James Sterling Young, director of the Kennedy Oral History Project at the University of Virginia, says, “Most people grow up and go into politics. The Kennedys go into politics and then they grow up.” Fitting words for Edward Kennedy, who died last night of brain cancer at the age of 77. Kennedy served in the US Senate longer than any one else except Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. When he first took office, expectations were not so high. Richard Reeves, Senior Lecturer at USC’s Annenberg School of Communications, is author of President Kennedy: Profile of Power.
