Teddy Kennedy Diagnosed With Malignant Brain Tumor

Senator Teddy Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, and will need aggressive treatment in the coming months. This is heart stopping news for me, but I hadn't realized how devastating this would be for not only his colleagues in the senate, but the entire government, and the American people as well.

Kennedy's great friend, CT Senator Chris Dodd, could barely make a statement, as he stood with senators Harry Reid and John Kerry, reacting to the news. The level of emotion gave me the impression that prognosis may be worse than we in the public know. The way that MSNBC covered this, and went over the historical implications of Kennedy's career made it seem like he was dead already. But Kerry assured us that Kennedy was up and around the hospital, making decisions and weighing his options. He will fight this with the best medical care that this country has to offer, and the closest family...he has everything going for him, including a strong fighting spirit and the knowledge that he has much left to do for this country before he is finished.

Best Wishes can be sent to Senator Kennedy and his family here, and I believe that they will put updates there as well. There is really not much to know yet, except that this is horrible news at this point in time, and considering that Kennedy has been such a strong voice for the disenfranchised. Now is when his voice is going to be needed the most, as we watch the economy sink into ruins as the final blow of the Bush legacy.

Barack Obama was featured on all of the news outlets this afternoon talking candidly about Senator Kennedy and what it was like to work as a young senator beside him; how its been to have this heroic figure support him so strongly, and how much he admires the work that teddy has done. This Kennedy, the third brother, and surrogate father and grandfather to too many Kennedy children, has touched us all pretty deeply. His sense of moral outrage at the reluctance of the senate to move ahead with foundational democratic issues has been a constant force in what little is left of the sanctity of our government in the era of Bush's criminal activities, and what America was founded to be. Godspeed Teddy; you are well loved across this country by real Americans who understand the importance of the moral, empathetic, voice of America. We are there fighting this thing, right alongside you, just as you have been fighting for us, and before you know it you will be sailing off of Hyannisport with the salt spray in your full sails...Get well soon!

c/p RIPCoco