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President's Corner: Praying for Ted Kennedy
October 24, 2008 | Kenneth Bacon |
I first met Ted Kennedy on Oct. 26, 1963. His brother, President Kennedy, was at Amherst College, to receive an honorary degree and to break ground for the construction of the Robert Frost Library. Ted Kennedy arrived just as the convocation began. My job was to usher him to his seat.
Ted Kennedy had been elected to the Senate the year before when he was 30 years old. He looked as young as some of the students in the audience, but, of course, he was better dressed and escorted by a state policeman.
This flashback is on my mind as Sen. Kennedy undergoes surgery today to remove a malignant brain tumor.
In his speech at Amherst College that day President Kennedy said: “Privilege is here, and with privilege goes responsibility.” Ted Kennedy lives by that maxim. During his 46 years in the Senate, he has used his position of privilege and power to fight for the poor, the uninsured, the educationally disadvantaged, targets of racial or ethnic discrimination, immigrants, and refugees.
He was instrumental in passing the Refugee Act of 1980, which moved the country from an ad-hoc resettlement program to the current infrastructure—strong partnerships between the government and private resettlement agencies and clear annual goals.
In the last two years, he was worked tirelessly to expand resettlement opportunities for Iraqi refugees, particularly those who worked for the United States and had to flee the country to escape threats against their lives.
Last month, Albert R. Hunt wrote in his Bloomberg News commentary that “Edward M. Kennedy is the most gifted legislator, and one of the best politicians and most exuberant public servants I have know in my almost four decades of covering Washington and politics.”
I saw these qualities first hand last year as Sen. Kennedy worked to win passage of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act. He approached the issue of protecting Iraqis with knowledge and passion. He assembled a strong bipartisan coalition, working with Republican colleagues and the White House to get an acceptable bill. He instructed his smart, legislatively savvy staff to put together a coalition of civil society agencies and other support groups. He met repeatedly with people who could push the bill forward, and he thanked everybody when the bill was passed.
On this day, when Senator Kennedy is undergoing brain surgery, I give thanks for all he has done for the country and pray for his full recovery. We need his energy, and we need his commitment to justice.
--Ken Bacon
Ted Kennedy had been elected to the Senate the year before when he was 30 years old. He looked as young as some of the students in the audience, but, of course, he was better dressed and escorted by a state policeman.
This flashback is on my mind as Sen. Kennedy undergoes surgery today to remove a malignant brain tumor.
In his speech at Amherst College that day President Kennedy said: “Privilege is here, and with privilege goes responsibility.” Ted Kennedy lives by that maxim. During his 46 years in the Senate, he has used his position of privilege and power to fight for the poor, the uninsured, the educationally disadvantaged, targets of racial or ethnic discrimination, immigrants, and refugees.
He was instrumental in passing the Refugee Act of 1980, which moved the country from an ad-hoc resettlement program to the current infrastructure—strong partnerships between the government and private resettlement agencies and clear annual goals.
In the last two years, he was worked tirelessly to expand resettlement opportunities for Iraqi refugees, particularly those who worked for the United States and had to flee the country to escape threats against their lives.
Last month, Albert R. Hunt wrote in his Bloomberg News commentary that “Edward M. Kennedy is the most gifted legislator, and one of the best politicians and most exuberant public servants I have know in my almost four decades of covering Washington and politics.”
I saw these qualities first hand last year as Sen. Kennedy worked to win passage of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act. He approached the issue of protecting Iraqis with knowledge and passion. He assembled a strong bipartisan coalition, working with Republican colleagues and the White House to get an acceptable bill. He instructed his smart, legislatively savvy staff to put together a coalition of civil society agencies and other support groups. He met repeatedly with people who could push the bill forward, and he thanked everybody when the bill was passed.
On this day, when Senator Kennedy is undergoing brain surgery, I give thanks for all he has done for the country and pray for his full recovery. We need his energy, and we need his commitment to justice.
--Ken Bacon
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