Allies, rivals eulogize Kennedy at all-star memorial in Boston

BOSTON (AP) — In death as in life, Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy on Friday brought together political rivals — this time to celebrate his life and half-century of service to his country.

A who’s who of politics gathered at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston for the private service featuring music, laughter and calls to continue to fight for Kennedy’s last political wish — health coverage for all Americans.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona called Kennedy “the best ally you could have” when they agreed on issues, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, another GOP colleague, said he’d fought like a brother with Kennedy for 33 years and “loved every minute of it.”

“I miss fighting in public and joking with him in the background. I miss all the things we could do together,” Hatch said. He recalled that Kennedy once dressed as an Elvis impersonator at a staff holiday party, would frequently blow cigar smoke in his direction during their early years of political committee debates, and “just knew how to push people’s buttons.”

The speakers, many of whom worked for years with Kennedy in the Senate, shared stories of his congeniality and knack for compromise as they recalled his congressional successes and the ones he had yet to achieve when he died this week of a brain tumor at age 77, most notably the struggle for health care reform.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg said at the memorial that traveling in her uncle’s memorial motorcade from Cape Cod to Boston reminded her of the many family history trips he would organize for the Kennedy kids.

His closest friend in the Senate, Democrat Christopher Dodd, of Connecticut, noted the friendships he made across the aisle, and singled out Hatch and McCain.

“It is to their great credit that they so often supported Teddy’s efforts. And, I say in some jest, it is to Teddy’s great credit that he so rarely supported theirs,” Dodd said to an eruption of laughter.

The “Celebration of Life,” contrasted with the solemnity of the motorcade that carried Kennedy’s body from Cape Cod to Boston a day earlier and the sobriety of the public viewing, where an estimated 50,000 people filed past the senator’s flag-draped coffin at the presidential library named for one of his slain brothers.

Kennedy’s nephew and former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, called on people there to dedicate themselves to causes his Uncle Teddy had championed throughout his 47 years in the Senate. And he recalled a lesson he learned from his uncle one time when it appeared certain they were destined to lose a sailing race.

“He was telling me, never, ever, ever, ever give up. You stay in the race. And if people don’t have health care, you stay in the race. If people don’t have adequate housing, you stay in the race. If people aren’t being treated properly you stay in the race,” he said.

Dodd, who has taken over Kennedy’s key role on Capitol Hill on the health care bill, said Kennedy had called him two weeks ago.“’Well,’ he roared, ’between going through prostate cancer surgery and doing town hall meetings, you made the right choice!”’ Dodd recalled. “And though he was dying, and I was hurting, believe me, he had me howling with laughter .”

The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.