The liberal lion sleeps tonight

The news of Ted Kennedy's death took me back to the Democratic National Convention in Denver last August. I reported on Kennedy's Convention speech for The Interpreter in this way:

The two emotional high points were the speeches by Senator Edward Kennedy and Michelle Obama...Over the course of the last ten conventions, Ted Kennedy has gone from runt of the Kennedy litter to good time boy to presidential insurgent to liberal agitator to beloved ancient. He seems as monumental and timeless as the Jefferson Memorial. Of course, he is not timeless, and it was hard not to be moved by the sight of the old lion still roaring and pawing the air, and pledging to be in Washington next January for Barack Obama's inauguration.

Right-wing radio shock jock Rush Limbaugh provoked outrage in March by predicting that, by the time the health care debate was over, President Obama's plan would be called the 'Ted Kennedy Health Care Memorial Bill'. Be careful what you wish for, Rush. Ted Kennedy may yet get that memorial — and it would be a finer memorial to him than anything made of marble.