Did President Obama give an eulogy for Ted Kennedy?
Obama Delivers Eulogy at Sen. Ted Kennedy’s Funeral Political Friends and Foes Mourn ‘Greatest Senator of Our Time’ n a Boston church filled with America’s most prominent politicians and dignitaries, President Obama today eulogized Sen. Ted Kennedy, remembering him as an influential lawmaker and loving family man who made the compassion learned from his brothers’ deaths the touchstone of his 47-year legislative career. Calling Kennedy “the greatest legislator of our time,” Obama said it was the senator’s “own suffering” — the assassinations of brothers President John. F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy, the cancer battles of two children and the deaths of three nephews whom he helped raise — that made Kennedy “more alive to the plight and suffering of others.” Tasked with eulogizing a man who rose to national prominence for famously eulogizing his brothers, Obama’s speech was at turns political and personal as he remembered a friend whose endorsement helped boost last yea
President Obama has led the tributes to Senator Edward Kennedy at the 77-year-old’s funeral in Boston. Political figures and celebrities joined the Kennedy family at The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, better known as the Mission Church. The man nicknamed “The Lion of the Senate” died last week after a long battle with brain cancer. President Barack Obama, who interrupted his holiday to give the eulogy, called the senator a “kind and tender hero”, as well as “the greatest legislator of our time”, who sought political compromise through “friendship and humour.” The mass was presided over by seven priests, 11 pallbearers and 29 honourary pallbearers. Tenor Placido Domingo sang, and acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma also provided music for the occasion. Kennedy will be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery, close to his brothers, former President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy, who were both assassinated in the 1960s. Sources:
A senior administration official tells that President Obama will describe Sen. Ted Kennedy as a “legislator, mentor and friend” in a 15-minute eulogy Saturday that will be a “personal message about the life of [the senator].” Obama will talk about the impact that the senator has had on him, says the aide, but will not include a lot of stories about the relationship between the president and the man whose endorsement played a major role in his capture of the Democratic presidential nomination. Instead, it will be a broader message of a national goodbye and national tribute from the president. Obama will talk about Kennedy’s legacy — his “impact on the American people” — but the exact language is not set — the president is still going over his remarks with a speechwriter Sources: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.
