Ted Kennedy / RIA Novosti

Rubric:World
U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy dies at 77
26/08/2009

MOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - Sen. Edward Kennedy, the last surviving brother of former President John F Kennedy, died of brain cancer at his home in Massachusetts on Wednesday at the age of 77.
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Edward Kennedy was a prominent figure in U.S. politics for almost half a century, serving as a senator from 1962.
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After hearing the news of Kennedy's death, U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement saying: "An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time."
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Last year the senator underwent surgery to remove a tumor, but quickly returned to work in Congress. He served as Democratic chairman of the Senate's health and education committee until the late stages of his illness.
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The Kennedy family said in a statement: "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever."
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Victor Kremenyuk, the deputy director of Russia's Institute for USA and Canada Studies, called Ted Kennedy, whose death brought down the curtain on a political dynasty, "a symbol of aristocratism in U.S. politics".
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However, he noted the late senator's special contribution to Barack Obama's election victory last year.
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"Edward Kennedy contributed to Obama's triumph and supported him during the election campaign, despite being a representative of the white establishment era."
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"In contrast to Russia, where the handover of power from the aristocracy to the masses was accompanied by a bloody revolution and civil war, in the U.S. this process was quite peaceful," Kremenyuk said.

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