Senator Ted Kennedy

I had the honor of seeing Senator Ted Kennedy speak at the Democratic National Convention exactly one year ago today, as he passed the torch of his family's legacy to the next generation of political leadership. I just watched it again and his speech remains no less powerful and inspirational today.

During his speech, Senator Kennedy implored this country to realize his goal of universal health care coverage: "This is the cause of my life, new hope: that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that EVERY American - North. South. East. West. Young. Old - will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege!"

He also poignantly reflected on his career serving the country: "This is what we do: we reach the moon, we scale the heights. I know it. I've seen it. I've lived it. And we can do it again!"

In concluding, Senator Kennedy, aware of his mortality, looked ahead to the future: "This November, the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans....the work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on."