The Youngest Brother Is His Own Man

Senator's prognosis uncertain; treatment may include chemo, radiation

(NEWSER) - Sen. Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, CNN reports. The 76-year-old senator has a glioma, the most common brain cancer in adults. Kennedy will spend at least 2 more days at the Boston hospital where he's been undergoing extensive tests since suffering two seizures Saturday at his Cape Cod home. More»

(NEWSER) - He wasn't always the most articulate person in one-on-one conversations, but Ted Kennedy gave powerful speeches, writes Gail Russell Chaddock in the Christian Science Monitor. Three that resonate:

• His 1980 concession: “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." Sure, the words came from a speechwriter, but only Kennedy's delivery made it work, says one historian. “You had to listen to it to fully get the impact.”

(NEWSER) - On the weekend of his inauguration, John F. Kennedy gave his youngest brother a cigarette case engraved with the words, “And the last shall be first.” Fifty years later, that prophesy has come true, writes Richard Lacayo of Time. The "long shadow of Chappaquiddick" may have kept Ted Kennedy out of the White House, but "as the Romans understood, there can be Emperors of no consequence—and Senators whose legacies are carved in stone." More»

Kennedy's glioma, depending on size of tumor, could affect speech, memory, movement

(NEWSER) - While doctors know that Sen. Ted Kennedy has the most common form of brain cancer, the positioning, type and size of the tumor will determine the degree of danger and side effects from surgery, CNN reports. Kennedy’s glioma is in the left parietal lobe, which is involved in speaking and understanding speech as well as motor control for the body's right side. More»

Joseph Kennedy II says he'd rather work for 'social justice' in private sector

(NEWSER) - Joe Kennedy II will not run for his late uncle’s US Senate seat, the Boston Herald reports. In a post on the website of his charity Citizens Energy, the former congressman says he prefers to pursue social justice through the private sector rather than electoral politics. The announcement means the so-called “Kennedy seat” is likely up for grabs, with Ted Kennedy’s widow, Vicki—who has not expressed interest—the only other possible successor within the family. More»