We shall not look upon his like again...

[bingblot]

Waking up this morning to the news of Ted Kennedy's death was odd. Even knowing he had cancer, finding out he was really gone just seemed unreal-- it really is the end of an era, possibly the end of the Kennedy dynasty as we know it.
The NY Times obituary had a great paragraph that just about summed him up: He was a Rabelaisian figure in the

Comments

[bingblot]

I think Joe Kennedy (or just about any Kennedy) would have a somewhat easier time of filling Ted's shoes, because of the name. But I wonder if he's larger-than-life enough to really carry on the Kennedy banner; that will probably take many years before he grows into it, at best. Otherwise, I rather think we've just seen the beginning of the Kennedy decline.

[annearchy]

I have to agree with almost everything you said.

Harry Byrd- longevity and being the Majority Leader in the Senate but he doesn't even come close.

Actually it's Harry Reid who's the Senate Majority Leader (elected to that post several years ago, why? I have no idea). Robert Byrd does have the longevity - I think he's 90, or close to, and the longest serving current member of Congress.

[bingblot]

Oops, you're right. I conflated the two in my thoughts somehow. (Which sort of proves my point, on second thought.) ;-) Will fix it.