Hatch: Kennedy and I Were Like "Fighting Brothers"

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: Ted Kennedy

At the memorial for Ted Kennedy at the JFK library in Boston, Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, talked about his friendship with the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, comparing their relationship to that of "two fighting brothers" and said that they were like the "odd couple."

"It's a great honor for me to be here today to talk about a man I have so much regard for, so much reverence for -- with whom I've done battle for 33 years… and have enjoyed every minute of it," Hatch said.

Hatch talked about running for office in Utah by saying that he would be running against Ted Kennedy.

"As a Republican coming from Utah, I stated many times on the campaign trail that I planned to come to Washington to fight Ted Kennedy," Hatch said.

"When I came to Washington, I hadn't the slightest idea that I would eventually have a strong working relationship with, and love for the man that I came to fight," Hatch added. "If you have told me that he would have become one of my closest friends in the world I probably would have suggested that you need professional help… But that's exactly what happened."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Ted Kennedy

CBS News Special Report: Ted Kennedy - The Last Brother

"I miss fighting in public and joking with him in the background. I miss all the things we could do together," Hatch added, as he told stories of their years in the Senate together.

Hatch concluded his remarks with a poem he wrote to his friend, which you can watch in the video above.

He ended with this: "I will miss my Irish friend. God be with you, until we meet again."

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.
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by ark54 August 30, 2009 3:26 AM EDT: no political comment here, but i see no reason at all to make an issue or a big deal with this mans death.; Reply to this comment


by hardy8888 August 29, 2009 12:31 PM EDT: Hatch was furious when Matthew Kennedy, who supported Romney, and even served on a position in his campaign was introduced to him later that year by Ted Kennedy. Romney used LDS Living magazine to reach out to Mormon people, Matt Kennedy spoke at a function for Caroline Kennedy in New York.; Reply to this comment


by jackp32 August 29, 2009 11:20 AM EDT: Lawyersforpooramericans: you people are irrelevant. You have yet to meet a criminal that you did not love. Those 2 convicted murderers are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Only liberal weenies would attack America like you people do. I don't know how you can stand to live in our great country since you hate it so much.; Reply to this comment


by woeisme1 August 29, 2009 12:24 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 nirak2-2009 August 29, 2009 12:13 AM EDT: That friendship is hard to believe; Reply to this comment

by sanity4u August 29, 2009 12:03 AM EDT

Hatch would amount to a pimple on Ted Kennedy's azz.

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by User_00000000002945496845 August 29, 2009 3:33 PM EDT: It's time that we all put pressure on our legislatures to lay aside their bought and paid for allegiances to the insurance and drug industry and pass meaningful health reform to include a public option on Teddy Kennedy's behalf -- to honor him for his life of service.