Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy lost his battle to cancer late last night

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009) passed away in the middle of the night at his home in Hyannis Port. Ted or Teddy, as he preferred to be called, was a nine-term United States Senator since November of 1962 - the third-longest serving Senator in history. As a Senator, he was known to champion progressive causes and bills and was responsible for over 300 bills he wrote or co-wrote becoming law. Kennedy was a staunch Democrat; however, garnered the respect of both parties and was considered to be the best in the Senate at building consensus. He was the youngest brother of President John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, both assassinated in the 1960's and he had been the patriarch of the Kennedy family since the time of Robert's death in March of 1968. Kennedy was not without his personal faults, having survived the incident at Chappaquiddick, a failed run for President in 1980, divorce in the 1980's, the William Kennedy Smith debacle and a string of public embarrassments in the late 1980's and early 1990's. When he remarried in the early 1990's, he renewed his commitment to the Senate and was seen to work harder than ever to champion his party's ideals, most recently, the fight for universal health care. "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever,' his family said in a statement. "We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness, and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him.' Kennedy battled a malignant brain tumor, which was first diagnosed in May of 2008 and subsequently limited his appearances in the Senate. News of his passing was not a surprise - he couldn't attend his own sister Euince Shriver's funeral earlier this month, and last week sent a letter asking the State Legislature to overturn the law giving the Governor the ability to name a temporary successor for his seat. Although Kennedy lived longer than his doctors had first predicted, he passed away just before midnight last night, August 25th, 2009.