Ted Kennedy

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Ted Kennedy
United States Senator
from Massachusetts
In office
November 7, 1962 – August 25, 2009
Preceded byBenjamin A. Smith II
Succeeded byPaul G. Kirk
Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
In office
January 3, 2007 – August 25, 2009
Preceded byMike Enzi
Succeeded byTom Harkin
In office
June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded byJim Jeffords
Succeeded byJudd Gregg
In office
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1995
Preceded byOrrin Hatch
Succeeded byNancy Kassebaum
Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1981
Preceded byJames Eastland
Succeeded byStrom Thurmond
Senate Majority Whip
In office
January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971
LeaderMike Mansfield
Preceded byRussell B. Long
Succeeded byRobert Byrd
Personal details
Born
Edward Moore Kennedy

(1932-02-22)February 22, 1932
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedAugust 25, 2009(2009-08-25) (aged 77)
Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, U.S.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Joan Bennett
(m. 1958; div. 1983)

Vicki Reggie (m. 1992)
RelationsSee Kennedy family
Children
ParentsJoseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of Virginia (LLB)
Net worth$43–162 million (USD)[1]
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1951–1953
Rank Private (1st Class)
UnitSHAPE

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009)[2] was the Senator for the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1962 to 2009.

Early life[change | change source]

Ted Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, which is a neighborhood in Boston. He was the youngest son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was the younger brother of former President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated, as well as Joe Kennedy, who was killed in World War II. A lot of other sad things happened in his life: he almost died in a plane crash, he was involved in a car crash that took the life of a campaign worker, and one of his sons had cancer as a child.

Education[change | change source]

Ted Kennedy went to Harvard and served in the Army before entering politics. He ran for and won the seat given up by his brother when he became president. While in the Senate, he fought for the working class, mainly for health care and the minimum wage. In 1980, he ran for president, but lost in the primaries to Jimmy Carter.

Chappaquiddick incident[change | change source]

On July 18, 1969, Senator Kennedy and passenger Mary Jo Kopechne were driving in Chappaquiddick Island where the car crashed over the bridge into the ocean. Kennedy left the scene leaving Kopechne to drown to death as she was trapped in the car. Kennedy plead guilty. Many believe this is why he decided not to run for President in 1972 or 1976.

Later life[change | change source]

In 2008, he found out he had glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. Despite the cancer, he campaigned for Barack Obama and sometimes appeared in the Senate.

Death[change | change source]

He died from the cancer at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts just before midnight on August 25, 2009.[3]

References[change | change source]

  1. "Ted Kennedy's Personal Finances". opensecrets.org. 2006. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011.
  2. "Ted Kennedy Dies of Brain Cancer at Age 77". ABC News.
  3. Staff (2009-08-26). "Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy dead at 77". CNN. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
Ted Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery