Ted Kennedy & Co. throw support behind Red Sox

It was a Kennedy family affair yesterday at Fenway Park [map], where a smiling Sen. Ted Kennedy braved the blustery Red Sox [team stats] opener in a luxury box over home plate with a pack of his nearest and dearest.
The senior senator, who earlier tossed out the ceremonial first pitch to Sox legend Jim Rice, was bundled up in his red team jacket as he took in the Olde Towne Team’s 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays with his wife, Vicki, son U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, niece Caroline Kennedy and grandkids Ted Kennedy III, 11, Grace Allen, 14, and Max Allen, 12.
Vicki told us that Ted Jr. and his wife, Kiki, would have made the trip, too, if they weren’t in Colorado with their daughter, Kiley, 14, who is competing in the USASA Nationals snowboard competition on Copper Mountain . (Kiley rides for Vermont’s Mount Mansfield Snowboard Club .)
“She won a first and a third,” gushed Kiley’s step-gran, who also took in the game with Mayor Tom Menino .
During the fourth inning, team owners John Henry and Tom Werner appeared in Ted’s box to present him with a framed photo of his Opening Day pitch. Wow, those boys work fast!
Sadly - for the Track - the team took a pass on throwing an Opening Day pregame sushi-and-hot dog ’do in the Jordan’s Third Base Deck for austerity reasons this year. So scrounging up Boston notables was a helluva task! Many, we hear, did all their season opener, ahem, celebrating on Monday and couldn’t take another day off. (Et tu, Greg Hill?)
So with the exception of the Kennedy clan, the Boston boldfacers we saw at the old ballyard were the same ol, same ol’ crowd.

(...)

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http://news.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view/2009_04_08_main_track_story/srvc=home&position=also

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

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

R.I. lawmaker may take on Kennedy

Undeterred by Rep. Patrick Kennedy’s past electoral success and the state’s Democratic leanings, a Rhode Island Republican state representative is seriously considering challenging the Democrat in 2010.

State Rep. John Loughlin told The Hill on Wednesday that he is mulling the bid after the Rhode Island GOP blasted an e-mail to their supporters urging them to draft Loughlin into the race.

“I am not ready to go ahead and say I’m running,” Loughlin said, “but it is something that I am very strongly considering.”

The e-mail criticized the $787 billion economic stimulus bill and asked: “Don’t you think it’s time we replace Patrick Kennedy in Washington?” It also touted Loughlin’s 26 years of service in the Army Reserve and encouraged supporters to e-mail Loughlin pledging their support. The e-mail was first reported Tuesday by the Providence Journal.Giovanni Cicione, the chairman of the Rhode Island GOP, said Loughlin has the political chops to take on Kennedy, something most of Kennedy’s previous challengers lacked.

“John’s a good, experienced, proven representative,” Cicione said. “I think candidates that run against Kennedy, including myself in 1996, a lot of them just didn’t have the experience winning races. John’s got the ability to raise money and he’s got credibility in the state.”

Kennedy’s office did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Loughlin would have to overcome several hurdles to defeat Kennedy, who was first elected to represent Rhode Island’s northern 1st district in 1994. First, there is the overwhelming Democratic leaning of the district. President Obama defeated Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the district 65 percent to 33 percent last year and 2004 Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) beat President Bush by a similar margin in, 62 percent to 36 percent.

“A Republican challenging Kennedy will not get very far here in Rhode Island,” said Marion Orr, a political scientist at Brown University.

On top of that, Kennedy has proven to be an effective campaigner. In 2008, he defeated Republican Jonathan Scott by a staggering 69 percent to 24 percent, and that was the second time Scott challenged him. In 2006, Kennedy also defeated him, 69 percent to 23 percent.

Kennedy’s successes led many in the state party to urge him to challenge then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R) in 2006. Kennedy demurred and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse went on to defeat Chafee.

While Kennedy’s seat appears safe, Orr noted that the Democrat’s approval ratings have taken a hit in recent polling. A statewide Brown University poll released last week showed that 38 percent of respondents approved of Kennedy’s job performance, down from 47 percent in September of 2008.

“My suspicion is they are probably looking at polling numbers and suspect that there might be an opening,” Orr said.

Loughlin said he isn’t following polls and is more focused on whether he can field a strong campaign. “I’m not focused so much on Patrick Kennedy as I am on John Loughlin and the job I can do for the 1st district,” he said. He also said that unlike Kennedy’s past challengers, he has run winning campaigns. Kennedy, Loughlin said, has only faced one elected official in his entire career. All the other challengers, he added, had “zero political experience.”

Go to:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rhode-island-lawmaker-may-take-on-kennedy-2009-02-25.html

Congress Approves Mental Health Bill

Congress approved legislation yesterday that would require private insurers to provide the same level of benefits for mental illness as they do for physical maladies, a change lauded by advocates as a great shift in the nation's understanding of mental health.
"We've always had a stigma, sort of like mental illness is a character flaw," said Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), who has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and co-sponsored the House version with Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), a recovering alcoholic. "But now science has moved forward, and we can see the complexities in the brain that lead to eating disorders, compulsive disorders. All these connections are being made, the science is just becoming so firm. And it destroys the myth that this stuff is a choice."
The measure has received strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate and has the backing of business, insurance companies, health advocates, the medical community and the White House. But its passage into law was not ensured last night.
The remaining obstacle appeared to be ironing out differences in how to pay the cost to the federal government -- estimated at $3.4 billion over 10 years, in the form of forgone tax revenue. Lawmakers also needed to resolve whether the final bill should be a standalone measure or part of a larger package of legislation.
(...) Federal law now allows insurers to set higher co-payments or stricter limits on mental health benefits than they do for medical or surgical coverage.
"You go in there with a broken arm, you have a $200 deductible and your insurance kicks in," Kennedy said. "You have depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and you find out you have a $2,000 deductible, you've got limitations on your treatment and all kinds of co-pay."
Typical annual limits include 30 visits to a doctor or 30 days of hospital care for treatment of a mental disorder. Under the legislation passed yesterday, those limits would no longer be allowed if the insurer had no limits on treatment for medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees would be exempt.
Currently, 42 states require insurance companies to cover mental and physical illnesses equally, as does the federal employees' health benefit program. But 82 million people work for employers who self-insure, which means they are exempt from state parity laws. An additional 31 million are in other plans that do not have to offer equal coverage.
The legislation is the culmination of more than a decade of lobbying by mental health advocates and several members of Congress.

Go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302882.html?hpid=sec-health

Kennedy’s mental-health bill rejuvenated in House, Senate votes

After languishing for months in disagreements over how to pay for it, Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy’s signature mental-health bill was rejuvenated yesterday in separate House and Senate votes.
But enactment of the mental-health parity bill is far from a sure thing as Congress rushes to bail out the financial system, come up with the money to keep the government running and finish the rest of its “must” legislation before it adjourns for the remainder of the campaign season.
In keeping with this week’s frantic atmosphere on Capitol Hill, the parliamentary outlook for Kennedy’s measure is complex. Ostensibly, the chances for a bill-signing ceremony with President Bush look good, because Kennedy and his allies have mustered overwhelming support in both houses for their effort to make insurance companies cover mental illness in the same way as physical illness. But in order to beat the legislative clock, mental-health advocates are pursuing a two-track approach that could yet come up short.
About a year ago the Senate unanimously passed a version of the bill that enjoyed broad support from the mental-health lobby, the insurance industry and business interests generally. That represented a victory for the longtime chief Senate sponsors of the initiative, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. Pete V. Domenici, R-N.M.
The House followed suit early this year with a more generous version, cosponsored by Patrick Kennedy and Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., that risked opposition from business groups. The two men were linked by their experience as alcoholics who found recovery, in part, because they had medical insurance that covered addiction treatment.
After months of negotiations, supporters of the two bills struck a compromise on the workings of the equal insurance coverage for mental-health patients and addicts. But differences persisted over how to cover the cost of the new system. Budget and tax writers in the two houses made strides on that front over the summer — tentatively settling on a plan to attach the mental-health bill to a big package of tax legislation that was considered a good bet for passage. But that deal failed to materialize before Congress adjourned for the summer.
Last night, the House voted 376 to 47 to pass a standalone mental-health parity bill that embraces the earlier compromise on how the insurance coverage would work, plus a new financing mechanism considered acceptable to the Senate.
Now the bill’s supporters on the other side of the Capitol will try to squeeze it onto an already-jammed Senate floor agenda. If the stand-alone bill is to go to Mr. Bush for his signature, it must go under a special procedure that requires a unanimous vote. Therefore a single objection could kill that version.
That is why parity supporters are simultaneously pursuing a second strategy to pass their bill. The mental-health bill was still included in the big package of tax extensions that, coincidentally, passed the Senate 93 to 2 last night.
Just as the standalone House parity bill may have trouble getting a Senate vote, the Senate tax-extenders bill — which contains mental-health parity — may face problems in the House because some budget-minded Democratic conservatives could object to its overall financing.
Not much time remains. The House has a target adjournment date of Friday. Debate over the bailout of the nation’s financial system may push the deadline back by some days, but members of both houses appear to be intent on avoiding a post-election lame-duck session this year.
So if parity fails to pass in the next few days, Kennedy and his allies will have to start from scratch next year — without the help of retiring colleagues such as Ramstad and Domenici.

Go to:
http://www.projo.com/health/content/mental_parity_09-24-08_CFBMQNC_v9.17c237f.html

Kennedy planning to return to Senate in January

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who has brain cancer, will not be on Capitol Hill this week when Congress returns from its summer break. He intends to work from his Massachusetts home this fall and return to the Senate in January.
A Kennedy aide said yesterday that the Democratic lawmaker's doctors are pleased with his progress, but want him to keep working from home through the fall.
(...) "As Senator Kennedy said two weeks ago in Denver, he intends to be on the floor of the United States Senate next January when we begin to write the next great chapter of American progress," spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner said.
In recent weeks, Kennedy has been laying the groundwork for a renewed push next year on his signature issue, universal healthcare. He also has been working closely with his son, Representative Patrick Kennedy, Democrat of Rhode Island, on a bill requiring equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses.

Go to:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/08/kennedy_planning_to_return_to_senate_in_january/

Family Honors Robert F. Kennedy At Brown Palace

The Democrats are celebrating their historic nomination this week as Barack Obama becomes the first African American candidate from a major party to run for president.

But the party is also celebrating its heritage and the Kennedy family has been the focus of several events.Many of the Kennedys joined other dignitaries to honor the legacy of another member of the family, Robert F. Kennedy, on Wednesday.

There were Kennedys everywhere: Ethel, Patrick, Robert Jr., Kathleen and Max were all at the event.

(...) "The life he lived was based on hope and bringing the people together," Max said. "If you look just at that one photograph of my dad with Cesar Chavez breaking bread together … I think that encapsulates the idea of the United States coming together for the first time."

"He was also one that stepped outside the establishment," Rev. Al Sharpton said. "To oppose the war in Vietnam he showed courage, he showed vision and ultimately it cost him his life."

The event was held by the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, an organization that focuses on human rights and social justice.

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http://cbs4denver.com/entertainment/robert.f.kennedy.2.805849.html

Caroline Kennedy: Ted was determined to get to DNC

Caroline Kennedy says her uncle, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, went through a lot to get to the Democratic Convention but is "doing unbelievably" well and remains determined to return to the Senate.
The Massachusetts senator on Monday night delivered a ringing summons to fellow Democrats to rally behind Barack Obama's quest for the White House.
"He's so inspiring," Caroline Kennedy said in an interview aired Tuesday morning on CBS' "The Early Show. "To watch him up there was just so great."
The senator, 76, has been battling brain cancer, but his niece said he was "doing unbelievably."
Kennedy flew to Denver on Sunday night, and his first stop was a hospital, where doctors examined him.

(...) "What it took for him to get here was something I never thought I'd see in my life," Caroline Kennedy said.
Her uncle plans to return to the Senate and has maintained a work schedule, she said.
"He's been working all summer. He's on the phone all the time," she said.
The senator's son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., told NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday that his father is "enormously resilient" and was "doing really well" with his treatment.

Go to: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h5rsPeIHaapq2lluu1DV-B6o4qQAD92PV6H89

Son: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy mulls surprise appearance

(…) Staffers have said it is “very unlikely” Kennedy will make the trip after being hit hard by a high-powered round of chemotherapy.
(…) “Sen. Kennedy is humbled by the tribute planned (tonight), and he looks forward to watching Sen. Obama accept the Democratic nomination for president,” Kennedy’s spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner said.
President John F. Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline, will introduce an emotional video tribute to her uncle, segments of which were filmed in the Bay State in recent weeks. Sen. John Kerry, who has served with Kennedy for 23 years, said Denver’s Pepsi Center “will feel like the Kennedy Compound” tonight.
“He’s the heart and soul of our party and he’s inseparable from our fighting faith,” Kerry, who will speak at the DNC Wednesday, said. “You have to understand, our party grew up with Ted. We were inspired by the way he carried on for his brothers and built a legacy as the greatest senator of all time.”
“There hasn’t been a single significant policy accomplishment over four decades without Ted’s fingerprints and no one appreciates that more than the party faithful going to Denver,” Kerry added.
A source close to the family said Kennedy’s doctors have told him not to go because his immune system has been depleted by the chemo, leaving him susceptible to illness, especially in large crowds.
But, the source said, “the drama would be such that I wouldn’t be shocked to see him there.”
“I think if he gets up in the morning and feels OK, I wouldn’t be surprised if he came,” the source said.

Go to:

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/politics/2008/view.bg?articleid=1114938

Kennedy may visit convention

Sen. Edward Kennedy could make an unscheduled appearance at this week's Democratic convention if his physicians give him the go-ahead, his son says.
"If anything, it'd be an 11th-hour call," Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., said in a telephone interview Sunday with The Associated Press. "If he's up to it in the 11th hour and can get the green light from doctors, he might be able to pull it off."
(...) Rep. Kennedy visited his father over the weekend in Hyannis Port, Mass. and was traveling to Denver on Sunday.
(...) "He was able to make the Medicare vote, and that was the vote that turned the bill around," Rep. Kennedy said.
"The convention would be a nice thing for him to show up at," his son said. "It's certainly one he'd like to do, if he could. But the Medicare vote was a must-do. This is not a have-to."
He said the treatments have gone well.
"We need him back in the Senate in September," he said. "He's doing well."

Go to:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/24/america/CVN-Kennedy-Convention.php