Washington, Aug 26 (DPA) US President Barack Obama, whose race for his Democratic Party’s nomination last year got a big boost from senator Edward Kennedy’s endorsement, early Wednesday paid tribute to the “liberal lion” who has died.
Obama noted that he “cherished” Kennedy’s “confidence in my race for the presidency” even as the late senator waged a struggle for his own life.
“An important chapter in our history has come to an end,” Obama said in a statement.
Obama is vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the Massachusetts coast near Hyannis Port, where Kennedy died late Tuesday night. But he had not been able to visit him due to Kennedy’s deteriorating condition, broadcast reports said.
Obama’s charisma and political standing have been compared to that of Kennedy’s older brother, the late president John F. Kennedy who was assassinated in 1963.
In his statement, Obama referred however to Ted Kennedy himself, and the role he played in mentoring him when Obama was first elected to the Senate in 2004.
“I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague,” Obama said.
Obama joined the chorus of tribute for Kennedy’s legislative accomplishments, noting that “virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.”
Obama called Kennedy the “greatest United States senator of our time” who had picked up the torch of his fallen brothers. Another brother of Kennedy’s, Robert, was assassinated in 1968 as he bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
