> in 2004, senator kennedy gave george stephanopoulos a tour. >> it's in that house where he heard that he was elected president. caroline woke him up and said, you're p president of e united states. >> this where the family gathered in the months of triumphs. this is ere they have come togeer during generations for tragic times too. the compound has seen more than its share of that. beginning with that terrible day in dallas. president kennedy's kid brother was still a freshman in the senate when he had to brea

and the kennedy family. there is a group of people who have stood out here in the sun for the last 90 minutes. there is a line that stretches way past the point that i can see. there is another line here that is three people deep just lined up to try to catch a glimpse of the family and, of course, the coffin of senator kennedy. this is a show of gratitude. this is a show of appreciation. this is a way for the people of massachusetts to thank the man who has served them for some 47 years and who has been involved in their lives, whether they know him or not, they feel as if he has been involved in their lives. as i told you, i walked down the line, and i was just struck by the mix of people. there are men in very well tailored business suits and there are people in t-shirts and shorts, and it looked like they just have come off the beach. but they have all come with the same goal, and that is to say thank you to senator kennedy. >> anne, the details that we're getting about who is going to be there to greet

king was not alwaysappy with john kennedy or bobby kennedy.ard kennedy seemed to te a differenttact. what you make that? >> what do you makef that? >> we were not always hap with the president of -- e position of president kennedy or robert kennedut along came brother teddy knedy, who bitterly as setor thr everythi that he had, his soul, his heart,his gutsnto supporting rong supports legislation and to be a voice. i think he learned from his brothershat we could do better, and he wanted to eat -- one of the strongest piecef civil rights legislationnd the strgest possible flooding rights act in 1965. --the strongest possible voing rights act in 1965. tavis: do you thi he became strger on these issu becaus he knew the flings and shortcomings of h brothers? >> ihink he became stronger because he knew in h soul, in his heart that we can be stronger,e can be better. he used to use the term, the phrase, "is the right thg to , and we must do with." it was part of his fth, part of his upbringing to do e right thing, and care for the least among us. he

when president kennedy and ladybird kennedy, and it was passed on to senator kennedy.re was this feeling that these men would do the right thing. that they would be our champions, that they would look out for the cause of civil rights and social justice. in congress, the first major speech that senator kennedy made was on the 1964 civil rights act. he did not just state and boston or washington. he traveled to mississippi, atlanta, georgia. he visited not just the african- american community but he went to the southwest and visited with migrant workers. tavis: what you make of the fact there was the special bond between ted kennedy and his brothers and african-americans? knowing your history, here you are a poor country boy from alabama, and there are a lot of other country black folk back in the day or be funded by these rich white guys from massachusetts. -- who were defrauded by these rich white guys from massachusetts. how was that? -- to work befriended by these rich white guys from massachusetts. how was that? >> it may have appeared be strange, they could travel

kennedy jr. ten years ago, ted kennedy among the kennedy men of his generation alone would live to comb gray hair and we as a nation are better for it. our fifth story, senator kennedy's passing made no easier even with the foreknowledge it would be coming nor the praise it inspired. the death of senator kennedy leaving a gaping hole in the political life of this country and an equally large void in a political dynasty. that family issued a statement reading in part, quote, we've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. he loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. he always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him. the ninth and final child of joseph and rose fitzgerald kennedy born on february 22nd, 1932 precisely on the 200th anniversary of the birth of george washington. his brother jack having writt

when we say kennedy democrats, people mean ted kennedy democrats. bobby brought african-americans and hispanics into a constituency not just for the democrats but as kennedy democrats. >> thank you for calling in. let's set the scene now in hyannis port. we have nbc's anne thompson. what can you it tell us? >> reporter: joe, as dawn breaks over hyannis port, this village of 130 homes has seen many of its streets blocked off. the police have set up barricades to keep not only the media but also the curious at bay. as the family mourns inside the compound, this is where senator kennedy died late last night. the family in a statement said we have lost the irreplaceable center of our family, and i think that is also true for this village. he was very much a part of the life of this village. you would see him driving around in his convertible. you'd see him with sonny and slash, his two portuguese water dogs. you'd see him going down to the pier to his maya, something he enjoyed immensely, something that gave him great pleasure and solace throughout the

he married into the kennedy family. old joe kennedy never liked him.n't like him because he was english, he didn't like him because he was in the movies, he thought his daughter pat had married beneath her. i personally witnessed old joe kennedy humiliate peter on several occasions and i think that, you know, they were happy to start with but after the presidency they were ashamed of peter and he went downhill. >> there was a falling out you had with sinatra that you write about. >> for some reason frank sinatra took a terrible dislike it my wife and me. and on two occasions he publicly humiliated and embarrassed us. and he was in a position then that we just took it. and at one time he attacked my wife and in a situation that has been written up in several books and on another occasion at a night club called the days daisy, he paid a waiter, a captain to hit me. >> a mean man? just a mean man? >> well, he was a great singer who had a thug side to him. and i never saw the wonderful side to him. i only saw the thug side to him. >> fascinating stories. e

kennedy jr.'s plane crashed in the waters off martha's vineyard, when jackie kennedy onassis was put to rest, other family funerals and tests and trials. it was the gathering at hyannis port was organized by him. and now vicki kennedy in his place, with his direction, has organized a remarkable scene. we are seeing play out here at the john f. kennedy library here in boston. >> john, i don't know if we can hear much, but if we can hear some of the events going on right now as they get ready to retrieve the coffin from that hearse, let's just listen in briefly and see what we can hear. >> well, we clearly can't hear a whole lot. we can't see the family. they've gathered outside. they're beginning to get out of their respective vehicles and make their way as the honor guard gets ready to take that coffin and move it inside the john f. kennedy presidential library. and once that happens, i want our viewers to see it because it will be an emotional moment. earlier we saw that coffin being carried outs

kennedy fast 15,235 votes. many of those were bills he authored, aimed at improving health care for all americans. here's abc's jonathan karl. >> reporter: he was there to vote for the creation of medicare in 1965. and would make health care his signature issue. >> this is the cause of my life. >> reporter: in 1971, kennedy worked to defeat a nixon health care bill because he thought it was too watered down. >> it's really a partnership between the administration and the insurance companies. >> reporter: he would come to regret that. in the years to come, kennedy, the liberal lion, would get things done by working with republicans and compromising when he needed to. he worked with arch conservative orrin hatch, to expand health coverage for poor children. >> we've been adversaries for 32 years. we've also been partners. >> reporter: he worked with the first president bush on the americans with disabilities act, opening access for the disabled in public places everywhere. >> president of the united states, georg

kennedy, robert f. kennedy. while they had a major impact, their political lives were very short, tragically because of their assassinations. ted kennedy is, as dana pointed out, the survivor. he was the one who, while his two brothers got most of the attention and all the books written about them, it was ted kennedy in the senate for well over 40 years sort of playing out the battles and finishing many of the fights that his brothers started. whether it was on civil rights, whether it's on education, health, many of the issues i mentioned. it clearly is the end of the era. while there are many -- his children, his nieces and nephews who are active in american public life, whether in politics or non-profits and the like, this is just a major passing and just end of a huge era. let's not forget, it happens a week or ten days after senator kennedy's sister, eunice kennedy shriver passed away as well. so it really does have the feelings of the real end of an era right now. >> ed, it's really a testament to his stan

kennedy in '63 and presidential candidate robert kennedy in '68. while so many americans think about those kennedys and wonder what might have been, ted kennedy was with us for 77 years. and in countless ways, he lifted the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the united states and around the world. >> david to his family, kennedy was the loving palt patriarch. a family statement released today says in part we've lost the irrelaysable center of our family and joyous light in our lives but the inspiration of his faith, optimism and perfect severance will live on in our hearts forever. most americans knew ted kennedy as the senior senator from massachusetts. hess achievements including health care, civil rights, education, family leave access for the disabled, improving working conditions. senator kennedy, by the way, wrote 2500 bills, 300 of them becoming law. >> he was also a driving force for peace in ireland and a persistent critic of the war in iraq. in the midst of it all, kennedy dominated the national political stage, a stage that had t

joseph kennedy jr. was our ambassador to great britain in the late 1930s, but by 1940, his political career was over. he had nailed himself as a defeatist or worse. when he predicted that war with nazi germany would end democracicy in britain and possibly in the u.s., so his dreams of the white house were now for his sons. >> once his own political future was undone, he could pour all of his life energy into those boys. he wanted them to go places that he himself could not have gone. >> first up was the handsome hard-charging oldest brother joe jr. he took his first political steps in 1940 as a delegate in a democratic presidential convention. he was on his way. but then the war came, a war that claimed his life when his b-24 bomber exploded in midair during a secret mission to bomb german missile sites. >> there's no question that joe jr. was meant to be the head of the family, and had he lived, he was the one that joe sr. thought would have been the man to go into politics and carry that kennedy legac

kennedy. >> andrea mitchell, "andrea mitchell reports," stay tuned, everyone. thanks, andrea. >> thank you. >>> and as we begin with this special edition of "andrea mitchell reports" live from the john f. kennedy presidential library here in boston, as you can see, we are gathered for this special edition. at this hour, people of massachusetts whom the late senator loved so well are going to have their chance as well as the rest of the nation, their first chance to say good-bye and farewell to senator edward m. kennedy. at this hour, the final chapter of ted kennedy's half century of public service is being written. right now, his family will be escorting his casket from that fabled summer home in hyannis port on the familiar route that the family has taken to travel to boston on their way from hyannis port. the motorcade will be passing, as we have been describing, a series of sentimental landmarks. first, the neighborhood where his mother rose kennedy was born. this in the north end. then th

not the kennedy mystique, but the kennedy substance, what the kennedys meant to the nation and especially to the democratic party. of course, started with jack, but then when bobby came along the kennedy name really came to represent a kind of liberalism that -- a kind of concern for those in our society who are neediest who have least, and ted kennedy then carried that on for decades, and he was always there, and since he was always there, that element, that concept, that concern for the poor was a central part of what the democratic party stood for, and it had a figure of such substance and vigor to represent that view, and now i think we're going to feel his absence in many, many ways. >> mayor brown, it seems to me that the kennedys were among perhaps a subset of the irish, the irish americans, who remembered what it was like when the irish were a minority back when they were the downtrodden. unlike some of the other irish who became middle class and upper middle class and became conservative republicans, for whatever reason the kennedys under a more conservative jack and ending up wi

joseph kennedy sr. was our ambassador to great britain in the late 1930s but by 1940 his political career was over. he had nailed himself as a defeatist or worse when he predicted the war with nazi germany would end democracy in britain and possibly in the u.s. so his dreechams of the white he were now for his sons. >> once his own political future was undone he could pour all of his life energy into those boys. >> he wanted them to go places that he, himself, could not have gone. >> first up was the handsome, hard-charging oldest brother, joe jr. he took his first political steps in 1940 as a delegate to the democratic presidential convention. he was on his way, but then the war came. a war that claimed his life when his b-24 bomber exploded in mid air during a secret mission to bomb german missile sites. >> there's no question that joe jr. was meant to be the head of the family. had he lived, he was the one that joe sr. thought would have been the man to go into politics and carry that kennedy legacy

kennedy and robert f. kennedy. and now the last brother of camelot goes toward arlington national cemetery is the son sinks slowly in the west and as the light begins to fade here in the area, they are not here to have one final moment, their cameras are up in the air, the cell phone cameras are up in the air. they are starting to snap those pictures that they will send to the folks back home to set i was here on the day of the funeral. i was here the day they laid edward m. kennedy two rest at arlington national cemetery. it'll be a story they will tell for many, many years speak to you now, mayor ray flynn who is part of our panel, looking at somebody of the iconic pictures of the 60s, brian wilson just talked about camelot, that extraordinary moment in 1862 and there have been a lot of pictures shown that when jack kennedy was president of the united states, and this is really only for when you think about it was starting in 1963 so was only 11 months. robert kennedy was the attorney gen. ted kennedy was the the

kennedy. the last brother. we are at the top of the hour. it is 9:00 a.m. on the east coast. in 90 minutes, senator ted kennedy's funeral will begin. let's go to the church where that service will be conducted and speak with two of his friends, mike barnicle, congressman bill delahunt. let me start with you, mike. and then i will ask the same question of bill. even though you guys have known that this day was coming for your friend for quite some time, it has to be a terribly difficult day for you. i wonder what your thoughts will be inside the church. >> well, joe, i think it was a particularly difficult moment when the funeral verse -- carrying senator kennedy's casket left hyannis port and the cape and for those of us who have known him, for those of us that lived in the neighborhood of hyannis port, those people in massachusetts who just know what that home and that locale meant to him, it was awfully hard to get a grasp on fact he was leaving it for the last time. but to jon meacham's poi

the kennedy men. their ambition, their ideals, their glamour, influenced generations of american politics. with the passing of ted kennedy, it's not just the end of a life, really. it's the end of an era. >> well, absolutely. especially for people who are, you know, 40 or 45 and older. and so much of our lives have been affected by these brothers. and every image that i have of my childhood of, you know, the first walk on the moon, to, you know, the civil rights struggle, it's atamped to a kennedy somehow. >> reporter: reporter susan milligan of "the boston globe" covered ted kennedy for more than a decade and co-authored the biography, "the last lion." when we see that clan, this is now passing, where did ted kennedy fit then? >> i think that people thought he was not going to be the most successful brother. perhaps, in part, because he was a surviving brother. his mother had even commented that had she not had ted, who was kind of a surprise, and they called him the caboose, you know, number 11, tha

kennedy can be our next president. >> kennedy trailed humphrey by 20%. so his campaign turned up the heat, buying tv time to address head-on when his pollsters showed growing concerns about kennedy's catholic religions. >> i don't happen to be one of those serious issues is where i go to church on sundays. >> the strategy worked. senator kennedy crushed humphrey with 60% of the vote. more went into this victory than an appeal to patriotism and fair play. it was common knowledge in west virginia, county politicians could be swayed by cash. kennedy had it, lots of it, and used it. >> i offer my congratulations to my friend and senate colleague jack kennedy. >> humphrey dropped out. the newest victim of the kennedy juggernaut. at the democratic convention in july, jack kennedy, a few votes shy of the nomination, fought off a growing challenge from lyndon johnson. johnson's people revealed that kennedy suffered from addison's disease, which if the kennedy people had not succeeded in denying it would have killed jack's chances. bobby kennedy couldn't contain

kennedy. again, this is a very difficult day for mr. obama. but he said, you know, this was something that was expected, a day that was expected, but he definitely dreaded it, wolf. >> all right, dan. we'll get back to you. dan lothian on martha's vineyard. >>> another heartfelt tribute today to the ted kennedy from his longtime colleague and good friend in the senate the vice president, joe biden. >> done you find it remarkable that one of the most partisan, liberal men in the last century serving in the senate -- so many of his foes embrace him. because they know he made them bigger, he made them more graceful by the way in which he conducted himself. >> vice president biden closed by paraphrasing shakespeare saying of kennedy, "i don't think we shall ever see his like again." jack cafferty has "the cafferty file." >>> wolf, the death of ted kennedy mashing the end of an rather in this country. the senator from massachusetts, the last of the four kennedy brothers to die, all of them serving

robert kennedy.is brothers died, something died in all of us, and today something is dying in all of us because of the death of senator kennedy. it is so strange to me that one year after he delivered the speech in denver at a convention, we witness his passing. the last time i saw his brother, john f. kennedy, was on august 28th, 1963, the day of the march on washington. and these three brothers -- these three men helped to change all of us and change america forever. we will never ever be the same and i say we are better people and a better nation because of president kennedy, robert kennedy, and senator ted kennedy. >> i remember speaking to you in denver on the floor of the convention as you were there to witness history with the nomination then of then senator obama and here it was for senator kennedy as well who made a decision about endorsing obama based in part of the tone of his campaign when he saw race was being used against obama, to see all of his concern, all of his passion about civil

kennedy library here being a labor of love for ted kennedy. the creation of this building was extremely difficult. john f. kennedy himself in 1963 s shortly before his assassination came to boston to look at a site in cambridge for his library. that ultimately would not be the site that would be selected. the building behind me would not be finished until 1979. inside at this hour, there are already mourners who are signing a condolence book. a few moments ago, a large group of a few dozen young people just arrived here. they said they were part of an organization that ted kennedy helped to support. they came here today to pay their respects. martha: we will be watching you very closely. there is a live shot once again. hyannis port, massachusetts. the kennedy family is getting ready to leave hyannis port. i'm reminded of a year ago may when the diagnosis came in and he came back from the hospital to the spot. that was in a kind of triumphant return to hyannis port. he decided that he was going to live there for the rest of his life. trace: yo

she shouted out, ted kennedy, ted kennedy.was in a motor scooter with his wife, vicki, who's a louisiananative. she said thank you for standing up for us in louisiana. he gave her a hug. i'm sure she'll want that picture. and he went on to talk about the enormous day we were about to take in to witness the inauguration of the first black president. and he reminded me that bobby kennedy, his brother, had once foretold the story that america would indeed elect a first black president. so i will remember ted kennedy for his tenacity, his strength, and as someone who just fought for poor people, the right to organize, disabled, for gays and lesbians. he was an american hero. >> thanks for being with us early. early for you in seattle -- either that or late. one or the other. it's interesting when the picture is painted of those who knew him. the unapologetic embrace of liberalism that made him a big political target. also they say even though he held those beliefs and made no attempt to hide them in any ways, he found ways to coll

kennedy and sen. robert kennedy.current law kennedy's senate seat will remain vacant until there is a special election. before he died, kennedy asked the state legislature to pass a bill that would allow the appointment of a temporary replacement for him, governor e deval patrick said he will sign that law if it is passed. sir, have you been drinking tonight? if you ride drunk, you will get caught... and you will get arrested. ...or if you're already sick... ...or if you lose your job. your health insurance shouldn't either. so let's fix health care. if everyone's covered, we can make health care as affordable as possible. and the words "pre-existing condition" become a thing of the past... we're america's health insurance companies. supporting bipartisan reform that congress can build on. >>> there is something going on we want to share with you. governor mark sanford of south carolina, his lieutenant governor came out earlier today and said that -- in so many wore, he seemed to be recommending that the governor res

kennedy and rose fitzgerald kennedy. kennedy was elected to the senate in 1926 and was the third longest serving senator in u.s. history. he was 77 years old. >>> and senator kennedy's political career spans decades. this morning many are remembering the impact he had on washington and the entire country. >> megan mcgrath is joining us from capitol hill with reaction. >> reporter: good morning. you can see the dome of th u.s. capitol behind me here. they have not yet put up the flag on this corner of the building, but when they do later on this morning, we'll expect it to be placed at half-staff in honor of the senator. of course, senator edward kennedy has been ill for some time, so his death doesn't come as a great shock to his colleagues, but, of course, they are very, very saddened by his los. he was a huge force on capitol hill. a man of influence, a senator respected by liberals, conservatives and moderates alike. only two other u.s. senators have served longer than edward kennedy. he was known as a staunch lifelo

as you can see, joseph kennedy, michael kennedy.ep of the way with him for that trial. the kennedy family members have descended on the library. what is interesting, david, when thinking about this library, and i remember it very well, and i was in college, commemorated in 1979, jimmy carter was there for the commemoration or whatever they called for the library, and, of course, he would be later that year that said kennedy would oppose jimmy carter as sitting president for his party's nomination. he would loseç in what would ba big disappointed not onlyç to e kennedy fans and family, their first electoral defeat, but it was fascinating how quickly things soured from that opening, with the president of the united states being there for the opening. go ahead. >> you are right. he was there for the dedication, and it is ironic that it was then-president jimmy carter playing such an instrumental role at the time the john f. kennedy presidential library and museum was opened. have a very close relationship to the kennedy family, and t

kennedy and bobby kennedy, ted kennedy stood strong in the civil rights battle.we will talk to reverend jesse jackson. you are watching msnbc. ♪ reading about washington these days... i gotta ask, what's in it for me? i'm not looking for a bailout, just a good paying job. that's why i like this clean energy idea. now that works for our whole family. for the kids, a better environment. for my wife, who commutes, no more gettin' jerked around on gas prices... and for me, well, it wouldn't be so bad if this breadwinner brought home a little more bread. repow america. i hope our senators are listening. ♪ bicycle, what are we waiting for? the flowers are blooming. the air is sweet. and zyrtec® starts... relieving my allergies... 2 hours faster than claritin®. my worst symptoms feel better, indoors and outdoors. with zyrtec®, the fastest... 24-hour allergy medicine, i promise not to wait as long to go for our ride. zyrtec® works fast, so i can love the air™. introducing the all-new nutrisystem for men, with flexible new programs personalized to meet your goals. dan mar

, 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 necess

ted kennedy accomplished four... more in his time in the senate than probably any of the presidents that i can recall, the ten presidents that he served with during that time. >> couric: bob schieffer, doug brinkley, that you can both so much for your invaluable insight. and coming up next here on the "cbs evening news," the village the kennedys have called home for decades, hyannisport, massachusetts. my grandkids are a great reason for me to keep my bones strong but even with calcium, vitamin d, and exercise, i still got osteoporosis. i never thought i could do more than stop my bone loss. then my doctor told me i could, with once-monthly boniva. boniva works with your body to help stop and reverse bone loss. studies show, after one year on boniva, nine out of ten women stopped and reversed their bone loss. i know i did. (announcer) don't take boniva if you have low blood calcium, severe kidney disease or can't sit or stand for at least one hour. follow dosing instructions carefully. stop taking boniva and tell you

kennedy the president, bobby kennedy, and now ted kennedy, he survived all of them for so many more years. >> the baby of the family. >> the baby brother of all of them. >> right. >> but the legacy that he left is incredible. >> you know, it's interesting because this is the first time we've really gotten to watch a kennedy brother age. the rest were all taken very early in their lives and so, you know, this is the only kennedy we have seen as an older man. and the question is, we know what his legacy is going to be. we know the legislative legacy that he has, the historic legacy that he has. i think the question is, what happens now in the next generation? john jr. was the senator's great hope in politics. and he also died in a plane crash. >> so many tragic losses in that family. i want both of you to stand by. we have much to discuss and assess as we continue our special coverage. in the meantime let's go back to heidi. >> all right, wolf. thank you. i want to remind everybody that tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern cnn is going to be airing hbo's acclaimed documentary "teddy in his own word

kennedy jr.ied, jackie was dead, jack was dead, ted i did had to become the member of the family who represented the family and had to carry the burden of the funeral. >> kennedy's resilience helped him not only personally but politically as well. he is at home in the senate, the consumate legislator, the liberal lion. >> this has been the go-to guy for countless organizations dealing particularly with american who's don't have much of a voice. >> it's hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands, millions of people whose lives are -- >> he believes the government exists for ordinary people, not for the powerful. the powerful don't need government in the same way that ordinary people do. >> it is a mark of ted's greatness that he does not care who gets the credit as long as the job gets done. >> do you love america? >> yes! >> he's fought for the poor. he's fought for the disenfranchised and children and the elderly. he fights for people who don't have big lobbying budgets and big k street representa

at the kennedy compound today, the next generation of kennedy's and their children splashed in the water. the grandchildren, a welcome distraction today, after a long good-bye. over the summer, the final glimpsesf a senator in his valiant battle against a brain tumor. even on board in a wheelchair in the end, taking to his beloved ocean, the salt-soaked air he so loved. just weeks ago, his last photo after the death of his sister, eunice kennedy shriver. the family says the bad days had begun to outnumber the good. and yesterday, a rapid turn for the worse. his three children were by his side -- kara, teddy jr., and patrick. and the senator's wife, vicki. all saying their good-byes, though in the end, kennedy couldn't speak. also in the room, the priest administering last rites, who today described generations of kennedysraying and crying. and ted kennedy's own peace in the end. >> the truth is he had expressed to his family that he did want to go. he wanted to go to heaven. he did want to die and he did want to go. it was -- he was ready to go. >> reporter: and with the darkened sky ove

>>> edward moore kennedy. massachusetts senator, new england son, and last surviving brother of a legendary family. he bore the unspeakable grief and overwhelming hopes of a nation. >> pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will someday come to pass for all the world. >>> ted kennedy endured doubts including his own, and scandal to eventually triumph as the lion of the senate. >> we are excluded from having an opportunity to debate this because of the power of the insurance industry. >> over five decades, ted kennedy carried the torch passed on by his brothers for civil rights for the poor and for the sick. >> the hope rises again, and the dream lives on. >> today, we remember. captioning funded by cbs ♪♪ >>> in case you are just waking up this morning, the news overnight that senator ted kennedy has passed away. the inevitable but sad news this morning, as we welcome you to a special edition of the "early show." good morning i'm harry smith in new york. maggie rodriguez is in hyannisport, m

kennedy and robert f. kennedy, it is fair to say that an era has come to an end. and the kennedys always talked in their political campaigns about the need for change. in fact, senator kennedy, when he was talking about bobby kenn dy at his eulogy in 1968 cited his memorable speech to young people in south africa, at a time when apartheid was at its peak, nelson mandela was in jail. he cited alexander the great, joan of arc, reminding them the time thomas jefferson wrote the declaration of independence at the age of 32. he said the future does not belong to those who are content with today. those were the words of robert kennedy, cited by edward m. kennedy in his eulogy at st. patrick's cathedral in 1968. and what happens always been quite remarkable about senator kennedy, even at the age of 77, he had a youthful outlook and was constantly encouraging young people on a number of programs in massachusetts and across the country, to get involved in public service and to leave their own imprint. i want you to look at these faces. this is the face of america here. the

then he had the kennedy charisma and kennedy name.i think that combination enabled him to do things in the senate that if his name were edward moore he would never have been able to do. >> chris matthews, what is the impact now with the passing of ted kennedy on what has been before us over the past month or two? health care reform. does it further damage the president's ability to pass health care reform, sweeping health care reform, or does this give the president a rallying crying like lbj had in 1965. >> well, everybody here is a student of history and now grown up with a lot of romance about the u.s. senate. certainly john is sitting here talking about one of my favorite books about the great senate of the 1950s. it you look at lbj, just look at eisenhower could he have operated without johnson? no. in the '50s. could johnson have gotten civil rights without everett -- without everett dirkson, the republican leader? i don't see a leader of that caliber on the hill right now who can be the quarterback on the field, while perhaps t

barack obama didn't need ted kennedy for the connection to the charismatic ted kennedy. he needed ted kennedy for ted kennedy and his career and credentials won over the decades with the liberal democratic party rheavyweights across the country and rang and file people. that was important to ted kennedy. he saw in barack obama a lot of what he saw in his brother, jack, and his ability to move people, especially the young. he preached that barack obama didn't need ted kennedy for his access for his brothers. he needed him for ted kennedy. >> we're watching the motorcade moving out of the compound, and it could not be more moving. >> especially because this is a drive up route 3 to the kennedy library at that ted kennedy took thousands of times. as you see later on, this library really bears his stamp. we were talking a moment about ted kennedy endorsing barack obama last year. i agree with what neil said. there's one thing barack obama needed from ted kennedy, and that is in late january of 2008, one of the things that was holding some democratic voters back from barack o

robert kennedy, jr.aid that he was struck by how many people shared with him those kinds of stories i mentioned, someone who had help with a son who was in the military or help with benefi benefits. the very practical things that people go to their members of congress for every day. well, if your member of congress was ted kennedy, many people here felt she was we-- they wer well-served by him. >> a conversation i had with senator kennedy several years ago, he was so excited about the next generation of kennedys that were coming up. he said we've got 50-some kids coming up, and they're all going to be in public service, and it's going to be the next generation of kennedys and he was very excited about that. he was a very futuristic guy and a very giving man. he just couldn't do enough for this country. kelly, what about tonight? i would imagine tonight is going to be a very emotional time for john kerry and chris dodd, his best friends in the senate. what are we going to see tonight? >> well, as you ment

kennedy. the man who the president says is synonymous with the democratic party will lie in repose at the john f. kennedy presidential library in boston on friday. what we don't know is whether he'll end up lying in state or in repose at the capitol where he made his legacy. his funeral will be held saturday at our lady of perpetual help basilica in the mission hill section of boston. president obama will speak at the mass. his body will be flown to virginia where he will be laid to rest at arlington national cemetery very close to both of his brothers. president obama issued a proclamation ordering the american flag be flown at half staff across the united states today in honor of the who served for nearly 47 years. both the president and the vice president praised kennedy today. >> the outpouring of love, gratitude, and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in american history touched so many lives. his ideas and ideals are stamped on s

when john kennedy jr. died in a plane crash, it was ted kennedy who again spoke at another kennedy funeral. through it all, his love of politics sustained him. he was never happier, like he was this day campaigning for barack obama. >> our next president of the united states, barack obama. >> he braved sub freezing weather to see obama sworn in as the nation's 44th president, but he suffered a seizure at the capital lunch following the ceremony. [ singing happy birthday ] kennedy was feeling well enough to attend a star studded birthday celebration in washington and with his wife, vicki at his side, he beamed as president obama led the birthday song. ted kennedy never became president, but some say his legislative accomplishments leave a lasting mark on american life far eater than that of most o the office he never won. and we have found out about the arrangements for senator kennedy. he will lie at the jfk presidential library tomorrow and friday. kennedy's funeral will take place at a nearby church on s

kennedy.ay on behalf of my brother and sister how proud my dad was to serve here in the senate and most of all to know that he couldn't have done it without all the people he worked with. he knew that he was only great because he had great people supporting him. and he knew the value of good staff, and that's why he was so successful. and i know that all of you, having watch what happened the last three days have to feel good that you are part of his life, because this country has outpoured its soul and heart the last few days to say what a difference he has made in the life of this country, and i think that you all today should be feeling like you were part of that, too, because of all that you've done, to be part of the same legacy he wanted for this country. and i hope you feel some consolation that the many, many hard hours you put in to the nitty gritty of legislating and policy making gives you some sense of satisfaction at having done a really important job for this country, because tha

john kennedy jr. seemed like a natural to follow in his father's footsteps. >> over a quarter century ago, my father stood before you... >> repter: that hope was extinguished by his death in 1999. >> i hope i have something to offer. >> reporter: last year, caroline set off a media frenzy when she flirted with hillary clinton's vacated senate seat, but after a poorly received political tour, she withdrew her name. two of robert kennedy's 11 kids for a time did follow their father's path. kathleen was lieutenant governor of maryland but left politics after losing a bid for governor in 2002. >> joseph ii is a former congressman whose political career stalled after a messy scandal in 1998 following the end of his first marriage. >> our responsibility in this house... >> reporter: ted kennedy's youngest child, patrick, entered politics at 21 and currently serves as congressman from rhode island. but with three seminal figures in american politics now all gone and only one kennedy remaining in public offic

kennedy was 77 years old and passed away at the family home in hyannisport. >>> as we reported, ted kennedye last surviving son of a political dynasty plagued by tragedy. he went on to become one of the most effective senators in u.s. shaped byte lives and deathsf o his olf deotheol. >> roredte tr:neen kdyr was the youngest of nine and youngest by four years. it was a pretty hard-driving family and very competitive. he was spared some of the relentlessness of his parents' expectations of the older kids. >> reporter: tragedy struck the kennedy family in 1946 when joe jr., awaidyil ksdnle i y pit s killed in ontiac. it was then that ted's older brother jack took on the role of eldest son. >> jack was serious and scholarly and would try to keep ted lessons. >> the torch has been passed to a new generation of americans. >> reporter: jlpby waced htikit he jedhac w hisis presidential campaign and then went on to become successful politicians themselves. each brother had his own style. >> jack kennedy was an intellectual and teddy idolized him. bobby kennedy was a hard-driven, relentless striver a

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 77 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 americans. >> few words this morning -- >> his ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives. in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education's promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an america that is more equal and more 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 flagpoles, lowered to half staff, the condolence book at the nearby