need to add title here

Big Teddy

September 13, 2009 5:25 PM

His son, Ted Kennedy, Jr., and the editor/publisher he collaborated closely with on his memoir, Jonathan Karp, reflect on the life and legacy of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. Lesley Stahl reports.

Kennedy's Son Remembers Bullet-Proof Vests
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by tierneytbryant September 20, 2009 2:50 AM EDT
Thank you 60-Minutes for what will seemingly be among the last news reports on the sad loss this month of Ted Kennedy. Clearly, people of differing views and opinions have squared off on this site and others about the life and times of Ted, but now since his passing we're learning new and frankly remarkable facts about the way he lived his life and how he so frequently sought to improve and comfort the lives of others in a non-public/no fanfare sort of way. We didn't know that for all the years since 9/11 Ted kept frequent and heartfelt contact with those in Massachusetts who lost loved ones on that horrific day and how he's stayed in personal touch with those familes, reassuring them that he never-forgot with calls and letters and even with cruises with his own family aboard his beloved boat the Mia. In the end, he demonstrated what only a person who'd suffered his known enormous family tragegies could understand by continuing to show caring and concern long after so many others had stopped doing so. We didn't know that he frequently attended the burials of fallen hero's from Iraq and Afganistan at Arlington Cemetery, and then afterward he'd take the sad walk up the hill to visit his own brothers resting place. We didn't know that for years he personally visited an elementery school in Northeast Washington to help a young student learn to read and then maintained frequent contact to continue her interest in school and the world around her, yet another untold story about the Senator and his personal demonstration of caring and committment - again with no press angle and no look-at-me manner, just a multi-year effort to help change and improve the life of a single individual in a quiet way. And finally, we've come to know the manner in which he treated his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, notably from his lonng time friend and frequent philosphical opponent in the Senate Orin Hatch, that at the passing of one of his own parents, he recalled observing Ted and Vicky sitting in the back row of the Utah church, having come from Washington to pay their respects and not another member of the Senate made the effort to do so.

So, while the events of a single regretful evening in the summer of 1969 (across a 77-year lifetime dotted with dozens of the most unbearable personal tragedies any single person could have endured) will continue to challenge Ted's legacy in the minds of some American's, for me the facts seem to suggest that an overwhelming majority of people feel and know his positive impact in the areas of Veteran's rights, healthcare for all, fairness in the workplace and an equitable minumum wage plus his own unique and civil manner of never failing to see his opponents point of view and endeavoring to seek middle-ground and constuctive compromise whenever possible...it's those elements and many others that are the true measure of Ted Kennedy and it's for those reasons that I humbly and with an enormous sense of thanks for his life's work that my son Jack and I proudly paid our respects at prayer service held at the Capitol on the day of his funeral. I wished him safe sailing on smooth seas that day and so did ten's of millions of people here and around the world. Thanks again Leslie Stahll for a well balanced assessment and report on his remarkable life. One last point, his book True Compass is an extrodinarily candid view of his life and times, along with frequent examples of his 40-year effort to find and earn redemption.
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by gboyd41 September 15, 2009 9:40 PM EDT
CBS-come on,enough is enough. I have refrained from commenting until now. Frankly, out of respect for the dead. How long will we have to hear about "Big Teddy". And no, I will not by the book-despite the free publicity from CBS. Why don't you continue this for another couple of months! I do respect his determination for his beliefs-but enough is enough.
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by geoholman September 14, 2009 1:41 PM EDT
Let he who is blameless among us cast the first stone. Very few of us have had to live our life under such public scrutiny. Sure he failed, but time and time again he tried, and for that he has my admiration. He will be missed!
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by mookie122748 September 14, 2009 12:45 PM EDT
Mr. Kennedy's wealth and power did not exempt him from the pain of life. When tragedy struck, he, unlike most of us, was compelled to bear it and its aftermath in public view. His flaws are common knowledge, but far more important was his struggle to be a better man and make amends for his failings. In short, the tenor of his life did not merit Mr. Peterson's gratuitous malediction.

Mr. Kennedy's fitness for public office has been judged repeatedly by voters, the public and the press based on public virtues such as legislative achievement and dedication to justice, not his personal failings. The lives of millions of people, including mine, are very much the better because of the long, persistent effort Senator Kennedy exerted to create a more perfect union. With the moist eyes borne of heartfelt gratitude I say "Thank you, Mr. Kennedy; God speed".

Mookie Nohelty
Lansing, NY
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by RAGGEE September 14, 2009 6:38 AM EDT
when i wa a kid i use to hear from grown up folks IF YOU HATE SOMEONE SO MUCH AND THAT PERSON DIES NEVER USE NEGATIVE TERMS ON THE DECEASED ONES.i dont know who and how this guy was raised talking negative about the late senator,but it's not good chewing the dead when you can talk about the living ones. GOD BLESS TED KENNEDY.AMEEN.AMEEN.
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by durkin_michael September 14, 2009 3:52 AM EDT
Richard Petersen: As a native San Rafaelien, I was triggered to read your comment before seeing the video. I was expecting a glorified and over the top exageration of TKs life. Instead I saw a human story - one that I fully appreciated. I have the understanding that 10-12 minutes of tribute time on a TV show is not sufficient to reflect a view that everyone finds satisfying. So I wonder, what's with your hatred? Karma? They got what they deserved? Your eagerness to pound on a dead mans coffin tells more about you than your very exquisite relations to not one but two presidents (wait, did Nixon have a cousin??) and even an (oohh) astronaut.

It's plain to see that you did not like the man or his family. I do. Many do. We have a difference of opinion.
Some of us have class in respecting the dead. I suggest you take a walk on Stinson Beach and repeat: the world will be a better place if we don't spread hatred.
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by KVVoelling September 14, 2009 2:40 AM EDT
Dear Mr Peterson,

so you are the saint and the Kennedys are murderers, alcoholics and liars, except Bobby - is it that what you want to say?

My Goodness. Edward Moore Kennedy is dead. He died slowly and horribly. He lost three brothers, two of them killed in front of the eyes of the world, he had two children suffering from cancer, he had one child suffering from depression, he saw three of his nephews die and buried them. Ain't he paid enough?

Above all, here is his son in front of the cameras who cannot help all what his father did. And all what he does is begging you to forgive his fahter and all YOU do is nothing but mention your relations to oh so famous people, obviously saints.

Ted Kennedy did a lot for other people. OK, not for you and he was obviously no saint. But he doesn't deserve to be treated as a piece of **** neither.

You never-forgiving-Chappa-reminders: You should learn what redemption means.Who knows how you would have handled Chappa if it had happened to you.
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by mktsavant September 14, 2009 1:20 AM EDT
I have been a 60 Minutes fan for virtually all of your show's existence. I respect and admire Leslie Stahl as well as your other correspondents for her/their journalistic integrity and intelligence. However, for the first time, I feel compelled to comment on a 60 Minutes story which I feel is grossly distorted in terms of the truth.

I grew up in Massachusetts, and was exposed to the Kennedys to a significant degree during my childhood. To me, you appeared to lionize Ted . . . perhaps for the sake of boosting ratings(?)

Ted is guilty of manslaughter--if not murder--but was let go in an incredible court decision. For him to whine about his feelings of atonement is the worst sort of pandering for public support. The Kennedys tried to suppress the publication of a book on the incident, which was nevertheless published (and I read).

Honey Fitz made his money as a bootlegger and a purveyor of swampland in Florida. Jack was a noted womanizer. I do not have anything negative to say about Bobby. Even Ted's other male kin have infamously been in the news for transgressions. Ted has a reputation as an alcoholic, albeit less than his ex-wife Joan. One of his relatives died while skiing backwards down a hill throwing a football--alcohol or drugs, anyone? My God, their whole family is a disgrace, and I believe that Ted is the worst due to his killing Mary Jo.

By the way, I am related to two U.S. presidents and a well-known astronaut. My family contributed their share to this country. Maybe the Kennedys thought they did; if you lie repeatedly and consistently, you even believe your own lies . . . but perhaps if there is anything to be said in support of the concept of Karma, their family has received all that they deserved.

This time you failed in your attempt for objective and balanced reporting. Again, I realize that you probably did it with the goal of pleasing as many of your viewers as possible. I just wanted you to know that as one dedicated viewer, I was tremendously disappointed.

Richard Peterson
San Rafael, CA
mktsavant@comcast.net
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