Dodd: "Teddy Changed Our America"

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: Ted Kennedy

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., told stories about his friendship with Ted Kennedy during the memorial service Friday night for the late Senate icon.

"Generations of historians will chronicle his prolific efforts on behalf of others. I will leave that to them," Dodd began. "Tonight, I just want to share some thoughts about my friend. And what a friend he has been – a friend of unbridled empathy, optimism, and full-throated joy."

Dodd told of receiving phone calls from Kennedy at important times throughout his life such as when his children were born, when he lost the Iowa presidential caucuses last year and when he was treated for prostate cancer just a few weeks ago, when Kennedy showed his sense of humor.

"As I was coming out of surgery, I got a call from Teddy, his unique voice as loud and booming as ever. 'Well,' he roared, 'Between going through prostate cancer surgery and doing town hall meetings, you made the right choice!'

Dodd also told of a story when he gave a eulogy for a friend who Kennedy didn't know.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Ted Kennedy

CBS News Special Report: Ted Kennedy - The Last Brother

"As long as I live, I will never forget that, as I stood at the pulpit and looked out over the gathering, there was Teddy, sitting in the back of the church," Dodd said. "He wasn't there for my friend. He was there for me, at my time of loss."

"That was what it was like to have Teddy in your corner," he added.

Dodd also addressed Kennedy's legacy, tying it to those of his brother and his famous name.

"John Fitzgerald Kennedy inspired our America; Robert Kennedy challenged our America; and Teddy changed our America," Dodd said. "Teddy was involved in every major debate in the last half of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. Nearly every important law passed in the last half century bears his mark, and a great many of them bear his name."

Read more on tonight's memorial service on CBSNews.com:

Family, Political Luminaries Honor Kennedy
Caroline Kennedy: We Have to Do What He Would Have Done
Biden: Kennedy's Legacy Is How We Look at One Another
McCain: Senate "Won't Be the Same" Without Kennedy
Kerry: Kennedy's Gift Was "Incomparable Love of Life"
Hatch: Kennedy and I Were Like "Fighting Brothers"
Dodd: "Teddy Changed Our America"
Rep. Joseph Kennedy: Teddy Was Always There
Photos: The Scene at the JFK Library Memorial
Photos: Speakers Pay Tribute to Kennedy

Kevin Hechtkopf
Kevin Hechtkopf is CBSNews.com's politics editor.
Follow on Twitter »

6 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by pepperwood2 August 29, 2009 3:05 PM EDT: Why wasn't Bill & Hillary given their 15 minutes to deliver their fond eulogy farewell to our beloved Ted. What happened? Am I missing something?; Reply to this comment


by woeisme1 August 29, 2009 12:27 AM EDT: See. The thing is, Ted Kennedy was in the United States Senate for 47 years as you all know. Only two other Senators served longer than Ted Kennedy.

And Ted Kennedy wrote 2500 pieces of legislation in 40 years and 500 of them...thats 500!... were enacted into law! That is an astonishing feat when you considser that Americans feel our government is not doing their job. Ted Kennedy was faithful to his job.

Ted Kennedy served...SERVED...his constituency. He was the consumate politician we all cry today that we want representing us in Washington. He was tireless, loyal to the ideals of his constituency and those ideals reflected the greatness of our society - that greatness of our society which is measured by our treatment of the poor, the weak, the average American who struggles with the powers that be to make a living worth living, for himself, his wife, his children, his family. A living that afforded all Americans the opportunity to be productive in society.

Ted Kennedy represented us all. He was for the working man who each day faced the struggles that marked the difference between the haves and the have nots, the powerful and the less powerful, the rich and the less rich. And he dedicated his life to bridge those disparities, to acknowledge the humanity of Americans, to acknowledge the greatness of the dream and to keep its possibilities open to all who yearned to experience the greatness of the experiment called America.

He loved America. His family has been in American politics for nearly a century. His four brothers all died in service to this country. Joe Jr. in WW2., Jack who was our 35th and youngest President was assassinated. Robert, former Attorney General under his brother John, and later a candidate for President, was assassinated. And now Ted Kennedy.

No matter your political pursuasion, it did'nt matter to Kennedy. He was for us all. It would be, in my estimation, impossible to believe that inspite of Ted Kennedy's frailities, he did not hear the words, "Well done...my faithful servant".

Your life was an inspiration to many. We thank you.; Reply to this comment


by pepperwood2 August 28, 2009 10:36 PM EDT: Here's a conversation you forgot to mention Senator.

Mary JO - Ted, I think I'm pregnant?
Ted - We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

"That was what it was like to have Teddy in your corner," he added.; Reply to this comment


by Nitcroler August 28, 2009 10:17 PM EDT: Kennedy, the man of the hour. That man that made the White House his house. The man that the senate called the lion of the senate is no longer there. Kennedy the man that chose a very unqualify person to become the President of the United States. I am still trying to figure what got in this man head beside the tumor that made him choose Obama regardless of his disqualifications constitutionaly, and his disqualifications as a leader of the free world. The man must have been the lion of the senate, the king of the hill. Now that he is gone, President Obama is all by himself, and the health reform bill that suppose to be ready for passage is no longer alive. In Obama's eulogy to Kennedy, President Obama need to be very thankful for the man that set him up to become the 44th President of the United States. Feel bad for the man, died without having to witness the results of his work. If I am allow to say my eulogy to Ted Kennedy, I would say, I hope that the health care bill is pass to help and support anyone that feels it applies to him or her. That is the least we can do for Uncle Teddy.; Reply to this comment


by pepperwood2 August 28, 2009 10:10 PM EDT: Never in the course of the History of America has so much Debt been created by so FEW but OWED by so many. Change alright, but in the Wrong Direction. Only those that belong to The Kennedy Mutual Admiration Society don't get it.; Reply to this comment


by tincup356 August 28, 2009 9:22 PM EDT: Kennedy and Dodd, Two major reasons this country was destined to fall. They are members to conspiracy just like every member of BOTH parties,,,,,conspiracy with corporate America to defraud the American people,,,Just follow the lobby dollars to the TARP recipients, Health care will be NO DIFFERENT,,,,just wait till they release the perks for health care providers, AFTER the Bill passes,,,,,it will be just like after giving AIG, Citibank , Bank of America, and ALL the wall street banks TARP money,,,,,the stories will start rolling of corruption, misappropriation of those funds...like bonuses and salaries.... and just like every thing else they have uncovered,,,,NOTHING will be done about it,,,and the Tax payers are victims of fraud AGAIN. The BEST thing "We the People" can do...is WASH our hands of BOTH parties, and NOT support EITHER ONE. To continue to support EITHER one ,,,is to support the destruction of the middle class.; Reply to this comment