Ted Kennedy.

Chronicle of a Journey from youthful
know-it-all to old-fart astonishment.

I liked Ted better than any Kennedy, Bobby included. It was probably from the moment that I read Gore Vidal's snotty dismissal of the then-young Senator from Massachusetts. It read something like: "Absent the Kennedy name Edward would make a quite amiable bartender." Having hung out in dives far beneath Gore while he consumed a small swimming-pool's worth of the finest scotch and brandy over a lifetime, he'd know best. Gore and Ted drank their share plus whatever amount woulda been my share. I gave up Exhibiton Drinking sometime in my late 20s, having drunk several self-proclaimed connoisseurs under the table on pure dare. [Johnnie Walker Scotch Blue Label 80 Proof Price Range: $174 - $185. This isnt a whisky for beginners....]. What's good enough for stand-up Ron White is good enough for Ted and Gore.

Before leaving the hospital yesterday Ted remarked he'd accomplished far more as a Senator than he could have as President. Not that he didn't want Only Prez. Yesterday found out the "..dream shall never die!" speech LA PBS has been playing forever was Ted's at the 1980 Dem Convention. This after President Jimmy Carter had made good his promise to "kick Ted's ass" for the nomination. Reagan's Revolution [completed by Bill Clinton] dodged yet another bullet.

Ted was the family "screw-up" of nine kids. I did it as an only child. Ted was bounced from Harvard. I failed to ass-kiss a grad school prof. Joe Sr's dough plus "juice" got Ted a U. of VA. J.D. Guile plus dumb luck got me my USC degree. I saw patients no one else could manage in Watts for my State Boards. Ted, had two brothers killed BEFORE he "choked" on CBS and Roger Mudd's 1980 Why-Do-You-Want-To-Be-President? question http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/26/remember-when-cbs-wasthe_n_98315.html. Put me in Ted's place and I'd have choked at least as badly. Who needs a target on your back for phalanxes of Lee Oswald-Sirhan Sirhan wannabes to fantasize about? The forced choice of a Senate career and public service let the speech of Ted's Life happen. My only question would be just how "forced" was Ted Kennedy's 1980 choice. With the father Ted had, useful, helpful public service was it's own reward. The hopefully useful professional career I've had made my father proud as he told me I hope Ted's father found time to tell him the same. If so, Ted is truly a fortunate son. Below is his 1980 address to the Democratic Party Convention

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches/tedkennedy1980dnc.mp3