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Friday, March 27, 2009

Kennedy miniseries in the works: What took so long?

Joel Surnow, co-creator of 24, is shopping around a miniseries about the Kennedys. Surnow hasn't been shy about his conservative politics, but producers for the proposed 10-episode series say it's "neither a hatchet job nor a valentine." Alas, I was hoping for one or the other. According to the press release about the series, "It also tells the historical stories that are associated with the Kennedy era -- the Bay of Pigs, the Missile Crisis, the civil rights struggle, the mob connection -- each one told in the context of personal, Kennedy-family dramas."
While Surnow isn't necessarily who I expected to be behind a Kennedy project, it's not entirely surprising to see something linked to the famous clan emerge from the pop morass. After all, it hits a very on-trend trifecta:
President Obama Perhaps you've heard references to the "new Camelot"? Or people highlighting sartorial similarities between Michelle and Jackie O? Oh, you've heard it a lot? Me, too.
Politics in general Government, history, politics -- it's all very hot hot hot right now. And what screams "American political drama" louder than "Kennedy"? Milk and Frost/Nixon, while not big box-office draws (The Love Guru out-grossed them both), were definitely prestige-generating projects, and that's what a cable miniseries is about: Recall John Adams, which won 13 Emmys last year. Plus, there are no fewer than seven politically-themed shows currently in development for the 2009-10 TV season.
Mad Men The Emmy-winning period drama may be in a class all its own in terms of writing and complexity. But anything can be set in the '60s, and Mad Men's vibrant retro style -- plus its insistence that the American Dream is also part nightmare -- has been spreading since the show's debut.
So what do you think, PopWatchers? Will you be voting for a Kennedy miniseries?

Go to:
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/03/kennedy-miniser.html

‘24’ Creator Pursuing Kennedys Mini-Series

Having helped create the minute-by-minute television thriller “24,” Joel Surnow can take a more leisurely pace with his next project, a 10-hour mini-series about the Kennedy family. Muse Entertainment, a production company based in Montreal, said in a news release that the series “unveils secrets of the Kennedy family,” including the 35th president, John F. Kennedy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the producers are in talks with a cable network for distribution in the United States. The series will be pitched to international outlets at a conference this weekend. An outspoken conservative, Mr. Surnow left “24” in 2008; he also created a short-lived satire, “The ½ Hour News Hour,” for the Fox News Channel. Muse said the series would be fair, “neither a hatchet job nor a valentine.”

Go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/arts/television/27arts-24CREATORPUR_BRF.html?ref=arts

Senate approves Kennedy service bill

The US Senate this afternoon approved a bill named for Senator Edward M. Kennedy that represents the most sweeping overhaul and expansion of national service programs in 16 years.
The Senate voted 79-19 for the measure, which would increase the ranks of AmeriCorps to 250,000 from 75,000 positions over eight years and also create five groups to help poor people, improve education, encourage energy efficiency, strengthen access to healthcare, and assist veterans.
The House could take up the bill as early as Monday, sending it to President Obama to sign into law.
The bipartisan legislation was authored by Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
“Today’s Senate passage of the Serve America Act demonstrates welcome bipartisan agreement on the often neglected but indispensible value of citizen service in addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing America and the world. The bill is a major expansion of existing national and community programs. Its goal is to tap much more deeply into Americans’ enthusiasm to serve, and direct it to areas and issues where it can make the biggest difference. I commend Senator Mikulski, Senator Hatch, and Senator Enzi for their impressive bipartisan cooperation in achieving such prompt Senate action, and I look forward to it becoming a significant part of President Obama’s strategy for getting America back on track,” Kennedy said in a statement.
UPDATE: President Obama issued a statement applauding the Senate's passage of the bill, which follows through on his call for more public service, and again paid tribute to Kennedy:
"I’m so pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act -- legislation that will usher in a new era of service. I want to applaud all those who have worked so hard to see this bill through, and I am eager to sign it into law.
"This legislation will help create new opportunities for millions of Americans at all stages of their lives. From improving service learning in schools to creating an army of 250,000 volunteers a year dedicated to addressing our nation's toughest problems. From connecting working Americans to a variety of part-time service opportunities to better utilizing the skills and experience of our retirees and baby boomers. This legislation will help tap the genius of our faith based and community organizations, and it will find the most innovative ideas for addressing our common challenges and helping those ideas grow.
"It is fitting that this legislation is named after Ted Kennedy, a person who has never stopped asking what he could do for his country. This legislation is not just a tribute to the service to which he has dedicated his life, it is a call to action for the rest of us. Our work is not finished when I sign this bill into law – it has just begun. While our government can provide every opportunity imaginable for us to serve our communities, it is up to each of us to seize those opportunities. To do our part to lift up our fellow Americans. To realize our own true potential. I call on all Americans to stand up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this country."
Go to:

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Kennedy calls for health insurance change

March 24, 2009

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, back on Capitol Hill to pursue his political dream of universal healthcare, is declaring in a hearing today that the insurance market is broken and must be fixed.
"As the economic crisis worsens and the unemployment rate rises, the number of uninsured citizens will grow. In February 2009, more than eight percent of Americans were unemployed and 1.1 million of them will become uninsured with each one percent increase in unemployment. To guarantee that all Americans have access to quality medical services, we clearly must reform the current health insurance market," Kennedy said in a statement entered into the record before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
Kennedy says that Congress should look at the healthcare overhaul in Massachusetts for "sensible reform." The Bay State plan includes an individual mandate -- something that President Obama opposes.
"A key component is the requirement that all individuals must have health insurance and that insurance must meet a minimum standard of coverage," Kennedy says in his statement.
"To assist those who have difficulty finding affordable health insurance, a state-wide “Insurance Connector” was created to pool individuals together. The plan assists low-income residents with a sliding-scale subsidy to ensure affordability. Although the nation has many diverse health insurance markets, Massachusetts’ reform shows that insurance market reforms can make a large difference – insurance coverage has risen from 94% percent to when the plan took effect in 2006 to over 97% percent today."

His full statement, provided by his Senate office, is below:
The cost of health insurance has been soaring out of control in recent years and shows no sign of slowing. Family health insurance premiums have increased by 80 percent since 2001, compared with a 24 percent increase in overall inflation. Studies estimate that 46 million Americans have no health insurance at all, and millions more are underinsured.
As the economic crisis worsens and the unemployment rate rises, the number of uninsured citizens will grow. In February 2009, more than eight percent of Americans were unemployed and 1.1 million of them will become uninsured with each one percent increase in unemployment. To guarantee that all Americans have access to quality medical services, we clearly must reform the current health insurance market.
Our goal must be to provide affordable health insurance for all Americans. Most health insurance markets do not work well today for most Americans. Small employers with fewer than 50 workers lack bargaining power to negotiate affordable prices with insurers. As a result, these employers either can’t provide insurance, or pay huge prices for coverage. Healthy individuals who can afford to pay the cost may be able to purchase private plans, but Americans with health problems – even minor conditions – often cannot find an insurer who will sell to them, or will sell at an unaffordable price.
No one is immune from the growing cost of health insurance and medical care. Large employers who historically provided full benefit packages now struggle to afford the cost of any insurance for their employees.
To reform our system, we must change how we provide and administer health insurance. In most states, insurers legally avoid providing coverage for the sick, while competing only for the healthy. In national health reform, insurers must interact with consumers efficiently, respectfully and transparently. Health insurance should help people become healthy and stay healthy. In a reasonable health insurance market, insurers should compete on price, value and patient satisfaction, not on avoiding those in need.
Massachusetts’ recent success in achieving near universal coverage shows the promise of sensible reform. A key component is the requirement that all individuals must have health insurance and that insurance must meet a minimum standard of coverage. To assist those who have difficulty finding affordable health insurance, a state-wide “Insurance Connector” was created to pool individuals together. The plan assists low-income residents with a sliding-scale subsidy to ensure affordability. Although the nation has many diverse health insurance markets, Massachusetts’ reform shows that insurance market reforms can make a large difference – insurance coverage has risen from 94% percent to when the plan took effect in 2006 to over 97% percent today.
National surveys show that the primary reason that citizens and their families are uninsured is the high cost of health insurance. In large part, coverage is too expensive because of out-of-control medical spending that consumes more than 16 percent of our national economy. For many Americans who do not have access to employer-sponsored insurance and who face health problems, insurance may not be available at any price. For Americans fortunate enough to have insurance, premiums take ever larger portions of paychecks, and rising deductibles, co-insurance and co-payments shift more of the financial burden of sickness to the patient.
We can no longer stand by while these problems grow. At this unique time in history we must seize the moment and move forward with genuine and comprehensive health reform for all Americans. To his great credit, President Obama has made such reform an early and high priority of his Administration, and the momentum is clearly with us for the first time in many years.
I commend Senator Jeff Bingaman for his impressive leadership on the HELP Committee in addressing these urgent needs. I’m hopeful that a major result of the current reform effort will be health insurance markets in every part of the nation that work for every consumer. Now is the time for Congress and the Administration, business groups and labor and consumers, health care providers, and the insurance industry to join together to create meaningful reform of our dysfunctional health insurance system.

Go to:
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/03/kennedy_calls_f.html

Kennedy returns to Hill as work on health plan is gearing up

March 23, 2009

Senator Edward M. Kennedy is back in Washington this week to shepherd a bipartisan bill that would greatly expand funding for national service and to hold a series of meetings on healthcare as part of an effort to draft a massive overhaul plan this summer.
It would be the longest stint on Capitol Hill of the Obama administration for Kennedy
, who has been in Florida recuperating and undergoing treatment for brain cancer.
(...)
Kennedy has been a passionate advocate of the national service legislation, which builds on initiatives to boost public service that began during his brother's presidency. The measure was the first major piece of legislation the ailing lawmaker brought forward after being diagnosed with a brain tumor last May.
Written with Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, the plan would provide $5 billion over five years to fund 250,000 volunteers in energy, environmental, healthcare, and education programs. A similar measure passed overwhelmingly last week in the House, 321-105, with 70 Republican votes, and President Obama highlighted the effort in his first joint address to Congress.
The Massachusetts Democrat was part of a 74-14 vote last evening to bring the bill to the Senate floor. A final vote is likely this week.
Kennedy - who is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee - will also hold meetings on healthcare, a spokesman said yesterday.
He and his staff have been working closely with Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who laid out a breakneck schedule for a healthcare overhaul, including a review of healthcare delivery in April, an examination of ways to expand coverage in May, and an examination of financing options before drafting the proposed legislation by June.
Kennedy "and I have set up regular meetings with those senators who will play a role in health reform, to inform and oversee the process as our staffs work closely together to craft a bill," Baucus wrote yesterday in Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper. "In the coming weeks and months, the Senate Finance Committee and the entire Congress will try, try again to pass comprehensive health reform. And this time, there is a better chance than ever to succeed."

Go to:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/03/24/kennedy_returns_to_hill_as_work_on_health_plan_is_gearing_up?mode=PF

Sunday, March 22, 2009

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SPECIAL OLYMPICS CHAIRMAN

“President Obama called last night and expressed his regret and he apologized. He said that he did not intend to humiliate Special Olympics athletes or people with intellectual disabilities. He was sincere and heartfelt, and said that he is a fan of our movement and is ready to work with our athletes to make the United States a more accepting and welcoming country for all people with special needs.
“Words hurt and words matter. Words can cause pain and result in stereotypes that are unfair and damaging to people with intellectual disabilities. And using 'Special Olympics' in a negative or derogatory context can be a humiliating put-down to people with special needs.
“This is a teachable moment for our country. We are asking young people, parents and leaders from all walks of life to engage in conversation and help dispel negative caricatures about people with intellectual disabilities. We believe that it’s only through open conversation and dialogue about how stereotypes can cause pain that we can begin to work together to create communities of acceptance and inclusion for all.
“Special Olympics is not a program, but a worldwide movement operating 30,000 events a year in more than 180 countries. Every one of them is a chance for people of all ages to get involved, to think differently about attitudes and perceptions they may have about people with intellectual disabilities, and to make a difference.
“And so we challenge people to join our 'Spread the Word to End the Word' campaign, a youth-led national awareness effort that will launch on March 31, where we are asking people to pledge their respect for people with special needs. We’re asking people to sign our 'R-word' pledge, to join in our Unified Sports programs, to volunteer, and to be fans of our athletes and our movement.
“Additionally, we challenge policy leaders at all levels to commit to improving the support and resources for people with intellectual disabilities in areas such as healthcare, education, housing and recreation.
“Finally, we invite the President to take the lead and consider hiring a Special Olympics athlete to work in the White House. In so doing, he could help end misperceptions about the talents and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities, and demonstrate their dignity and value to the world."

Go to:
http://www.specialolympics.org/official_statement.aspx

Rep. Kennedy: Obama should be Special Olympics 'hugger'

March 20, 2009

U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy -- whose aunt, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded the Special Olympics -- said he spoke with his cousin Timothy P. Shriver, who is chairman of the Special Olympics board, this morning about President Obama's comment on the Tonight show.
"The president called him and said he was sorry for the choice of words," Kennedy said.
"But you know, frankly, it's not about the choice of words. It's about understanding the impact that these words have on these families that, as Timmy said, woke up this morning crying at the thought that the president was that insensitive to their children -- and, as Timmy said, his children because all those Special Olympians are his children."

Kennedy said Shriver was "swamped with e-mails" from "parents who felt the hurt of what it was going to mean to their children to have that message sent to them."
Kennedy, who supported Mr. Obama in his Democratic primary contest against Hillary Clinton, said the president is "like many Americans" who "don't quite get how the nomenclature is important until they see what impact it has on the very people who feel those words and what it means to them."
Kennedy said Mr. Obama "knows full well -- I mean, this is a civil rights issue -- it's people feeling dissed [disrespected]."
Like everybody else, Mr. Obama makes mistakes, and it's good that he apologized, Kennedy said.
"But the best way to apologize is to go to a Special Olympics event and be a 'hugger,' " Kennedy said, referring to volunteers who cheer on Special Olympians, often hugging them at the finish line.
"I think it would be really great if he went to a couple of Special Olympics events. I think it's a really great opportunity, frankly."
-- With reports from Edward Fitzpatrick, Journal political columnistThis morning, Michael McGovern, the executive director of Special Olympics Rhode Island said his phone had been "ringing off the hook" in the wake of the president's comments.
"There are a lot of misconceptions about the athletes and our program, and this time it's happened at the highest level. We're not pleased by them. It does give us an opportunity to try to put a positive spin on the thing," McGovern said.

Go to:
http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/03/rep-kennedy-cal.html

Monday, March 16, 2009

Shriver mulling run for attorney general

March 14, 2009

City Councilman Bobby Shriver, who was recently re-elected to another four-year term, is considering a run for state attorney general next year.
In an interview with the Daily Press, Shriver, who is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the brother of California First Lady Maria Shriver, said he has had informal discussions with supporters who are urging him to become California's top cop, but he is nowhere near making a final decision.
Shriver, who was first elected to the City Council in 2004 after taking on City Hall over the heated hedge issue, said there are many factors that would play into a decision to run, most importantly his family, his wife having just given birth to a girl. Shriver said he also has some unfinished business in Santa Monica, mainly solving the homeless issue, which has been his main focus while sitting on the dais.
"There are a lot of serious issues to consider, but the fact that people are thinking of me is interesting," Shriver said Friday.
The 54-year-old Democrat, who is the son of Sargent Shriver, the driving force behind the creation of the Peace Corps and the Democratic Party's 1972 vice presidential candidate, is a relative newcomer to politics, having never been interested in following in his family's footsteps until the hedge issue sparked a desire to run for public office. Shriver spent many years as a newspaper reporter, feeling he could make more of a difference using the written word.
"But when I was elected, I was able to have influence … and realized I could use political office in the same way I used the newspaper," Shriver said.
Shriver's sister recently said that she has no plans on running for public office in 2010. The Democrat said she is too much of a free spirit to be tied to a desk job.
"I'm not really comfortable in the office. I'm too much of a free spirit," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm trying to use my entire life experience from being in a public family, my experience as a reporter, and everything else in the work I'm doing right now."
Harvey Englander, a Democratic political strategist who managed both of Shriver's successful runs for council, said the Yale Law School graduate has the qualifications to serve as attorney general.
"He is creative when it comes to solving problems," Englander said. "He's a strategic thinker and completely independent. He's very practical, concerned about the environment, but also about jobs and business, so I think he would be a very formidable candidate and a very formidable attorney general."
Current Attorney General Jerry Brown, a Democrat and former governor who ran for president against Shriver's uncle Ted Kennedy in 1980, is widely expected to run for governor in 2010. If Brown does not, that could make a big difference in whether or not Shriver runs given that it is much more difficult to unseat an incumbent, said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies.
"It's really all speculation at this point," Stern said. "But (Shriver) is well known."
In addition to being a member of the Kennedy dynasty, Shriver has made a name for himself as the co-creator of the (RED) campaign with U2 frontman Bono, which helps raise money to fight disease in Africa.
One potential opponent is Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, who was defeated by Brown three years ago. Delgadillo has already filed papers with the secretary of state that allow him to begin fundraising. Delgadillo faced some controversy two years ago when he admitted his wife was driving his city car with a suspended license when she got into an accident in 2004. The SUV was repaired at city expense. He repaid the city $1,222 in 2007 when the incident became public.In August, The Los Angeles Times reported that federal authorities were investigating Delgadillo and his wife, seeking information about her consulting business and whether she paid all taxes on its income.He has also recently faced criticism for a 2006 settlement he negotiated with billboard companies that allowed 840 billboards to be "modernized" and upgraded to digital displays.
But Delgadillo also has won some victories lately. Earlier this month, a Superior Court judge ruled that he could seek to recover $5 million from a street gang that has long held a monopoly on the downtown heroin trade.
Others rumored to be interested in the job are San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris and Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who is also considering taking on U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.
Some of Shriver's colleagues on the council said they were not surprised that he is considering a run for higher office.
"He did mention to me before that he might one day consider running for a statewide office," said Councilman Bob Holbrook.
Councilman Richard Bloom said it is only natural for those who enjoy serving the public to consider taking on more responsibility and have a greater chance of making change.
"I think Bobby would bring a lot to the table, but I don't know what candidate mix is out there," Bloom said, pointing out that it would be much more difficult to run against an incumbent.
Shriver is seen as an independent on the council, having personally funded the majority of his campaigns for office. He and Holbrook are the only two members of the council not endorsed by Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights, Santa Monica's leading political party.
Whether or not Shriver does decide to run, he has friends in high places, including his brother-in-law, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Go to:
http://www.smdp.com:80/Articles-c-2009-03-13-50904.113116_Shriver_mulling_run_for_attorney_general_.html

Monday, March 9, 2009

Obama leads star-studded birthday salute to Kennedy

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who has been showered with accolades in recent months, was at his most celebrated last night as he was awarded the Profiles in Courage Award - an honor that was named in memory of his brother, announced by his niece, Caroline Kennedy, and presented in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts that bears his famous family's name.
He became more celebrated when the president of the United States walked across the Kennedy Center stage and led an on-its-feet audience in a robust rendition of "Happy Birthday" to the senator, who turned 77 on Feb. 22.
"Happy birthday, dear Teddy," a beaming Barack Obama sang, gesturing with his hands as though he were conducting an orchestra.
A bevy of Broadway singers and dancers joined in, while Kennedy and his wife, Vicki, cheered from their box seats. They were accompanied by such stars as Lauren Bacall and Bill Cosby, who declared the commander in chief to be the one man who could keep everyone on key.
The private concert and award ceremony was the latest in a series of tributes to the Massachusetts lawmaker, who was diagnosed last May with a malignant glioma, an aggressive type of brain tumor. Since then, Kennedy has been balancing his own medical treatments with his work in the Senate for a national healthcare plan for all Americans, a goal the senator has pursued for more than three decades.
Kennedy had been nominated many times for the Profiles in Courage Award, which was named for President Kennedy's book and given to public servants who make courageous decisions of conscience. But he was not previously eligible to receive it, since he was on the selection board.
Caroline Kennedy - after joking that she "never thought I'd be in a room with so many senators," a wry reference to her own flirtation with an appointment to a Senate seat from New York - told the assemblage that the award was overdue recognition for the work her "Uncle Teddy" has done for human rights, civil rights, and healthcare.
"For you, there is no end to the commitment, only the next great battle, Caroline Kennedy said. "That is why, when we finally achieve quality healthcare for all, we will all have you to thank," she added, drawing a loud round of applause from the audience and especially from the box where Kennedy and his wife sat with first lady Michelle Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator John F. Kerry.
"We love you, Uncle Teddy," said Caroline Kennedy
, who is also president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
The concert - attended by Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston, numerous senators, Cabinet secretaries, political activists, and admirers - was the latest in a series of honors Kennedy has received. Most recently, he was awarded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II, prompting Cosby and Kennedy Center chairman Stephen Schwarzman to jokingly call him "Sir Ted."
"While this center is a memory to your brother, you have been its guiding light since its inception," Schwarzman said. "You have inspired us so much over the years. Tonight is our night to say that to you."
Cosby warmed up the crowd with jokes. Jazz singer Lizz Wright delivered a powerful rendition of "America the Beautiful." Bernadette Peters sang a sultry rendition of "There Is Nothing Like a Dame," while singer James Taylor, sitting soulfully with his guitar, sang "Belfast to Boston" to mark Kennedy's work on the Irish peace process.
The hosts showed a film honoring Kennedy's life, including pictures of him as a boy and as a senator, and brief remarks from the Senate and Vicki Kennedy.
Near the end, Tony Award-winning singer Brian Stokes Michael had the audience members dabbing their eyes as he sang "The Impossible Dream," a song he noted had a new meaning since he first sang it for Kennedy at the senator's 70th birthday party.
While Kennedy's illness has alarmed and saddened his friends, it has also led them to pay a series of tributes to a man colleagues say rarely demands credit or attention for himself.
In speeches and in interviews, the man with the most famous political name in the Senate directs the conversation to legislative issues or the people he believes need his help. He is known on Capitol Hill for putting colleagues' names ahead of his own on a bill, and for sharing credit on legislative efforts he has spearheaded.
At one poignant Democratic caucus meeting, recalled Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, senators were asked to go around the room and tell a few words about themselves, and most complied, recounting their own career paths and family lives.
But Kennedy, Durbin recalled, leaned over to Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, and told him he was going to tell the story of how Bayh's father saved his life. Then, Kennedy recounted how former senator Birch Bayh had pulled Kennedy out of a small plane after their aircraft crashed in 1964.
Since Kennedy became ill, the verbal and official thank-yous have poured in: in September, the Chilean government gave Kennedy the highest honor awarded to a civilian, the Order to the Merit of Chile, in recognition of his work for human rights in the Latin American nation.
Last month, the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group, gave Kennedy its Capital Award for his work on immigration reform and other issues important to Latinos. And last Tuesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain announced that Queen Elizabeth II had bestowed the honorary knighthood on Kennedy.
But last night's celebration - attended by the entire Kennedy clan - has been Kennedy's biggest evening of honor, and one his admirers indicated would not be his last.

Go to:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/03/09/obama_leads_star_studded_birthday_salute_to_kennedy/

Kennedy To Receive Profile In Courage Award

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who is battling a deadly form of brain cancer, will be presented with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Sunday night during a celebration of his 77th birthday.
Kennedy has been nominated for the award over the years, but was not eligible for the honor while he served on the Profile in Courage Award selection committee. This year, members of the committee were unanimous in their decision to present Kennedy with the award that celebrates his brother’s legacy, the John F. Kennedy Library said in statement
“His passionate advocacy on behalf of civil rights, human rights, voting rights, economic, social and environmental justice – and his long battle to achieve quality affordable health care for all Americans – are each deserving of an award," said Caroline Kennedy, president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
"Knowing how much Uncle Teddy enjoys celebrating his birthday, the members of the Profile in Courage Award Committee determined that that this would be an appropriate time to present this award for political courage to the American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country.”
Caroline Kennedy will make the formal presentation of the award at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
The senator returned to Washington last week from Florida where had been recuperating from his illness to attend a White House summit on health care reform.
The Profile in Courage Award is presented annually to public servants who have made courageous decisions of conscience.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Obama steadfast on healthcare

When Obama returned to the East Room after the small-group meetings for closing remarks, he was accompanied by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who has made healthcare his signature issue. Kennedy, who is suffering from brain cancer, drew a lengthy standing ovation and a chorus of cheers when he appeared.
"That's the kind of greeting a knight deserves," President Obama said, referring to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's announcement Wednesday that Kennedy is receiving an honorary knighthood.
Obama also gave the first question to Kennedy, who returned to Washington for the first time since casting a key vote on the economic stimulus package last month.
Taking the microphone, Kennedy called the summit a "very special gathering," noting that all the different interests are represented.
"Now is the time for action," Kennedy said. "I'm looking forward to being a foot soldier in this undertaking, and this time we will not fail."
Go to:

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Kennedy returns to Washington as health care reform heats up

Sen. Ted Kennedy, who has been recuperating from brain cancer surgery, was back in Washington on Thursday as President Obama set out to tackle a major domestic policy item on his increasingly loaded plate -- health care reform.
(...) But according to aides, Kennedy has been meeting with his staff multiple times a day, and is actively engaged in directing and coordinating movement on his committee on health care reform.
Ron Pollack of Families USA said Thursday that despite Kennedy's absence from Washington, his work championing health care goes on.
"Sen. Kennedy gets more done in Florida or Massachusetts in terms of what Congress needs to do than a lot of people do when they're here in Washington," he said. "So he has made sure that his staff and his committee are fully prepared for the health reform debate."
Kennedy's colleague Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said Thursday that while it's "hard when you're not here" pushing for reform, Kennedy has an "excellent staff and he is in constant communication with them on what he wants to do."
Hatch, a Republican, said that Kennedy's long history of working on the issue and outreach to the health care community will help him in his quest.
"He, more than any other person, can get those groups to move on health care, and that's one reason he is very important to this process," Hatch said. "He's got so much experience he can spend less time on it than most people."
During his long political career, Kennedy has championed social causes such as health care, education, family leave and the minimum wage. He is the author of "In Critical Condition: The Crisis in America's Health Care."
Kennedy chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and is a ranking member of the Judiciary and Armed Services committees.
Pollack says Kennedy is in constant contact with his colleagues in the Senate and his staff has been holding meetings for months on the health care issue.
"Now that he's here [in Washington], he's going to give a real life to this debate," Pollack added.
Recently, Kennedy's wife asked supporters to contribute to his political action committee -- a donation she said would help him in the quest to establish health care for "all Americans."
"He believes that every American has the right to decent, quality, affordable health care, and fighting for that right is the cause of his life," Victoria Reggie Kennedy wrote in the e-mail sent by her husband's Committee for a Democratic Majority.
Go to:

Kennedy, Knight of the British Empire

The Kennedy dynasty has been called Camelot. But today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy became a knight.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown bestowed the distinction from the Queen on the ailing Mr. Kennedy during his address to a joint session of Congress this morning.
Mr. Brown described “Sir Edward Kennedy” as “one of your most distinguished senators, known in every continent, and a great friend.” He hailed the work of the Massachusetts Democrat on bringing peace to Northern Ireland and expanding access to healthcare and education.
“And for all those things, we owe a great debt to the life and courage of, Senator Edward Kennedy,” Mr. Brown said.
Mr. Brown said he called Mr. Kennedy to inform him of the honor Tuesday evening. Mr. Kennedy, who has spent the bulk of the winter working and recuperating at a rented home in Miami, did not attend the speech. He is expected to return to Washington by this weekend, and will be feted at a belated birthday tribute at the Kennedy Center Sunday.
“This honor is moving and personal,” Mr. Kennedy said Wednesday in a statement, “A reflection not only of my public life, but of things that profoundly matter to me as an individual. I accept this honor in the spirit in which it is given, with a continuing commitment to be a voice for the voiceless and for the shared ideals of freedom and fairness which are so fundamental to the character of our two countries.”
The Times of London explains that Mr. Kennedy cannot actually go by “Sir Ted,” because he is not a British subject, but rather he will have “K.B.E.,” for “Knight of the British Empire,” after his name.

Go to:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/kennedy-knight-of-the-british-empire/?hp

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Kennedy To Return To Capitol Hill

A spokesman for Edward Kennedy said Tuesday that the senior senator will return to Washington, D.C., later this week.

Kennedy to Receive Honorary Knighthood From Queen Elizabeth II

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) has been chosen to receive an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, according to press reports in Britain.
The honor will be announced Wednesday by Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, according to the reports. Brown's office at 10 Downing Street declined to comment before Brown's speech.
Kennedy, 77, who is battling brain cancer, is one of the best-known American politicians in Britain. He will receive the honor for "services to the U.S.-U.K. relationship and to Northern Ireland," according to the BBC.
Honorary knighthoods are generally given as recognition of achievement in various fields, from politics to sports. The vast majority of them go to British citizens.
Kennedy -- the younger brother of both slain president John F. Kennedy and slain senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy -- would join a select group of Americans who have received the honor.
According to Buckingham Palace, only 85 U.S. citizens have received honorary knighthoods since the queen took the throne in 1952. They have included former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Tommy Franks, Henry Kissinger, Bob Hope, Steven Spielberg and Bill Gates.
However, Kennedy would not be known as "Sir Ted," according to a spokesman for Britain's Cabinet Office, which oversees the honors system. Those who are knighted by the queen are entitled to that moniker, but those who receive honorary knighthoods are not, the spokesman said.
Kennedy, who since his brothers' deaths has been the patriarch of the nation's leading liberal family, had surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor June 2. Experts have said that patients with his form of cancer often die within months of diagnosis, but surgery can help them survive for several years.
The senator gave a stirring address at the Democratic National Convention in August and attended President Obama's inauguration in January. But he suffered a seizure at a luncheon following the inaugural ceremony. Kennedy has stayed involved in legislative issues in recent months, including efforts to reform health care and improve mental health treatment options in the United States, but has mostly stayed out of public view.

Go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030400651.html

Britain to give Ted Kennedy honorary knighthood

Britain says it is awarding an honorary knighthood to veteran U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
The government says the Massachusetts senator is being recognized for services to U.S.-U.K. relations and to Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s office says Brown will formally announce the honor Wednesday when he addresses Congress in Washington.
The 77-year-old brother of the late President John F. Kennedy is well known in Britain for his involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process. He is currently being treated for a brain tumor
(...)

Go to:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1156139

Baucus says he'll meet with Kennedy on healthcare

Senator Max Baucus said yesterday that he plans to have lunch with Senator Edward M. Kennedy this week to discuss a major healthcare overhaul, the top priority for both Democrats.
The appointment is significant because Kennedy, who is suffering from brain cancer, has mostly been in Florida since Inauguration Day, when he experienced a seizure during a luncheon. The Massachusetts senator returned to Capitol Hill briefly last month to cast a key vote on the economic stimulus package.
At a Kaiser Family Foundation breakfast, Baucus said he has been speaking frequently with Kennedy about healthcare, the subject of a summit President Obama is convening tomorrow.
Baucus, who said he wants a bill voted on by the Senate by early summer, did not say whether Kennedy would attend the summit, but he said the two are working together closely
. They recently coauthored a Wall Street Journal opinion piece about the need for a health overhaul.
Obama put $634 billion in his 10-year budget plan as a down payment and on Monday named two key aides to push an overhaul: Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as health and human services secretary, and former Clinton administration official Nancy DeParle as director of the White House Office of Health Reform.

Go to:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/04/as_market_staggers_obama_keeps_focus_on_long_term/
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