ジョン・Ｆ・ケネディ元大統領、ロバート・ケネディ元司法長官の末弟であるエドワード・ケネディ上院議員が亡くなりました。民主党の大統領候補争いが激しかった昨年、オバマ氏支持をいち早く打ち出し、リードされていたオバマ氏が逆転するのに一役買ったとも言われています。オバマ家の愛犬ボーは、ケネディ氏から贈られたものだそうです。
泥沼化したイラク戦争について殆どの議員が戦争に賛成する中で開戦を批判する民主党リベラル派は、孤立しながら反対票を投じましたた。その旗手がエドワード・ケネディ上院議員であり「戦争を始めれば、米国が攻撃される危険は逆に増す」と、ブッシュ大統領に正面から異議を唱えました。
オバマ米大統領は声明を発表「米国史において、この比類なき偉人は無数の人々の人生に影響を与えた」と述べ、その死を悼みました。
ケネディ家は遂に伝説の存在として人々の記憶の中だけに生き残っていくのかもしれません。
I wanted to say a few words this morning about the passing of an extraordinary leader, Senator Edward Kennedy.
Over the past several years, I’ve had the honor to call Teddy a colleague, a counselor, and a friend. And even though we have known this day was coming for some time now, we awaited it with no small amount of dread.
Since Teddy’s diagnosis last year, we’ve seen the courage with which he battled his illness. And while these months have no doubt been difficult for him, they’ve also let him hear from people in every corner of our nation and from around the world just how much he meant to all of us. His fight has given us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you — and goodbye.
The outpouring of love, gratitude, and fond memories to which we’ve all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives — in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education’s promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just — including myself.
The Kennedy name is synonymous with the Democratic Party. And at times, Ted was the target of partisan campaign attacks. But in the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth, and good cheer. He could passionately battle others and do so peerlessly on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintain warm friendships across party lines.
And that’s one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.
His extraordinary life on this earth has come to an end. And the extraordinary good that he did lives on. For his family, he was a guardian. For America, he was the defender of a dream.
I spoke earlier this morning to Senator Kennedy’s beloved wife, Vicki, who was to the end such a wonderful source of encouragement and strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, his children Kara, Edward, and Patrick; his stepchildren Curran and Caroline; the entire Kennedy family; decades’ worth of his staff; the people of Massachusetts; and all Americans who, like us, loved Ted Kennedy.
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