kennedy. vickyay thank you to the members of the public coming through. >> they are black and white, young and old. many in wheelchairs. most from here in massachusetts. joe kennedy smiling, he is the son of robert f. kennedy. vicky reggie kennedy for the last 17 years, senator kennedy's wife and a woman credited with the senator once used the term saving him. it is a remarkable scene, a beautiful day outside. people waited so patiently. wolf, as this unfolds, the state is saying good-bye to a man who served in the senate for 47 years. it has been more than a half century since the state of massachusetts has not had a senator kennedy. a remarkable tribute and a passing and a changing of the guard here in massachusetts. >> david gergen, you live in cambridge, massachusetts, you teach at harvard. this library has been so special to the kennedy family. it is only appropriate that the body lie in repose at the jfk library? >> absolutely. the kennedy library is one of the foremost attractions in boston a

he met earlier this morning with vicki kennedy. he walked across from his hotel to greet with her for about ten minutes and, of course, going to deliver the eulogy later this morning. then three other living presidents here as well. of course, president jimmy carter, president george w. bush. and president bill clinton. already we have seen a number of people arrive. we saw senator kery and senator dodd who beautifully eulogized and with a lot of laughs last night at that irish wake. >> norah, stay with us. that's -- we saw going into that church where ted kennedy visited to pray for his daughter. then prayed for behind own health. we have seen chris dodd and many of his closest friends going in there. john kerry, of course, the -- the leaders of washington, the world. will be showing up inside of that church. >> massive showing of support and celebration of his life and legacy going into that church today. also lining the streets yesterday and what we will see throughout the day today will be many of the common man, if i may. but

vicki kennedy greeting each member personally and other members of the family as well as they walk bydy's casket. of course, later this morning, the body at the library, 9:30 eastern time, a funeral mass at our lady of perpetual help basilica in boston for senator ted kennedy. >> we have seen pictures of congressional leaders lining up there to go in and pay their respects to vicki kennedy, steny hoyer who was just in the picture. max baucus getting off the bus. a man who is going to be a central figure, remain a central figure, in determining how the health care debate plays out in the coming months. we have also, of course, seen speaker nancy pelosi, also claire mccaskill, key players in this health care debate. and the direction this country is going to go for some time. they are all going to ted kennedy's funeral. you know, jon meacham, jackie kennedy talked about the ceremony that catholics go through, that she had to go through with her husband, a brother she loved and so many other people. she said of the catholic c

kennedy, vicky kennedy, the senator's wife for over 17 years turned around and said, wow. some of them were wearing old kennedy campaign buttons from his presidential campaign and she clearly has decided to stay inside a bit longer, lisa, to say thank you. you can see that. she's reaching this crowd young and old, black and white and latino and black and asian and some in wheelchairs. you can see them walking through and mrs. kennedy is saying thank you very much and occasionally bowing down to thank people to pay tribute to her late husband, senator kennedy. >> so remarkable. she just lost her husband a short while ago. she's holding out white well. john, we certainly appreciate your time and certainly appreciate you sharing that insight with us. well, on saturday, he was be buried at arlington national cemetery. a private burial will mark one of the most prominent public lives, as you've heard john mention. barbara starr has this report. >> reporter: the final resting place for senator edward kennedy will be by these trees on the sloping green hill close to the grave of h

vicki kennedy, the widow of senator kennedy is greeting everyone inside.verage, beginning this morning, at 10:00 a.m., anchored by charlie gibson. we hope you join us for that. and we hope everyone has a good saturday. thanks for being with us. u for being with us on this saturday. exceptional shine comes from perfectly dry dishes. finish jet dry rinse agent removes water drops and residue ensuring perfectly sparkling drier dishes. finish jet dry. the diamond standard. new spray n' wash bright and white is your safe bleach alternative. it does the job... stop-- don't do that! without the accidents. add it with your detergent to help whiten and keep colors bright while the resolve power gets rid of stains. trust spray n' wash bright and white.

all the generations of kennedies, 85 family members by one count, stood witness, with the senator's wife vicki and his only surviving sibling, sister jean, in the vanguard. as they made their car to cars for the drive, niece caroline kennedy lightly touched the hurs. the drive is about 70 miles. along the highway, which was closed down for the motorcade, crowds gathered with signs saluting the senator. among them, firemen, lined up on a bridge in north quincy. once in boston, the motorcade made its way past buildings significant from kennedy's past. st. stephens church, where kennedy's mother rose was baptized, and where the senator eulogized his mother when she died at age 104. >> whatever any of us has done, whatever contribution we have made begins and ends with rose and joseph kennedy. >> reporter: the rose fitzgerald kennedy greenway, a center city park for young mothers and children. a park championed by the senator on ground where his mother played as a child. a hall where the senator declared his candidacy for president in 1979. >> today i formally announce that i'm a candidate for pre

he did call vicki kennedy, the senator's widow and caroline kennedy to pass on his condolences and thoughts kennedy. barbara bush is. but he will not be attending. the other ones will. let me describe the scene for you here. there are thousands waiting in line. the line goes on as far as i can see this way into the dark. and one of the most remarkable things tonight is the kennedy family has been coming out to thank the people for turning out. you showed us sound from vicki earlier in the program. she came out to say thank you to all of these people. bobby kennedy spent two hours, we lost track of him. shaking hands, saying thank you to people for coming. he talked about his final conversation with senator kennedy. he talked about his role in keeping the family together and talked about what he hoped the american people would think of senator kennedy's legacy. >> he thought his mission was to help america live up to its ideals, perfect the union, make us on kpempl layer union that he believed we ought to be. our history dictated. paradigm of justice. persuade americans that we all have to b

you can see vicki kennedy is surrounded by people, as people on this line are being greeted by the wifef ted kennedy. you can only imagine the emotion that this family is going through, but they have, each day, every day, come outside, thanked people. she told us last night that it just meant more to her than anything in the world that so many people had come out, that they were expressing their love for her late husband and it has helped her get through this period. she was very strong. she has been through 15 months of an extraordinary experience of taking him through this process of the surgery that he went through, the chemotherapy, all of the treatments, then finally, the decision to come home to hyannis port and go through the final stages of this dreadful disease. joining me now from kansas city, david von brailly, editor at large for "time" magazine. david, you've written so movingly about what ted kennedy represented in terms of the myth and the reality. and forgive us here, because we not only have the wind and the sun and everything else, we've got the flights to logan airpor

vicki kennedy has ruled herself out. joe kennedy, the oldest son of bobby kennedy, still has $1.7 million in his campaign account. hasn't completely ruled out going for this seat. if he were to run, he'd likely clear the field. but an awful lot of democrats in massachusetts, who would like to succeed ted kennedy. there hasn't been an open seat in 25 years in massachusetts. so, a lot of pentup ambition there. >> a moment of waiting. but then again. >> the question is what happens with this law. the succession law that teddy kennedy wanted is crucial. vicki kennedy actually called the state senate president, to lobby for this law. and it does appear that the opposition in the house and the senate to this bill is receding, just a bit. both the speaker of the house and the senate president, have pledged to took at it. >> might be a decision sooner than we think. what about health care? we've been hearing in the last 24 hours, win one for the gipper. we've heard talk of naming a health care reform bill after senator kennedy. >

there's not good deal we can add to it. [ applause ] [ applause ] joo [ plaus [ applause ] >> that's vicki kennedy, married ted kennedy in 1992. friends, family and alike give her so much credit for turning around his personal life, giving him new meaning. came from louisiana, family deeply involved in politics, her father had been a friend of the kennedys for a long time. she handled herself during this very difficult time with grace and dignity and good humor as well. that's warren schribe, well-known harvard professor, who is a great consultant to ted kennedy on traditional matters and was one of the expert witnesses, and probably with his participation in that, he acknowledged, ruined his chances of ever being on the u.s. supreme court. you, the family and dear r with friends, to express our solidarity with you at this time. so members of both chambers of congress, officers, co-workers, collaborators and especially former and presently serving staff of the senator are gathered here on the steps. here we are, to briefly pray with you, offer our sympathy, and to thank you. thank you for sharing

kennedy's wife of 17 years. >> i realized i did not want to live the rest of my life without vicky. >> then there is kathleen kennedy townsend, or lie down to -- road island senator patrick kennedy. and caroline kennedy, who played a visible role in electing president obama. it was matriarch rose kennedy who said to whom much is given, much is expected. while it is not clear who will fill police senators shoes, what is clear is his work, his family, his family's work will continue. test the work goes on, because indoors, the pope still lives, and the dream shall never die -- the work goes on, the open doors. >> coming up, we'll have more on senator kennedy's life and there is more on wjla.com. >>> another sunny, warm day around washington, but tropical trouble could be headed our way. doug hill has a first look at the forecast. >> let's get right to the storm scan, talkbo aut the tropical storm. this ais right a looking, note ob t wis topind. -- 45 m.p5. is the. top wi.nd e thficithal forecast, it is slowly ll setgt gngni, the kac will get awfully close towf the outer banks of north carolina. that could make for a m

. >>> support is growing for vicki kennedy to fill ted kennedy's senate seat. close friends of kennedy endorsed this idea over the weekend. they said vicky is well qualified to serve, even until an election is held in five months. >>> cheney said he may not cooperate with an investigation into the abuse of terror suspects. he called the probe a terrible decision. eric holder ordered that last week. he says the techniques save lives. >>> a cia probe is growing criticism. john mccain is calling it a serious mistake. he says it violated international law. we should look forward and not back. the u.s. >>> military is preparing to leave iraq. they are taking out a force of the size of a small city. this is being called the largest movement of manpower and is taking place ahead of schedule. the deadline to remove all troops from iraq is next august. the white house has a list of 50 measurements to gauge progress in the war. categories include newly trained afghan recruits and on- time delivery of promised u.s. resources. the white house is compiling information as it

vicki kennedy told joe biden, you could hear, right under the flight path for logan airport, as she said to the vice president, he was ready to go. the family, though, i have to tell you, this has been so beautifully organized, and the fact that they would come out and walk this line. we saw caroline kennedy exchanging you know, thoughts and thanks and prayers with people along the line. bobby kennedy jr., all them, down to the little left grandchild and great nephew and great niece, are thanking people along this line as thousands have lined up waiting to go in. you don't see a big crowd behind me, because they come up in group, sorted up in groups to go inside. and when i was here at the opening of this great library, and memorial for jack kennedy when we had jackie kennedy onassis and john jr. and caroline and, of course, teddy, and now all but caroline are gone. >> certainly the sadness is not absent from the family, but there seems to be an intent, as you implied there, to make it a real celebration of the senator's life. is that also part of his planning for this? was that, are tho

. >> reporter: then vicki kennedy arrived. senator kennedy's widow. for a second day, making her gesture of thanks, reaching out to people like john. >> my life is complete. i spoke to victoria kennedy. everybody around owes a debt to the kennedys and vickie has made ted's last 17 years wonderful. >> reporter: now the senator is gone. the last of the storeied kennedy brothers, the end of an era stirring powerful feelings. tonight there is a private memorial service. the limousines are already arriving. there will be televised coverage. we will have some selected details at 11:00. tomorrow is the funeral here in boston. then senator edward kennedy makes his last trip to his second home in washington for burial in arlington national cemetery. live from the jfk library in boston, i'm steve handelsman, news4. jim, back to you. >>thanks, steve. ode> fy b s oenatdy kenne ir or fceenndwsiror fce oo trnom tfrre fhe he afternoon from the cade proceeds inform deca proceeds inform the u.s. capitol. ente ngavnd tiueon cin f avndenue a con senate chamber steps aue

and ted's closest adviser, is not interested. >> if either joe kennedy, former congressman, or vicki kennedy, the widow of senator kennedy should decide to run, i think it would seriously affect the field. >> reporter: the field could fill with several current and former members of congress. poised to jump in. the ate's attorney general is on the so-called sho list. but the biggest intrigue is over a move encouraged by kennedy himself to change current law and allow the governor power to choose a temporary replacent. massachusetts law is different from most states. and requires that kennedy's seat remain vacant for about five months until a special election must be held after 145 to 160 days. >> given the significance of the proposals before the congress right now, massachusetts needs two voices in the united states senate. so i think if that bill comes to me i will sign it. >> reporter: and behind us right now in line, caroline kennedy and her family, robert f. kenny, jr. members of the kennedy family here to greet those who have come to pay respects to ted keedy. ster, as we talk about the

everybody around owes a debt to the kennedys. vickie made ted's last 17 years wonderful. >> reporter: now the senator is gone. the last of the storeied kennedy brothers. the end of an era stirring powerful feelings. tomorrow is the funeral here in boston. then senator ted kennedy makes his final trip to his second home washington forbuington nac. >> later toheayme tteryce thyod onasef r y keseednnwillr w cerive atas be as b e from there howis from there his hecaprlto d u proceed to the u.s. en m frirooc steps. from indepeneontinuing pr re theheorot mcade will stop for a brief prayer. from the capitol theot motorcad will travel constitution avenuee 5:30. stay with memorliahe t memorial se.rves ca u tcyowan h the funeral live 0: website, nbcwashington.com. we will have live coverage of tomorrow's burial ceremony at arlington national cemetery at 5:30 p.m. >>> a state of emergency today in california where wildfires are burning large areas and threatening homes now. the order comes as firefighters battle blazes and in the national forest i

vicki was considered his biggest asset. kennedyovember was a referendum on vicki, we could all go home now. together, they became a fixture of the washington establishment. when ted was diagnosed with cancer in may of 2008, he faced the public and the fight of his life with vicki by his side. she remained there till the end. >>> joining from us houston, cbs presidential historian douglas brinkley and from washington d.c., host of "face the nation" bob schieffer. good morning again, gentlemen. doug, i want to start with the notion that some of the risk taking kennedy involved in, chappaquiddick, the night before drinking with his nephews, the night his nephew ended up being charged with rape, going all the way back to the ill-fated plane flight he insisted on talking into western massachusetts that killed his aide and the pilot of that plane, until it seems like, at least, maybe 20 years ago or so, this is a man who made some brutal, horrid missteps. >> well, that's true. nobody's ever accused the kennedys of not having hubris. cert

. >> reporter: the peaceful moment interrupted as we were all whisked away and were told that vicky kennedy wanted to come and visit her late husband. his widow is also eligible to be buried there. kennedy is the 156th lawmaker to be buried at arlington national cemetery. i'm surae chinn. now back to you. >> the virginia candidates for governor were on the campaign trail this weekend. republican bob mcdonald was in northern virginia where he met with supporters in mclean and fairfax. democrat on the campaign trail as well. supporting economic policies of former president george w. bush. deeds has been trailing mcdonald in recent polls. >>> police say 63-year-old clarence rankin was found near a side door of his residents short several times. police say a short time later two other men turned up in a hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. there may be a connection. >> police were notified of two other subjects. a 35-year-old man and a 44-year- old man in a nearby hospital. their relations to this event remains under investigation. what we have learned is that in the early morning hours ther

potential candidates include his nephew and former congressman joe kennedy, his wife vicki kennedy, former massachusetts congressman marty meehan, current congressman steven lynch and attorney general martha coakley. a successor will be chosen through a special election under massachusetts law. >>> mother nature ould cause problems for kennedy's funeral and your weekend plans. sue is working this one in the weather center now too. >> tropical storm danny. we've got the latest update. it looks like it's going to stay stronger. cape cod is going to have to watch it too as do we, brian. >>> a news edge investigation. ladies andladies of the night working the morning hustle. wait till you see what's happening on crowded streets. wednesday night, hump day. halfway to home on a friday. quick check of some of the stories we're working on. just a few. not all. back in two.  carol! denise! you've lost weight! it's just all these giant things make me look small. (chuckle) i hate dieting. me too. that's why i eat this fiber one yogurt. (mr. mehta) it has five grams of fiber, zero f

kennedy's widow vicki spoke to reporters and "state of the union's" john king caught up with robert f. kennedy jr. watch. >> i just want to thank them so much for coming and showing love and support for my husband. i just want to let them know how grateful we all are. >> thank you. thank you all. >> this is deeply, deeply moving for all of us. >> about a week before he died, he -- he was out on his boat. and he was very sick by that. he was losing some of his ability to find words. and he was so very cognizant and he was able to steer his boat and to reason and understand all the conversation. but it was sometimes during some parts of the day that were difficult for him to find words that he was looking for. >> larry: joining us to begin things is senator john kerry, democrat of massachusetts 2sh00 democratic party nominee. he's on the phone with us. the loss of ted kennedy is the topic of the day. i know you've been in close contact with the family. how are they doing, senator? >> well, they're much, much moved by the events to have day. you know, they're an extraordinary, strong gro

she really rehabilitated ted kennedy. >> reporter: for the senator that loved to sail, vicki kennedy d soul mate to the end. randi kaye, cnn, los angeles. >> first mate and soul mate. the kennedy families remembering senator kennedy as their irreplaceable senator. in a moment, why many now see his death as the end of the dream of camelot. >>> also ahead, we remember dominick dunne, who today also lost his battle with cancer. >>> a sad day for many reasons. 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. repower america. i hope our senators are listening. >>> a sad day for many reasons. the author and journalist dominick dunne died in new york today. his family said the cause was bladder cancer. he'd been struggling for some time

vicki kennedy, caroline kennedy, robert kennedy, other kennedy family members are there paying respectsa long time. you of course worked with senate leader on the democratic side, tom daschle, you knew the force, you saw the force that ted kennedy brought to people's lives and to action to get things done. how much of a divorforce was he it came to the 11th hour, todd. >> one of the great ironies in the last 48 hours, hearing the tributes to ted kennedy coming pouring out, after spending deck kids raising money by demonizing ted kennedy as the great liberal, irish catholic embodiment of all that's wrong in washington, republicans are actually coming out and being very gracious and making very kind and supportive statements, they loved ted kennedy, they knew that they could get a deal done with ted kennedy. if you look at president bush, his only two domestic accomplishments, the prescription drug bill, and another piece of legislation were only made possible because he had ted kennedy's support. now with the health care bill, you know, you have got other republicans, orrin hatch who's o

vicki kennedy, the widow of senator kennedy, has called some key members of the legislature, i am told, in the past several days, mostly to thank them for all the support from the state and invite them to the funeral. but she's spoke on the president of the senate, originally reluctant to bring this bill forward, and other lawmakers who originally thought perhaps tapping this new change would be too extraordinary a step to take. after those phone calls, i'm told the sentiment has changed and the legislature is now moving toward holding hearings as soon as it comes back into session, and most political sources now believe it is likely they will pass that law allowing an interim senator for three or four months until the special election takes place, which allows the democratic governor somebody who could vote on key issues like the health care debate senator kennedy care sod much about. >> it begs the question, john, vicki kennedy, the widow, has she changed her mind? is she increasingly a little more open to the possibility of taking her husband's seat? >> reporter: i checked back on t

senator, i understand that when vicki kennedy began calling people to speak at the wake on friday night that you were the first republican she called. i can understand why that was because you did have a very kind of special relationship with senator kennedy. you didn't always work together. a lot of the time you were on opposite sides but somehow you managed to keep this relationship going. how did you do that? >> i think it was probably because first of all we grew to respect each other. over time then have great affection for each other. you know, in this business& first you've got to establish respect. that respect sometimes was because of face-to-face discussions. sometimes for the record on issues that we had disagreements on. but the thing about ted was that when the debate was over, then he would put his arm around you and you moved on to the next issue. he never held... not only didn't he hold a grudge. he would... that was done. now let's go on to the next battle. >> schieffer: i talked to bob dole on the day senator kennedy died. i asked him basically the same question i aske

ted kennedy's best friend in the senate, chris dodd, was talking up the possibility of a senator vicki kennedy saying, we can certainly use her in the senate but leave it up to her. she has a lot on her mind right now. this senate vacancy comes at a time when president obama and democrats are pondering different strategies to get a health care bill passed, making every single democratic senate seat crucial, something ted kennedy himself recognized. >> he wanted the vote protected during this critical moment. >> reporter: as for the health care debate, prominent members of both parties are calling on president obama to get more engaged. >> well, i think the president's got to decide in a sense that he has and step up and really frame this again for us, the leadership can do it. >> reporter: and an unlikely adviser, former republican senator bob dole, was even more direct. >> he ought to pick up the mantel of leadership and go with it. he is the president. >> reporter: brian, the president now has a staycation rt of his vacation. he's back here at the white house, but he spent half a day working

i am also struck by vicki kennedy. friends say ted kennedy finally found the love and joy he was searching for through his life when he married her in 1992. she was divorced and she came with two children, who resent his stepchildren. he became a father again to fairly young boys. -- she came with two children, who then became his stepchildren. the family gathered to pay respect to this patriarch. of course, the name will continue. the last son of joe and rose kennedy has now passed. martha: caroline kennedy, maria shriver, and this whole generation of kennedys. here you have the barnstable county police that will lead the hearse out of hyannis port. the streets are lined with bicycles and kids. some of those kids are too little to know what they're about to see. this is a huge moment in history for the town and for a family that has meant a great deal to this community in hyannis port. hearse leaving the compound for the final time. really the place that ted kennedy and his family has loved so deeply. trace: the corteg

many of the visitors were personally thanked by the senator's widow, vicki kennedy, kennedy's childrennd other members of the family. tonight starting at 7:00 p.m. a memorial service will be held to celebrate the senator's life and the work that he did. vice president joe biden, caroline kennedy will be among the speakers along with senators john kerry, chris dodd, john mccain, and orrin hatch. joining me now from the jfk library is nbc's kelly o'donnell. kelly, it has been very heartwarming to see the outpouring of love and support for the kennedy family through all of this the last day. >> it really has, ed. we've heard both from members of the kennedy family and people who were here, the same sentiment that you just expressed. there really has been a sense of coming together, and i really took notice of how many people brought their own story to tell about some kind of way that ted kennedy touched them. now, of course, he represented the people of massachusetts, and so there were many who said when i called his office, he helped my family with this issue or when i wrote him, he wrot

bill: vicki, 25 years his junior, was a mother symbol to them? wow. rose kennedy incarnation? yes. bill: rose kennedy was an amazing woman married to a very difficult man and crazy sons, not all of them, but some of them. >> rose was very smart, and so is vicki. and rose had great political instincts, and so does vicki. bill: thank you. when we come back, pinheads and patriots,-% bill: time now for "pinheads and patriots." there was a topless protest which protest the inequality of men being able to show their chests. we will leave this up to you. nbc is on the verge of collapse. if jay leno fails, the entire nbc operation will be doomed for another year. the president has ruined the company and now desperation is setting in. not only is the network in last place but there cable operation is a disaster. cnbc is down 23%, msnbc is down 25%. megyn kelly at 9:00 a.m. in the morning and msnbc's 8:00 p.m. hour by 37%. last night, someone sent the people who watch fox news are paranoid and racist. that should tell you everything you need to know about the entire nbc situation. final

everybody around owes a debt to the kennedys. and vicki has made ted the last 17 years wonderful. >> reporter: now, the senator is gone. the last of the storied kennedy brothers. the end of an era, stirring powerful feelings. tomorrow's the funeral in boston and senator ted kennedy makes his final trip to his second home, washington, for burial in arlington national cemetery. >> steve, let me just ask, you what are the odds all of the living ex-presidents will in fact show up there? we have clinton, carter and the two bushes? >> reporter: that's correct. it's four now. there's no telling, larry. there's been a major secret service presence. they had the bomb sniffing dock, all the local police in an uproar, taking orders from the secret service. we haven't seen them but told they'll come. this is a big event. the last i saw something like this, larry was the remembrance at the u.s. capitol after the death of president ronald reagan. i don't know the numbers of people who came by in the three day, it is known but i don't recall it, they're

let me ask you, congressman, about vicki kennedy. we haven't talked about her. ted kennedy's second wife. his first marriage ended badly with joan. vicki seems to be someone who really gave him a second effort in life. not just in politics. >> you know, vicki for the last 17 or 18 years, has been inseparable from ted kennedy. i cannot think of a single place that i saw ted kennedy that i did not see vicki, as well. they became a team, a partnership. and because of that, he became even greater than he had been in the past. and vicki is as much of this story as is the senator because they did create that partnership, that made it possible for him to become the greater senator of all time. >> congressman, our condolences from msnbc and everybody here to you, sir. i know how close you are and to the parents of vicki and vicki who has been an amazing loving spouse. i think she gave him that booster rocket. >> if i could just say this, you and i know where we were when jack kennedy died. we know where we were when bobby kennedy died. that's the power of this family. an

bill: vicki, 25 years his junior, was a mother symbol to them? wow. rose kennedy incarnation?se kennedy was an amazing woman married to a very difficult man and crazy sons, not all of them, but some of them. >> rose was very smart, and so is vicki. and rose had great political instincts, and so does vicki. bill: thank you. when we come back, pinheads and patriots, the great taste of splenda® no calorie sweetener and added a little fiber? sweet! sweet! (together) sweet! (announcer) now for the first time, a gram of healthy fiber in every packet. sweet! (announcer) splenda® with fiber. i can tell you that childhood is a magical time. but for children with diabetes, life is not quite so carefree. the barbara davis center for childhood diabetes is fighting hard to find a cure. know the signs: irritability, excessive urination, weight loss. if you have any of these signs, please call your doctor. early detection can save your life. give to save lives and reach for the cure. call now or log on to childrensdiabetesfoundation.org. bill: time now for "pinheads and patriots." there was

bill: vicki, 25 years his junior, was a mother symbol to them? wow. rose kennedy incarnation?es. bill: rose kennedy was an amazing woman married to a very difficult man and crazy sons, not all of them, but some of them. >> rose was very smart, and so is vicki. and rose had great political instincts, and so does vicki. bill: thank you. when we come back, pinheads and patriots, starring jay leno. we will be right back. . ( siren blaring ) special interest groups are trying to block progress on health care reform, derailing the debate with myths and scare tactics. desperately trying to stop you from discovering that reform won't hurt medicare. it will actually strengthen it by eliminating billions of dollars in waste and lowering drug prices. tell congress not to let myths get in the way of fixing what's broken with health care. learn the facts at healthactionnow.org. bill: time now for "pinheads and patriots." there was a topless protest which protest the inequality of men being able to show their chests. we will leave this up to you. nbc is on the verge of collapse. if jay leno

he went on to manage all of the kennedy campaign operations in his home state. vickinterned in kennedy's senate office in ' 96 but the two didn't meet again until ' 91 at an anniversary party for her parents. the divorced mother of two and bachelor becam friends. a year later they married. >> i saw him with my children. i saw him with his own family and i just knew i had wonderful man who had come in to my life. >> reporter: with victory kennedy found stability and laughter after years of turmoil. >> her relationship signaled a major change in his life she kept him strong and focused on his work and she gave him the kind of anchor that he really needed after a very rough time. >> reporter: vicki was ted's partner in politics. during his hotly-contested re- election campaign in ' 94 against mitt romney, vicki was considered his biggest asset. kennedy boasted on the trail, i can tell you if november was a referendum on vicki we could all go home now. ted and vicki continued their political work. together they became a fixture of the washington establishment. when ted wa

vicki kennedy on the viewing line. hugging, greeting the people who have lined up to pay their respects to the kennedy family. that is vicki kennedy right there hugging, taking a moment to talk to individuals moments ago wiping away tears. what a moment. and we invite you to stay with cnn for our continuing coverage of the life and the legacy of senator ted kennedy. his body will lie in repose at the john f. kennedy presidential library until a memorial service tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. and the private funeral services will be held saturday, tomorrow, followed by his burial at arlington national cemetery. >>> and still to come, if you took advantage of the cash for clunkers program, do you need to report the cash to the irs? personal finance editor gerri willis answers your e-mails. against acid attack. only crest pro-health tootastes protect all these areas dentists check most. new crest pro-health enamel shield. u) combines two powerful medicines for fast relief of your diarrhea symptoms, so you can get back

. >> reporter: edward kennedy's widow, vicki, and his last living sibling, jean kennedy smith, greetedmany visitors, among them celebrities, dignitaries, and local and national politicians. some who streamed in brought signs; some read "thank you, teddy." library officials kept the doors open an extra three hours, until 2:00 this morning, to accommodate those in line last night. condolence books were filled with tributes. >> i basically just said i admire his heart and his courage. >> reporter: last evening, vicki kennedy spent about an hour greeting mourners. >> our whole family is deeply grateful for this outpouring of love. >> reporter: senator kennedy's nephew, robert kennedy, jr. >> there would have been nobody as moved as teddy. he would have loved this. one of the blessings of his illness-- he got to take a kind of victory lap. >> reporter: all night, a group of friends and family kept vigil by the casket, a kennedy tradition. at arlington national cemetery today, preparations for tomorrow's burial continued. senator kennedy will be buried near his brothers, john and robert. gar

kennedy welcomed him into his office. and that, by the way, is my second gift from teddy and vicky after our dog b ocho. and it seems like everyone has one of those stories. the ones that often start with, you wouldn't believe who called me today. ted kennedy was the father who looked not only after his own three children, but john's and bobby's as well. he took them camping, and taught them to sail. he laughed and danced with them at birthdays and weddings, cried and mourned with them through hardship and tragedy. and passed on that same sense of service and self-lessness that his parents had instilled in him. shortly after ted walked caroline down the aisle and gave her away at the altar, he received a note from jackie that read, on you the care-free youngest brother fell a burden a hero would have begged to have been spared. we're all going to make it because you're always there with your love. not only did the kennedy family make it because of ted's love, he made it because of theirs. especially because the love and the life he found in vicky. after so much loss and so much sorrow, it could not have

the peaceful moment interrupted as we re whisked away and told that vicki kennedy wanted to come and sit her late husband. ted kennedy's widow is eligible to be buried there. kennedy is the 156th law maker to be buried at arlington national cemetery. surae chinn, back to you. massachusetts governor duval patrick will decide when to hold a special election to fill kennedy's seat. it is expected to be in mid to late january but he could appoint an interim replacement. many political pundits are suggesting suggesting victoria show so she can cast a vote on the bill. >>> and plus, you don't have to go with pricy brands to get an athletic shoe that works for you. that story coming up. the new mcdonald's bacon and cheese angus third pounder. before taking it on, one must study it first. rushing in unprepared may prove overwhelming... with all that juicy, 100% angus beef. there! you found a point of entry! the bacon beckons like a springboard to paradise. one small bite for man... etcetera, etcetera. angus axiom number 11: bring on the bacon. the astonishing new angus third pounders. all ang

ted kennedy's wife, now widow, vicki kennedy is greeting some of the delegates there today from the house and the senate. they will make their way up to the church in a short time and file int the church. the boistrous senator from massachusetts and the youngest of nine in the kennedy family certainly had a special connection to this basilica. a place where he came when his daughter cara was getting treated for cancer and then returned when he was diagnosed for cancer. now once again he returns. three daes of public service to mourn ted kennedy's death and celebrate his life culminate this morning with a high mass at our lady of perpetual help basilica in boston's mission hill. president obama will deliver the eulogy. on the eve of the funeral, they gather. an emotional night with tears, humor, and tribute from those who knew him best. from lifelong friends. >> be at peace, my friend. america will be in your debt forever. >> reporter: the senatorial colleagues on both sides of the aisle. >> i miss fighting in public and joking with him in the backgrou background. >> the place won't be the

. >> vicky kennedy, the senator's widow, said she will not run. all bets are off if a kennedy does, and former kennedy joe kennedy, has nearly $2 million left in his campaign coifers from his years in the house. he has not said what he plans but would instantly be a frontrunner. no republicans have stepped forward yet, but since 2006, the g.o.p. has been recruiting former red sox great kirk schilling who retired in march. schilling lacks political organization and experience but there is no doubt about his name recognition and popularity in massachusetts. some republicans say he might have the best chance in the g.o.p. g.o.p. of winning which in massachusetts for ted kennedy's seat is still pretty slim chances. bret: carl cameron live on capitol hill. something old that is new again in healthcare and an again in healthcare and an american helicopter takes finally, good news for people with type 2 diabetes or at risk for diabetes. introducing new nutrisystem d, the clinically tested program for losing weight and reducing blood sugar. hi i'm mike, an

of all of the united states senators and congressman it was ted kennedy and vicki kennedy who called just to give their condolences but to grieve sharing a little bit of their past. the consistency and themeatic is what we saw day in and day out. >> larry: ted kennedy's triumph triumph and tragedy we talked about that interview in '96. >> can you take it back and explain what it is about the family that keeps them going? >> well, i think like many other family, we had -- we're blessed with two parents, different but complementary in so many ways that made a very special house, at least i think most family members would feel that way about their own home. and wonderful brothers and sisters, all of whom were our best of friends, all different personalities. >> larry: has it been a burden to be sort of the patriarch of this family two brothers -- they all come you to, don't they? >> well, they do. it's a wonderful experience. and -- i mean, the circumstances that brought it about, obviously, remained with me every day. but they are really wonderful r wonderful. and so many of them are do

there's vicki kennedy, his wife and joe kennedy, his nephew, and we'll be spotting those people all night tonight as they pass before us. you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. (announcer) before they give you the lowest price, some pharmacies make you work for it with memberships and fees. but not walmart. they have hundreds of generic prescriptions for just $4 for up to a 30-day supply and no gimmicks. save money. live better. walmart. but did you know you also get hotel price assurance? it's a one-two punch of savings -- pow! pow! lower hotel booking fees mean you get a lower total price. plus, if another orbitz customer then books the same hotel for less, we send you a check for the difference, automatically. >>> welcome back to "hardball." we're about to hear from someone you're only going to hear from right now in this whole period of days and mourning. former republican senator from wyoming allen simpson. senator simpson, thank you for joining us from your wonderful reman tick trip to europe with annie, your wife. what do you want to say about ted kennedy, your old pal? >> well,

no one on whether vicki kennedy will seek the seat on a more permanent basis. massachusetts lawmakers, on whether to state change law so governor patrick can rename an interim replacement. until voters could choose someone to replace kennedy in a special election. the special election would be held on january 19th. >>> and at "news4" at 4:00 continues a police chase and it was a 9-year-old behind the wheel. why he took his parent's car. >>> why supposed to be a fishing expedition swordfish became a test of survival. >>> his death was ruled a homicide. he shares his feelings. >>> plus, how a little yoga could help improve your diet.op >>> well, the first space walk for the shuttle "discovery" astronauts will dock tomorrow. docked late last night. the astronauts cheered when the hatches swung open and the two crews greeted each other with hugs and handshakes. "discovery" and its crew were dropping off thousands of pounds of equipment. the crew's also dropping off astronaut nicole stott. she will remain at the space station until another shuttle comes to get her in

her name is victoria reggie kennedy, she likes to be called vicki. ther, a lawyer, and has two children. she and senator kennedy have been long-time supporters and friends, but over the years she never imagined she would end up marrying senator edward kennedy or that the engagement would become official while they were snorkeling on vacation. >> he said look down there. he's been pointing out fish to me all day. i thought there will be some beautiful fish. i was right. there was this beautiful fish down at a coral head. i thought i'll go down and see that fish swim. he said go down there. as the fish swam away, the ring was sitting there on a coral head, and i just -- my heart started pounding. i picked it up. i don't think had he planned on fish being there. >> how did the romance progress? what happened? >> you're doing all the talking. keep going. >> my parents were coming over to visit me in washington for their 40th wedding anniversary. they said we're going to invite the commander, that's what they call him, the commander from his sailing expert