Obamas Cut Vacation Short

President works into night on speech for Boston funeral

(NEWSER) - President Obama is still working on the eulogy he’ll deliver at Ted Kennedy’s funeral tomorrow in Boston, an aide tells Politico tonight. Though Obama will offer “a personal take on the senator as legislator, mentor, colleague, friend and family member,” the aide says, it’s “more about his impact on the country.” More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama paid homage to the "greatest legislator of our time" today in his eulogy of Ted Kennedy—"the baby of the family who became its patriarch, the restless dreamer who became its rock." He ticked off the personal and public tragedies of Kennedy's life, "a string of events that would have broken a lesser man," CBS reports. "But that was not Ted Kennedy." More»

(NEWSER) - Thousands more well-wishers flocked to the Kennedy Library in Boston today to pay their respects to Ted Kennedy, the Globe reports. Mourners stood in an eight-wide line that snaked back and forth throughout the parking lot. Among the mourners were several state lawmakers, a group from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and noted Republican activist Polly Logan. More»

43rd president will represent family at service

(NEWSER) - George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush won't attend Ted Kennedy's funeral tomorrow, the AP reports. All of the living presidents had been expected at the senator's service in Boston, but the 85-year-old Bush changed his mind after learning his son would be among the mourners, a rep says. Bush 41 will "amply and well represent" the family, the spokesman says. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama will deliver the eulogy at Sen. Ted Kennedy’s funeral Saturday in Boston, the Globe reports this evening. Obama will make the short trip from Martha’s Vineyard, where he’s vacationing, to the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the morning service; Kennedy will be buried that evening at Arlington National Cemetery. More»