All Things Considered

Romance With Kennedy Family Draws To Close

By Daniel Schorr

Published August 26, 2009 2:58 PM

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I make no pretense to objectivity about Ted Kennedy, whose death brings an era to a close.

In his foreword to my 1970 book, Don't Get Sick in America,, he wrote, "We must begin to move now to establish a comprehensive national health insurance program."

A generation later, this past July, he wrote an essay for Newsweek with the cover headline, "We're Almost There."

His journey was incomplete, like the journeys of brothers Jack, Bobby and Joe Jr., though Ted's was longer.

Ted Kennedy's journey can be said to have started with a visit to Berlin in February 1962 to celebrate his 30th birthday with his brother Bobby. Because this was the first date that he would be eligible to run for the Senate, several reporters, including myself, met him at the Tempelhof Airport to ask about his plans. He laughingly said he was not about to be making an announcement from Berlin, but made it clear he would make an announcement soon. And he did.

I was one of the journalists who followed him throughout his career. In 2002, we were inducted together into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He used the occasion to oppose a war in Iraq — his major preoccupation after health care.

Kennedy's death can be said to mark the end of this generation of Kennedys in public life. Others of the dynasty — Joe, John, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia and Bobby — did not survive.

And now, America's 60-year romance with the closest thing it has known to a royal family is drawing to a close.

John Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, made an unsuccessful bid for appointment to a Senate seat. Robert's daughter, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, served as lieutenant governor of Maryland. Bobby Jr. heads an alliance of environmental groups. Kerry Kennedy, Robert's seventh child, has founded a human rights organization. And Ted's son, Patrick Kennedy, is a House representative for Rhode Island.

But one cannot say that the baton has been passed.

"I think it's over," says Ben Bradlee, Washington Post editor and Kennedy intimate.

Ted Kennedy remains the enduring symbol of a dynasty of service to America.

View Transcript

DANIEL SCHORR: I make no pretense to objectivity about Ted Kennedy, whose death brings an era to a close.

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr.

SCHORR: In his foreword to my 1970 book "Don't Get Sick In America," he wrote: We must begin to move now to establish a comprehensive, national health insurance program. A generation later, this past July, he wrote an essay for Newsweek with the cover headline: We're Almost There. His journey was incomplete, like the journeys of brothers Jack, Bobby and Joe Jr., although Ted's was somewhat longer. Ted Kennedy's journey can be said to have started with a visit to Berlin in February 1962 to celebrate his 30th birthday with brother Bobby.

Because this was the first date that he would be eligible to run for the Senate, several reporters, including myself, met him to ask about his plans. Laughingly, he said that he was not about to be making an announcement from Berlin, but he made it clear he would make an announcement soon. And he did. I was one of the journalists who followed him throughout his career. In 2002, we were inducted together into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He used the occasion to oppose a war in Iraq — his major preoccupation after health care.

Kennedy's death can be said to mark the end of this generation of Kennedys in public life. Others of the dynasty — Joe, John, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia and Bobby — did not survive. And now, America's 60-year romance with the closest thing it has known to a royal family is drawing to a close. John Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, made an unsuccessful bid for appointment to a Senate seat. Robert's daughter Kathleen Kennedy Townsend served as lieutenant governor in Maryland. Bobby Jr. heads an alliance of environmental groups. Kerry Kennedy, Robert's seventh child, has founded a human rights organization. And Ted's son Patrick Kennedy is a House representative from Rhode Island. But one cannot say that the baton has been passed. I think it's over, says Ben Bradlee, the Washington Post editor and Kennedy intimate. Ted Kennedy remains the enduring symbol of a dynasty of service to America.

This is Daniel Schorr. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Source: NPR

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