Photo credit: AP
Thousands stood on the Senate steps of the U.S. Capitol, directly opposite, or lined the streets along the way to bid final farewell to, who many call the greatest all round legislator of our time–Ted Kennedy.
On the steps were lawmakers and staffers, Democrats and Republicans, and among them, 91-year-old Senator Robert Byrd, the longest serving member of the Senate.
There was applause upon the arrival of Kennedy’s hearse and the 15-car motorcade, then Vickie his widow alighted and greeted some of the well wishers on the first round of the Senate steps.
Prayers were delivered by Rev. Daniel Coughlin, Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives, who thanked the family for sharing the Senator with so many. He noted that the Senator suffered greatly and took on enormous tasks, and the Lord knew his strengths and limitations; and he prayed that , “his collaboration raise the torch for a new generation.”
Then the crowd burst into song–America the Beautiful, led by Samuel Bonds, Director, Duke Ellington School of Music.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Ted Kennedy’s son, speaking directly to the hundreds of staffers, thanked them for their support, noting that his father could not have been the man that he was without them.
Other Kennedy family members greeted the crowd, thanking them for all their love and support and then the motorcade slowly pulled away, on route to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, for the interment of “The People’s Senator”.
