A tragic death

"His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws, reflected in millions of lives,” President Barack Obama said Wednesday morning regarding the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

“In seniors who know new dignity, in families who know new opportunity, in children who know education’s promise – and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including myself.”

While Kennedy will be sorely missed by Obama, whose own successful campaign to the White House greatly benefited from Kennedy’s endorsement during the Democratic primary, his absence will be deeply felt throughout the political spectrum.

Nancy Reagan reacted with her own heartfelt statement: “Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. I considered him an ally and a dear friend.”

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., recalled bipartisan work with Kennedy ranging from legislation during the Reagan Administration to end the apartheid in South Africa to work on the Bush Administration’s No Child Left Behind, commenting “He lived a great life of service, family strength and enduring friendships. I will miss him very much.”

Kennedy spent more than four decades in Congress, impacting everything from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009. He played a major role in the Freedom of Information Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act in addition to spending more than 40 years crusading for universal health care.

As future columnists who grew up reading about his major political presence, the role Kennedy played can hardly be underemphasized.

As he fought brain cancer during the past 14 months, he was a beacon of respectability, admired by those who commended his liberal efforts and those who fought them.

As a person, he is irreplaceable. As a senator, his disappearance from the national political stage is tragic and disappointing.

His legislative impact on our lives, however, endures.