Sen. Kennedy an effective legislator in modern history

Edward M. Kennedy, who died this week at 77, was the greatest senator in modern history. The Massachusetts Democrat was at the top of nearly everyone’s list for his effectiveness as a legislator, not necessarily his liberal politics.

Kennedy was the third-longest serving senator behind South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond and West Virginia’s Robert Byrd.

The “Lion of the Senate” was the target of every conservative and Republican running for elective office in the last four decades. But he never shied from a robust debate and refined the art of compromise in pushing an agenda for the downtrodden in this country.

Mourners started paying respects to Kennedy on Thursday in Boston. Four former presidents, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, will join President Barack Obama at a funeral service Saturday before Kennedy’s burial in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

Kennedy will be remembered as the brother of former President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy, whose lives were cut short by assassination. Their short lives never reached full potential, so it’s unfair in a way to compare them to him.

In terms of achievement, however, Edward Kennedy exceeded his brothers’ impact. Every major piece of social legislation passed in the last 40 years had his fingerprints. His life was dedicated to social justice.

The youngest son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy passed more than 300 laws in his 47 years in the Senate, and he wrote more than 2,000 bills.

Kennedy was responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voters Rights Act of 1965, the COBRA Act of 1985, the Disabilities Act of 1990 and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program of 1997, among other ground-breaking achievements.

Even though Kennedy wanted to win the presidency, it was not his destiny. An incident in 1969 haunted his political career until his death.

The infamous Chappaquiddick accident, in which Kennedy drove his car off a bridge after a party, raised serious questions about his suitability for the White House. Mary Jo Kopechne, who was in the car with him, died, and it took Kennedy nine hours to report the accident to police.

Kennedy also had trouble articulating why he wanted to be president. In 1980, he challenged President Carter for the Democratic nomination. A long, rambling answer to a question from CBS newscaster Roger Mudd, “Why do you want to be president,” doomed his candidacy.

After dedicating his life to being a senator, rather than trying to follow John F. Kennedy’s footsteps, Kennedy started building a lasting legacy.

Early mistakes in his career gave way to friendships across the aisle in the Senate. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz,, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, considered Kennedy among their best friends.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama after the South Carolina primary was a boost in sending Obama to the White House as the first black president. His decision to back Obama instead of Hillary Rodham Clinton came after Obama guaranteed Kennedy he would pursue universal health care.

Many liberals say Kennedy’s absence from the Senate stalled this year’s momentum for health-care reform and hope to revive it in his memory.

Kennedy was criticized throughout his career for being a tax-and-spend Democrat. In many minds, he is the the face of big government.

Though his life and times were controversial and filled with tragedy, he made an impact for the average American. From minimum wage to equal rights, Kennedy was on the front lines.

Kennedy will be missed for his passion and effectiveness. As he’s laid to rest, we will hear a familiar refrain: There never will be another Ted Kennedy.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).