The Hiller Instinct: Kennedy made more memories

For me, a few best captured his personal, and political, strengths...and made today unforgettable: Begin with the prominent role given to all branches of the military reflecting Ted Kennedy's respect for those who risk their lives for ours. Think about it:  how often do we see the Armed Forces genuinely honored?  Well, today, we did.

Now take a look at the all the people along the route from Hyannis Port to Boston and the crowds at several spots inside the city.  Please tell me any other American politician anywhere else (who's not a president) who could make so many people wait so long to watch a hearse drive by? 

My answer is:  there is no one else-- because only Ted Kennedy made so many citizens appreciate government enough to make them come out to just say, "Thank you."
      
 And, once again, the Kennedy family members showed their keen understanding of their public role, and their responsibilities to themselves.  With a mix of open and by-invitation-only events, the family served our needs and theirs.  And the images of all the generations together--the well known and the unknown-- reinforced the vitality we've always associated with the Kennedys, even though their patriarch will soon be buried.

Anyone can call a death a celebration of life, but that doesn't make it true.  What does make it accurate is the sense a dream can live on, even though the person who represents it is gone.

That's what I saw today. Andy Hiller, 7News.

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