Bill's Cheers and Jeers yesterday noted the birthday of Ted Kennedy. I grew up as a constituent of Ted's, so tended to take him for granted. Chappaquiddick happened when I was 2. My mom, as a mother of daughters, was not a fan of Ted's. So I didn't really understand until later in life how much Ted did for causes I favor. (Although he was wrong about Cape Wind.)
My Republican father once got an invitation to a $500-a-plate dinner "to meet Ted Kennedy." Dad is not given to outbursts of passion but he did rip up at this and exclaimed that he wouldn't go in the back yard to meet Ted Kennedy if Ted gave HIM $500.
But anyway. This is my favorite Ted Kennedy interview, published while I was working at the Globe (in an obscure Internet capacity).