TRIBUTES

Rep. John Tierney

Massachusetts

Senator Kennedy was the leader and conscience of the nation time and again, but first and foremost he was our Senator in Massachusetts. I was honored to serve with him and to be represented by him. Patrice and I have lost a friend, and our hearts go out to Vicki, my colleague Patrick and the entire Kennedy family.

Ted Kennedy stood firm for economic and social justice for every person. His entire life was about public service - on that, he wrote the book. He was generous in spirit and in deed, and perhaps because he wasn't perfect and never claimed to be (but always, always strived to be better) people trusted, respected, admired and loved him. He believed government had a role in standing up to protect ordinary people from powerful forces, and remarkably he managed bipartisan cooperation across a range of crucial issues to the lives of families.