There’s a lot missing in this hastily constructed array of Ted Kennedy’s life. His run for the presidency, for instance, and the scandal that never quite left him. We also leave out his many legislative accomplishments to focus on his family and the extraordinary swan song that might have been. —PS
The Kennedy Family in Hyannis Port, 1948. (JFK Library)
The Kennedy brothers: Bobby, Jack and Ted, in Florida, 1957. (Library of Congress, Look Magazine Collection)
The brothers outside the Oval Office. (National Archives)
A happy moment in the early 1960s. (Senate)
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Ted Kennedy campaigns for the Senate in 1962. (Senate)
Jacqueline Kennedy with her brothers-in-law escorts the casket of John F. Kennedy from the White House. (National Archives / Abbie Rowe)
Throughout his time in the Senate, Ted would fight for children, the poor, the sick and anyone who didn’t have unfettered access to the American dream. (Senate)
Kennedy backed Barack Obama in the 2008 election because he saw a man who brought hope and idealism back to politics, but also a man whose political machine might finally open the door to real health care reform. (Sage Ross / Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)
Ted Kennedy as we remember him—working. Here he talks with the president about health care. (White House / Pete Souza)
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Here are some more photos. These were taken by Alan Pogue, a photographer in
Austin, Tx who has been doing social justice photography since 1968, when he
returned from service as an Army medic in Vietnam.
They show Kennedy at fundraisers for the progressive news magazine, the Texas
Observer. One function was in Austin, the other in DC. Kennedy could have
blown this off as too small a deal to be involved with. He may not really have had the time to spare and certainly, he could have just gone sailing.
But the side of him that the world didn’t really see was the guy that would travel and spend time and effort to support other people’s efforts. He did a great deal of that. He worked pretty hard at it.
In “real time”, I’m glad we are now at a time when
women can have their own identities.
I noticed on a caption on HuffPo, Ethel was listed as
“wife of Robert”, no name (a later pic had her name).
Women get erased from history. That which the Kennedy
women were “allowed” to do, time/place, was significant. On the positive side: in only 40 plus years (the amount of time that I am a professional
artist, and feminist, and disability rights/human
rights activist), women are in careers that were
“men’s” in the 1960s.
By Georgia, August 26, 2009 at 6:33 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thank you for your tribute to Ted Kennedy—-the years of service,the four brothers, their contributions to our country—-can’t be lost in history! It gave me a feeling of great content tonight to click on Truthdig and read your comments,see the pictures, etc. It is an issue to be saved.
Jim Michie, thanks for your comment and your work.
I notice the Yahoo news has a couple of “snarky” subheadlines for Ted Kennedy’s: one re “liberals” - a hero for, and the other “his greatest mistake”.
Times change: the corporate media, which had been
disgusting re RFK during his career, had a total change in tone, coverage within 24 hours of his death.
I was in my 20s. Big lesson re media, for me.
Teddy said once, that Little John, the JFKSchlossberger, child of Caroline, would be president.
By Paulette Kenyon, August 26, 2009 at 9:10 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
seeing Ted in this last frame speaking on healthcare makes me hope that Obama will pay tribute to this grand old lion of the people by protecting the public option portion of the healthcare bill. Ted Kennedy would’ve wanted a public option for the people. I’m reading “The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins - FDR’s Secretary of Labor and Moral Conscience,” by Kirstin Downey. I believe that Ted Kennedy really did walk the walk and followed in the footsteps of people like Frances Perkins and Eleanor Roosevelt. May our other senators and congressman learn to walk in the footsteps of Ted Kennedy. He will be sorely missed.
Let US Raise a Scotch for this Great Scottish/Irish American in recognition of his good deeds and to aid him in his ascent to the Kingdom of God.
I for one will be sending him off in true Irish Style. Heres’ to You ,Teddy!
By Jim Michie, August 26, 2009 at 3:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
America is grateful for all that he accomplished and will miss him more and more as time goes by. I had the high privilege, honor and pleasure of working for Senator Kennedy as one of his committee investigators, from 1975 to 1981. I cherish those six short years as the most rewarding and uplifting period of my working life.
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By StuartH, August 27, 2009 at 11:30 am Link to this comment
Here are some more photos. These were taken by Alan Pogue, a photographer in
Austin, Tx who has been doing social justice photography since 1968, when he
returned from service as an Army medic in Vietnam.
They show Kennedy at fundraisers for the progressive news magazine, the Texas
Observer. One function was in Austin, the other in DC. Kennedy could have
blown this off as too small a deal to be involved with. He may not really have had the time to spare and certainly, he could have just gone sailing.
But the side of him that the world didn’t really see was the guy that would travel and spend time and effort to support other people’s efforts. He did a great deal of that. He worked pretty hard at it.
That’s another reason people appreciate this man.
http://www.documentaryphotographs.com
Report thisBy NYCartist, August 27, 2009 at 8:43 am Link to this comment
In “real time”, I’m glad we are now at a time when
Report thiswomen can have their own identities.
I noticed on a caption on HuffPo, Ethel was listed as
“wife of Robert”, no name (a later pic had her name).
Women get erased from history. That which the Kennedy
women were “allowed” to do, time/place, was significant. On the positive side: in only 40 plus years (the amount of time that I am a professional
artist, and feminist, and disability rights/human
rights activist), women are in careers that were
“men’s” in the 1960s.
By Georgia, August 26, 2009 at 6:33 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thank you for your tribute to Ted Kennedy—-the years of service,the four brothers, their contributions to our country—-can’t be lost in history! It gave me a feeling of great content tonight to click on Truthdig and read your comments,see the pictures, etc. It is an issue to be saved.
Report thisBy NYCartist, August 26, 2009 at 9:32 am Link to this comment
Jim Michie, thanks for your comment and your work.
I notice the Yahoo news has a couple of “snarky” subheadlines for Ted Kennedy’s: one re “liberals” - a hero for, and the other “his greatest mistake”.
Times change: the corporate media, which had been
disgusting re RFK during his career, had a total change in tone, coverage within 24 hours of his death.
I was in my 20s. Big lesson re media, for me.
Teddy said once, that Little John, the JFKSchlossberger, child of Caroline, would be president.
Report thisBy Paulette Kenyon, August 26, 2009 at 9:10 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
seeing Ted in this last frame speaking on healthcare makes me hope that Obama will pay tribute to this grand old lion of the people by protecting the public option portion of the healthcare bill. Ted Kennedy would’ve wanted a public option for the people. I’m reading “The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins - FDR’s Secretary of Labor and Moral Conscience,” by Kirstin Downey. I believe that Ted Kennedy really did walk the walk and followed in the footsteps of people like Frances Perkins and Eleanor Roosevelt. May our other senators and congressman learn to walk in the footsteps of Ted Kennedy. He will be sorely missed.
Report thisBy Purple Girl, August 26, 2009 at 6:24 am Link to this comment
Let US Raise a Scotch for this Great Scottish/Irish American in recognition of his good deeds and to aid him in his ascent to the Kingdom of God.
Report thisI for one will be sending him off in true Irish Style. Heres’ to You ,Teddy!
By Jim Michie, August 26, 2009 at 3:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
America is grateful for all that he accomplished and will miss him more and more as time goes by. I had the high privilege, honor and pleasure of working for Senator Kennedy as one of his committee investigators, from 1975 to 1981. I cherish those six short years as the most rewarding and uplifting period of my working life.
Report this