Rembrance of Senator Edward Kennedy
Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
by Gregory Lewis
PopGnosis
(original photo by Gregory G. Lewis, taken from the floor of the Worcester Centrum during the 2006 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.)
As a long time Massachusetts residence, I have had a few opportunities to see Sen. Kennedy in person. The first of these was at my Alma Mater, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, in western Massachusetts. The second time was when I covered the 2006 Massachusetts Democratic Convention for a newspaper I wrote for, the Shelburne Falls West County News. Senator Kennedy then announced his support for gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick, who I was also fortunate enough to have interviewed on several occasions. In November, 2006 my friend Carl invited me to a trip to Washington, D.C., for the purpose of gathering news items. we were both freelance journalists and news junkies, and we visited the offices of Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, as well as an interview with Massachusetts Congressman John Olver, and a surprise meeting with Michigan Congressman John Conyers as he stepped out of the office with Texas Congress woman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Here's my (imperfect) transcription of Edward Kennedy's 30-minute acceptance speech, I hope you can forgive the few mistakes that have crept in due to recording quality and incidental noises, like shouting:
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"She's really something, isn't she? Thank you, thank you, thank you. She's the love of my life, my prop, my inspiration. Thank you so much, Vicki.
"And I also thank my nephews Joe and Matt for their wonderful words. I'm proud of them, for all their hard work. And I'm so proud of my son, Teddy is here tonight, with his wife Kiki, my grandchildren Talia and Teddy. My family has always believed profoundly in public service. And after college, my nephew Joe joined the Peace Corp., and helped impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic. And my nephew Matt helped families find the way out of poverty in New York City, and achieve the American Dream.
"As President Kennedy said: Each individual can make a difference, and all of us must try. And those words still ring true today, especially in Massachusetts. When I visited Springfield High School, I met Justin First, who quit his job as a corporate lawyer, to make a bigger difference in the lives of young people by teaching high school English. In Fall River, Tom Pasternak works as a pharmacist all day. Then spends extra hours helping seniors work through the tangled web of the new Medicare drug program, so they could get the affordable care they need. John Gonzalves started a non-profit organization in Taunton called Homes For Our Troops, to build accessible homes for veterans injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. And today, because of John's work, our disabled veterans have a chance to contribute their talents to our Commonwealth.
"The people of our Commonwealth know, that we're stronger when we all pull together. They know that we each have a responsibility to make our community, our Commonwealth, our Country, our world, a better place. As Massachusetts Democrats, that's our responsibility, that's our duty, and tonight I stand with you ready to lead the way.
"Americans know there's no one who understands that more than George McGovern. Whether he was helping President Kennedy feed the world, or speaking out against the war in Vietnam, George McGovern is a great American who fought and won many battles for a better America. I just wish we had more men and women in Washington today who share these ideals. Instead, we have too many Dick Cheneys, too many Karl Roves, too many Don Rumsfelds, and too many out of step, out of touch Republicans. Well, let me tell you, this November all that's going to change, because we're going to put the Republican Party out of office.
"Republicans…Republicans, you're on notice: Time to order the moving vans. Time to order the boxes. Time to order the packing tape, because on November 7, we're voting you out! Out of the corner office in the State House, and out of the halls of Congress. And out of the way of progress, because it's time to get America back on track.
"So I give a special thanks to Sam Baldwin, and Kathy Dwyer and Henry Twiggs, Mia Mendez, and Pace Wilson, for forwarding my name and nomination. I'm moved by your kindness, I'm proud of your support, and I proudly accept your nomination. Fellow Democrats, together across the state, we've been doing our part for progress. We've waged and won many important battles together. Emergency aid to help Massachusetts families and businesses ravaged by the flooding; saving our historic treasures, like Barrett Farm, in Concord, which had such a big day-the day the embattled farmers fired the shot heard ‘round the world; for preserving the Thoreau's Walden Pond; or saving Canston, or revitalizing the Town of Lawrence; or bringing 300 new jobs to Attleboro; or supporting the research at UMass, Amherst, so our state can continue to lead the nation in innovation and invention. Or, to help reforms that are the envy of the nation.
"Because of you, Massachusetts leads in so many ways. Our universities educate the world. Our hospitals treat the world. Our economy is the envy of the world. Our businesses and academic institutions do the critical research, and provide the solution to the world's greatest problems. We do it because we believe in it. We believe in the promise of progress and prosperity for all. And when it comes to standing up for our principals, and speaking out for our priorities, we will never give up, and we will never give in.
"We're all in this together, this fight for a better America. You may know what we're up against. Health care and college costs are going through the roof. Wages are tumbling down. Pensions are being drained. The rights of workers are under assault. Our national security is being outsourced to foreign countries. Our troops are stretched to the
breaking point, because of an endless war in Iraq, that's claimed almost 2,500 American lives, including 48 from Massachusetts, and crippled thousands. In a little over five years, America has gone from leading the world, to being the most despised nation in the world.
"So let me say this loud and clear: My vote against this misbegotten war is the best vote I've made in the United States Senate. And my call, more than a year ago, more than a year ago, to bring our troops home is one of my proudest moments. Our presence in Iraq inflames the insurgency. We are a crutch for an Iraqi government that needs to stand on its own. Our troops have served bravely, and made us proud. They have done their job, and done it well. Now it's time for us to do ours, and welcome them home.
"On Iraq, and on so many other issues, something's got to change, and we know what it is. We'll say it loud and clear to Republicans in November, ‘You're fired!'
"Americans aren't looking for big government, or small government, liberal government or conservative government. They're looking for competent government. A government that leads us to better days and brighter futures. Not ideological battles, and special interest boondoggle. A government that inspires us to reach higher, not sell us to heaven. Instead, this president and his Republican majority are, are giving us a government that's not only incompetent, it's dangerously incompetent. Instead of investing…instead of investing in our future by solving the energy crisis and helping students go to college, they pass tax breaks for the rich, and hand out no bid contracts to Haliburton.
"Instead of a Medicare drug bill to help the senior citizens afford their prescription drugs, they passed a law that gives huge windfall to drug companies, and insurance industry, that leaves seniors with confusion, and higher costs. Instead of standing up for an independent judiciary, they force Neanderthal federal judges on to our court. Instead of investing in Homeland Security, so Americans are protected, here at home, they put cronies in charge of our life and death agencies who bungle the response to Katrina, and outsource our security.
"Instead of promoting and protecting our values in the war on terror, they've tarnished it by ignoring our civil rights, spying on Americans, and torturing our prisoners. Well, that's not our America…that's not our America.
"Our America is about jobs and schools, and health care. It's about values, and rights and opportunity. It's about Social Security and Medicare and pensions. It's about security and strength and progress…That's our America, that's the America we're ready to lead into the future. We've done it before, can do it again. We created he GI Bill of Rights for war-injured veterans, to go to college and earn a degree. They did it, and it was no coincidence, they became the greatest generation. We created Social Security and Medicare, won the Civil Rights revolution, put a man on the moon. We balanced the budget, created 20 million new jobs, created the longest period of economic growth in our history. And all because, in the words that Robert Kennedy loved, ‘Some men see things as they are and say why, and I dream things that never were, and say why not?'
"That's what bonds us as Democrats. When faced with a challenge, we say, ‘why not?' There's a real thirst in America today for leaders who will ask the tough questions, and find the new solutions we need to meet the challenges of our time. The challenges may be great, but so is our resolve. Today, millions of working men and women are living in poverty, because it's been nine years in the Unites States Senate, long years,
since we've raised the minimum wage for the nation. Our opponents say, ‘don't do it,' but we say, ‘why not?'
"If Congress can vote itself a raise, then why not give hard working Americans a raise, too? The same is true of energy. Our citizens are paying more than three dollars at the gas pump, while oil companies are laughing all the way to the bank, to deposit their record profits. Our opponents say, ‘we can't stop the big oil companies from gouging the American people,' but we say, ‘why not?'
Instead of lavishing Billions of dollars in giveaways to Big Oil, why not invest in renewable energy resources of the future hat create jobs, protect our air and water from pollution, and make us more secure, while at the same time protecting the fragile ocean sanctuaries of our magnificent coastline, why not?
"The same is true of education. We're falling behind in equipping our citizens to compete and win in a global economy. Our opponents say, ‘no, we can't afford to open the doors of college opportunity for all Americans.' But we say, ‘why not?' If we can spend, if we can spend nine billion dollars a month in Iraq, why can't we invest 15 Billion dollars a year here at home to open up the colleges to all Americans, regardless of income, why not?
"On health care, [historians are saying?], our Republicans' friends say, ‘We can't afford to provide health care for our citizens, but we join together, president […], and say, ‘why not?
"And I'm going to keep saying, ‘why not?' in the United States Senate, until quality, affordable healthcare is guarantied to every man, woman and child in my United States of America. Why not! Why not!
"I say, ‘why not?' to all of these challenges, and many others. I know what America can be, and what America should be…I know it…I've seen it…I've lived it. If you want to bring high-tech industries and new jobs to this state, and extend the high tech economy to Worcester, the Pioneer Valley and beyond, then I'm your senator. If you want to protect the beauty and the heritage of Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod, then I'm your senator. If you want clean air, clean water for our children from Boston Harbor to he Housatonic River, then I'm your senator. If you want to transform the brown fields, and revitalize downtown communities to create new jobs, from Brockton to Attleboro, from North Adams to Lawrence, then I'm your senator. If you want our public schools to open new doors to opportunity for our children, and give them the best education possible, I'm your senator. And, if you want a responsible foreign policy based on courage and cooperation, not arrogance and incompetence, that never sends our men and women in uniform into battle without armor, or a plan to succeed, then I am your senator. And if you want to keep the government out of the most personal and private decisions a family can make, then I'm your senator.
"If you want to continue our progress for equality and against discrimination, then I'm your senator, and if you want to defend the rights of gay Americans to live their lives with dignity and respect, and the whole protection of their constitutional rights, then I'm your senator. If you want an economy that works for all, not just the privileged few, if you believe a rising tide, lift all the votes, then I'm your senator. And if you want real protection, if you want real protection for your retirement security, your social security, your Medicare, your pension, then I'm your senator.
"And if you believe you believe in a stronger and safer future for your children, then I'm your senator. These are the ideals that unite us. These are the ideals that keep the Democratic Party strong. These are the ideals that bring life to the American Dream, which each new generation lives in a better, safer and fairer world. It is the greatest honor of my life to serve all of you, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States Senate, and to fight for these ideals every single day. But the battle is not over, there are still challenges to meet, and progress to make. So I am here this evening to ask you, will you stand with me when I'm on that floor of the United States Senate making the battles, asking ‘why not?', and saying, ‘we can do better,' and ‘we will do better.' Will you let me be your voice in the United States Senate? Will you send me back to the United States Senate to fight for you? Together, together we will chase these tyrants. And we will see a day the Republicans will never, ever never forget. Thank you, the best is yet to come."
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Gregory. Great tribute! Some souls are just born to be great, and nothing (try as the "little ones" may) can keep them at the bottom of the pile! A great heart. A great man. A great life story. The great LION rests in peace!Please log in to respond to this comment.
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