A_AT1 matchless_JJ record_NN1 :_: Sen._NNB Edward_NP1 Kennedy_NP1 was_VBDZ the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE most_RGT effective_JJ member_NN1 We_PPIS2 measure_VV0 the_AT end_NN1 of_IO eras_NN2 by_II the_AT deaths_NN2 of_IO the_AT political_JJ figures_NN2 we_PPIS2 think_VV0 helped_JJ shape_NN1 or_CC define_VV0 them_PPHO2 ._. 
Too_RG often_RR it_PPH1 's_VBZ an_AT1 honorific_JJ bestowed_VVN with_IW insufficient_JJ justification_NN1 on_II revered_JJ fallen_JJ leaders_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB not_XX in_II the_AT case_NN1 of_IO Sen._NNB Edward_NP1 M._NN1 Kennedy_NP1 ._. 
Few_DA2 figures_NN2 in_II American_JJ history_NN1 have_VH0 had_VHN such_DA a_AT1 profound_JJ impact_NN1 on_II the_AT policies_NN2 and_CC the_AT politics_NN1 of_IO the_AT country_NN1 while_CS serving_VVG as_RG just_RR one_MC1 among_II the_AT 100_MC members_NN2 of_IO the_AT Senate_NN1 ._. 
Indeed_RR ,_, few_DA2 presidents_NN2 have_VH0 left_VVN such_DA an_AT1 imprint_NN1 --_NN1 or_CC stirred_VVD such_DA controversy_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 was_VBDZ ,_, as_CSA President_NNB Obama_NP1 put_VVD it_PPH1 ,_, "_" the_AT greatest_JJT senator_NN1 of_IO our_APPGE time_NNT1 ...._... 
For_IF five_MC decades_NNT2 ,_, virtually_RR every_AT1 major_JJ piece_NN1 of_IO legislation_NN1 to_TO advance_VVI the_AT civil_JJ rights_NN2 ,_, health_NN1 and_CC economic_JJ well-being_NN1 of_IO the_AT American_JJ people_NN bore_VV0 his_APPGE name_NN1 and_CC resulted_VVD from_II his_APPGE efforts_NN2 ._. "_" 
Few_DA2 would_VM have_VHI predicted_VVN such_DA a_AT1 career_NN1 for_IF this_DD1 youngest_JJT of_IO the_AT storied_JJ Kennedy_NP1 sons_NN2 ._. 
He_PPHS1 was_VBDZ the_AT flawed_JJ ,_, prodigal_NN1 fourth_MD son_NN1 ,_, constantly_RR in_II scrapes_NN2 as_II a_AT1 young_JJ man_NN1 about_II Boston_NP1 and_CC expelled_VVN from_II Harvard_NP1 for_IF a_AT1 year_NNT1 for_IF cheating_VVG ._. 
He_PPHS1 came_VVD to_II the_AT Senate_NN1 in_II 1962_MC ,_, age_NN1 30_MC ,_, wholly_RR unprepared_JJ for_IF the_AT office_NN1 his_APPGE authoritarian_JJ father_NN1 had_VHD bought_VVN for_IF him_PPHO1 ._. 
Seven_MC years_NNT2 later_RRR ,_, in_II 1969_MC ,_, by_II then_RT the_AT only_JJ surviving_JJ brother_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 wrecked_VVD his_APPGE reputation_NN1 and_CC his_APPGE chance_NN1 to_TO ride_VVI the_AT affection_NN1 for_IF his_APPGE slain_JJ brothers_NN2 into_II the_AT White_NP1 House_NN1 by_II driving_VVG a_AT1 car_NN1 off_II Chappaquiddick_NP1 Bridge_NN1 on_II Martha_NP1 's_GE Vineyard_NN1 ,_, killing_VVG a_AT1 young_JJ female_JJ Senate_NN1 staffer_NN1 ,_, May_NPM1 Jo_NP1 Kopechne_NP1 ._. 
Kennedy_NP1 failed_VVD to_TO report_VVI the_AT accident_NN1 for_IF nine_MC hours_NNT2 ,_, was_VBDZ convicted_VVN of_IO leaving_VVG the_AT scene_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 accident_NN1 and_CC received_VVD two_MC months_NNT2 probation_NN1 ._. 
Kennedy_NP1 's_GE political_JJ obituary_NN1 appeared_VVD in_RP virtually_RR every_AT1 newspaper_NN1 in_II America_NP1 ._. 
It_PPH1 seemed_VVD for_RR21 sure_RR22 he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ finished_VVN ._. 
But_CCB in_II the_AT 40_MC years_NNT2 since_CS that_DD1 tragedy_NN1 Kennedy_NP1 has_VHZ carved_VVN a_AT1 matchless_JJ record_NN1 :_: more_DAR than_CSN 300_MC bills_NN2 covering_VVG job_NN1 security_NN1 ,_, child_NN1 health_NN1 care_NN1 ,_, education_NN1 ,_, immigration_NN1 reform_NN1 ,_, religious_JJ freedom_NN1 ,_, help_VV0 for_IF the_AT disabled_JJ ,_, funding_VVG for_IF women_NN2 college_NN1 athletes_NN2 ,_, and_CC more_RRR ._. 
Thomas_NP1 Mann_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 congressional_JJ scholar_NN1 at_II the_AT liberal_JJ Brooking_JJ Institution_NN1 ,_, said_VVD of_IO Kennedy_NP1 's_GE long_JJ ,_, productive_JJ career_NN1 :_: "_" You_PPY want_VV0 to_TO go_VVI back_RP to_II the_AT 19th_MD century_NNT1 to_TO find_VVI parallels_NN2 ,_, but_CCB you_PPY wo_VM n't_XX find_VVI parallels_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ the_AT completeness_NN1 of_IO his_APPGE involvement_NN1 in_II the_AT work_NN1 of_IO the_AT Senate_NN1 that_CST explains_VVZ his_APPGE career_NN1 "_" --_NN1 46_MC years_NNT2 in_II the_AT Senate_NN1 under_RG ten_MC presidents_NN2 ._. 
Contradictions_NN2 abound_VV0 in_II the_AT story_NN1 of_IO that_DD1 career_NN1 ._. 
In_II Republican_NN1 campaign_NN1 literature_NN1 he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ demonized_VVN as_II the_AT poster_NN1 boy_NN1 for_IF out-of-control_JJ liberalism_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 sure-fire_JJ fund-raiser_NN1 for_IF any_DD Republican_NN1 who_PNQS invoked_VVD his_APPGE name_NN1 ._. 
In_II fact_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 had_VHD more_DAR friends_NN2 in_II the_AT Senate_NN1 GOP_NN1 caucus_NN1 than_CSN any_DD Democrat_NN1 --_NN1 more_RGR even_RR than_CSN many_DA2 Republicans_NN2 ._. 
Although_CS portrayed_VVN for_IF campaign_NN1 purposes_NN2 as_II an_AT1 uncompromising_JJ liberal_JJ ,_, he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ in_II fact_NN1 the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE ultimate_JJ deal-doer_NN1 ,_, its_APPGE most_RGT effective_JJ member_NN1 in_II either_DD1 party_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 teamed_VVD legislatively_RR with_IW former_DA Sen._NNB Dan_NP1 Quayle_NP1 (_( on_II jobs_NN2 )_) ,_, Sen._NNB John_NP1 McCain_NP1 (_( immigration_NN1 )_) ,_, President_NNB George_NP1 W._NP1 Bush_NP1 (_( education_NN1 )_) ._. 
He_PPHS1 even_RR sponsored_VVD an_AT1 anti-crime_JJ bill_NN1 with_IW the_AT late_JJ Sen._NNB Strom_NP1 Thurmond_NP1 ,_, the_AT Senate_NN1 's_GE most_RGT rabid_JJ right-winder_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 counted_VVD Thurmond_NP1 a_AT1 friend_NN1 and_CC in_II his_APPGE first_MD Senate_NN1 days_NNT2 a_AT1 much-needed_JJ mentor_NN1 ._. 
Far_RR from_II being_VBG the_AT rigid_JJ liberal_NN1 depicted_VVN in_II GOP_NP1 literature_NN1 and_CC much_DA1 of_IO the_AT press_NN1 ,_, Kennedy_NP1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 compromiser_NN1 ._. 
"_" He_PPHS1 'd_VM take_VVI a_AT1 20th_MD of_IO a_AT1 loaf_NN1 compared_VVN to_II getting_VVG nothing_PN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Tom_NP1 Mann_NP1 ._. 
That_DD1 willingness_NN1 to_TO bargain_VVI and_CC the_AT fast_JJ friendships_NN2 he_PPHS1 developed_VVD with_IW Republicans_NN2 like_II Sen._NNB Orrin_NP1 Hatch_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS delivered_VVD a_AT1 moving_JJ tribute_NN1 yesterday_RT ,_, illustrate_VV0 how_RGQ little_DA1 of_IO the_AT real_JJ world_NN1 of_IO Washington_NP1 is_VBZ captured_VVN by_II a_AT1 modern_JJ journalism_NN1 conditioned_VVN to_TO concentrate_VVI on_II controversy_NN1 ,_, even_CS21 if_CS22 contrived_VVN ._. 
The_AT stage_NN1 was_VBDZ set_VVN for_IF Kennedy_NP1 's_GE greatest_JJT days_NNT2 politically_RR by_II what_DDQ he_PPHS1 deemed_VVD at_II the_AT time_NNT1 a_AT1 disaster_NN1 --_NN1 his_APPGE 1980_MC defeat_VV0 by_II President_NNB Jimmy_NP1 Carter_NP1 for_IF the_AT Democratic_JJ presidential_JJ nomination_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 proved_VVD the_AT memory_NN1 of_IO Chappaquiddick_NP1 was_VBDZ still_RR too_RG fresh_JJ ._. 
With_IW the_AT presidency_NN1 a_AT1 dead_JJ dream_NN1 ,_, Kennedy_NP1 set_VVD about_RP making_VVG himself_PPX1 a_AT1 force_NN1 in_II the_AT Senate_NN1 ,_, recruiting_VVG what_DDQ 's_VBZ considered_VVN the_AT best_JJT and_CC most_RGT loyal_JJ staff_NN on_II Capitol_NP1 Hill_NP1 ._. 
Domestic_JJ policy_NN1 was_VBDZ his_APPGE principal_JJ domain_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB just_RR as_CSA he_PPHS1 ultimately_RR opposed_VVD the_AT Vietnam_NP1 War_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 cast_VVD what_DDQ he_PPHS1 called_VVD his_APPGE "_" proudest_JJT vote_NN1 "_" against_II the_AT Iraq_NP1 invasion_NN1 ._. 
"_" There_EX was_VBDZ no_AT imminent_JJ threat_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD in_II a_AT1 2004_MC speech_NN1 ._. 
"_" This_DD1 was_VBDZ made_VVN up_RP in_II Texas_NP1 ..._... the_AT whole_JJ thing_NN1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 fraud_NN1 ._. "_" 
Nevertheless_RR ,_, George_NP1 W._NP1 Bush_NP1 ,_, like_II so_RG many_DA2 Republicans_NN2 ,_, lavished_VVN praise_NN1 on_II Kennedy_NP1 yesterday_RT ._. 
Life_NN1 seemed_VVD determined_VVN to_II condition_NN1 Ted_NP1 Kennedy_NP1 for_IF pain_NN1 ._. 
Besides_II the_AT violent_JJ death_NN1 of_IO his_APPGE three_MC older_JJR brothers_NN2 ,_, his_APPGE father_NN1 suffered_VVD a_AT1 crippling_JJ stroke_NN1 and_CC one_MC1 of_IO his_APPGE own_DA sons_NN2 lost_VVD a_AT1 leg_NN1 to_II cancer_NN1 at_II age_NN1 13_MC ._. 
Kennedy_NP1 himself_PPX1 barely_RR escaped_VVN death_NN1 in_II a_AT1 small_JJ plane_NN1 crash_NN1 ,_, suffering_VVG a_AT1 broken_JJ back_NN1 doctors_NN2 feared_VVN would_VM leave_VVI him_PPHO1 paralyzed_VVD ._. 
For_IF all_DB of_IO that_DD1 ,_, recollections_NN2 of_IO Kennedy_NP1 yesterday_RT were_VBDR mostly_RR of_IO a_AT1 happy_JJ warrior_NN1 ._. 
His_APPGE best_JJT friend_NN1 ,_, Connecticut_NP1 Sen._NNA Chris_NP1 Dodd_NP1 ,_, once_RR said_VVD of_IO him_PPHO1 ,_, "_" if_CS you_PPY want_VV0 to_TO find_VVI Ted_NP1 Kennedy_NP1 ,_, go_VV0 where_CS the_AT laughter_NN1 is_VBZ ._. "_" 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ not_XX there_RL anymore_RR but_CCB it_PPH1 's_VBZ remembered_VVN fondly_RR ._. 
And_CC that_DD1 seems_VVZ a_AT1 fitting_JJ epitaph_NN1 ._. 
