Ted Kennedy(1932-2009)
- Actor
- Writer
Edward Moore Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on February
22, 1932. His parents were
Joseph P. Kennedy and
Rose Kennedy. He was the younger
brother of President John F. Kennedy and
Senator Robert F. Kennedy. "Ted"
Kennedy graduated Harvard University in 1956 and the University of
Virginia Law School in 1959. He campaigned for his brother John during
the latter's 1960 presidential bid. Ted was elected to the U.S. Senate
in 1962 and held that position until his death. As a Senator, he had
served as majority whip and chaired Senate committees. His rise was
hampered by the Chappaquiddick Island incident on July 18, 1969, when
he accidentally drove his car off a bridge, resulting in the drowning
of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. He was convicted of leaving the
scene of an accident. In 1980, he unsuccessfully challenged
Jimmy Carter for the Democratic
presidential nomination. In May of 2008, Kennedy experienced a stroke
that resulted in hi being diagnosed with brain cancer. He remained
active and endorsed President
Barack Obama's candidacy early-on. He died
at his family compound on Cape Cod in Hyannis, Massachusetts, August
25, 2009.
