Senator Edward M. Kennedy is sick

The distinguished senior Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor today.

This is bad:

“High-grade glio-malignancies” such as Senator Kennedy has “are unfortunately the most common kind of brain tumor in this age group, and they have a poor prognosis for long-term survival,” he said.

They can also be very debilitating during treatment, Madsen said, and Kennedy’s tumor is in an area where it may well eventually affect his speech.

This makes me sad.

Robert Byrd just burst out sobbing on the senate floor and had to call for an absence of a quorum to compose himself. Now he is railing against the war.

The only member of congress with more seniority in the Senate than Sen. Kennedy is Senator Robert Byrd.

I sent my best wishes to the Senator through his official Senate Site. You might want to do the same.

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9 thoughts on “Senator Edward M. Kennedy is sick”

  1. I called the Kennedy senate number with best wishes and the staff seemed very appreciative. Everyone should do the same if they have not already.

    Daniel Ortner
    Symphonyofdissent

  2. Rivka, i took your advice and changed it from ‘struck down’ to ‘is sick”.

    regarding your latest comment – yeah thats what i said on the main post.

    and ted kennedy is the man. mike lux wrote a post called Teddy Kennedy’s Legacy.

    I suggest you all read it. Here’s a relevant paragraph:

    Kennedy has been a player in literally every major progressive accomplishment of my life, usually a major player, quite often the leading player: the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, Legal Services, the War on Poverty, environmental legislation, OSHA, bringing down Richard Nixon on the Watergate investigations, ending the Vietnam War, stopping military aid to the Contras in Central America, the Martin Luther King holiday, stopping Robert Bork, the increases in the minimum wage, Family and Medical Leave, National Service, Motor Voter Act, S-CHIP. His fingerprints are on all of that legislation, and more. And even where he failed, on universal health care and labor law reform and stopping the Iraq war and other battles, he fought the good fight with passion and heart and courage. I hope like hell his fight is not ending, that he does not go gentle into that good night, because we need his passion and heart and courage in these cautious, careful times all the more.

  3. Even though we in far away Australia do not have any direct dealings with the Massachusetts Democratic Party. The news of Sen. Edward Kennedy made head line news even in Australia!. My knowledge of Edward Kennedy is somewhat limited but as far as I know he is a man of principal, a man of virtue, a man of faith and a champion for the common people of all races, creeds & colours. God is calling his faithful servant home. God Bless You Edward Kennedy for all your virtuous deeds during your career. Regards, Gary AUSTRALIA

  5. Your title makes it seem as if God came down and smote Ted Kennedy with lightning. I suggest changing it. I agree with Rivka it’s a tad sensationalistic.

  6. In terms of actual impact made on millions peoples’ lives through legislation, EMK has had as much significance as FDR!

  7. This is absolutely terrible news about possibly the most effective Senator in history. Robert Byrd’s heartfelt speech from the Senate floor was very moving. Byrd himself has had health problems in recent weeks; he’s looking more frail than ever, and he delivered the speech from a wheelchair, something I’ve never seen him do before. Kennedy and Byrd are two of my absolute favorite legislators, and I have incredible respect for their accomplishments. To see them both in such poor health is very distressing.

  8. also, a correction:

    I just heard on NPR that it is more likely than not that the tumor will NOT affect his speech, although they don’t know much of anything for sure right now.

  9. “struck down”? change the title to this please. It’s unnecessarily sensationalistic and insensitive considering what it sounds like/how his brothers died. It is also, I am determined to believe, not true. He is a fighter and just like he fought for civil rights, immigration reform, nuclear arms limitation, ERA, raising the minimum wage, medicare, health care, social security, our veterans, our troops, patients’ rights, education reform, gay rights, workers’ rights, raising the minimum wage again, and immigration reform part II, I believe he can fight this setback with the same success he had with ALL of those causes… minus ERA and immigration reform part II 😉

    Plus, maybe something good will come out of it! The Patient’s Bill of Rights came out of Kennedy talking with patients and parents of patients in the waiting room when his son, EMK Jr. had cancer as a young boy. I hope at least that we all feel extra-committed and inspired to work for the ideals that, as Progressives, we share with EMK. I think that’s really the best thing we can do to show our support for him.

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