By Paul Blumenthal on 05/22/08
It sounds silly, but it is, in fact, true. In this month of May, fifteen years ago, Ted Kennedy became the first Senator to communicate with constituents over the Internet. Back in 1993, this was no small feat. At the time there were no congressional offices connected to the Internet. (The House launched a pilot program on June 2, 1993, hooking up seven members to an Internet network.) One dedicated staffer and the technology hubs of MIT and other top-level educational institutions made Kennedy into the first digital Senator. Here’s the story (which you can read about in more detail Chris Casey’s book, The Hill on the Net):
One day while working as a systems administrator in the office of Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, Chris Casey dialed online to read the bulletin boards at Massachusetts universities. While finding answers to computer questions and downloading software to help in the office, Casey found himself reading threads about a variety of topics, including politics. The discovery of this online constituency led Casey to suggest that Kennedy reach out by creating his own online community and posting his press releases for public comment. Casey worked with Jonathan Gourd of North Shore Mac to set Kennedy up with a “conference” to connect with online constituents. Casey then went to sell the Senator’s office on the idea, eventually winning approval from Senator Kennedy himself, who, understanding the importance of constituent relations, told Casey, “If you can find a way for me to reach constituents using computer networks, do it.”
While Kennedy’s office initially set ground rules to not respond to written questions and comments, that barrier quickly fell aside as Casey cautiously entered the fray to give information on bills the Senator sponsored or votes the Senator took. Kennedy’s office also used the bulletin board to post the text of legislation for review, most notably the release of health care legislation prepared by Kennedy’s committee on the eve of President Bill Clinton’s big health care speech to Congress. Casey later worked with MIT to get the Kennedy bulletin board groups posted into usenet groups (ne.politics and talk.politics.misc). A year later to the month, Kennedy launched the first official Web site for a Senate office.
So, as many in the news and on the blogs pay their dues to Senator Kennedy for all of the bills that he had a hand in crafting, remember that every time you send an e-mail to your Senator, or talk to your congressman online, Ted Kennedy did it first
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For all the laughter over the years about Al Gore inventing the internet, here is a story most of us didn’t have an inkling about. Considering Kennedy was 62 years old when this happened, it is rather amazing that in 1993, he was willing to take this plunge into cyberland. Little did he know how much it would be used to vilify him. Every hour more has been revealed about this truly remarkable man.
From Larry King
very interesting, thanks for the article!
Does anyone know the name of Ted Kennedy’s sail boat?
I had no idea that it was Ted Kennedy to got the internet going as a legislative tool. Mr. Howler and I decided last night that so much has come out about the good he did that no one ever knew about.
I feel that we have shared so much of this family’s personal tragedy. I am facinated with all I did not know about the Lion of the Senate.
A google search claims it is called The Mya – at least several places I found all said the same thing – one of which is http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/43402-ted-kennedy-sailboat.html
Thanks Gainesville. I had heard Mya last night but I had no idea how to spell it nor who it was named for. I wasn’t even sure I had heard it correctly.
Good digging!
Teddy Kennedy called each family from Massachusetts who died on 9-11, who lost a family member in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
How many can say the same about their senator?
More little known facts:
Senator Orrin Hatch wrote the following song for his friend Ted Kennedy and his new wife, Vicki. It is called Souls Along the Way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evn-hYByLsE
Approx. 3:00 p.m. – Arrival of Senator Kennedy at Andrews Air Force Base
4:00 p.m. – Senator Kennedy departs Andrews Air Force Base
Motorcade route is open to the public
Motorcade Route:
From Andrews Air Force base, Senator Kennedy’s motorcade will proceed to the east plaza of the US Capitol building. The motorcade will enter through the Independence Ave entrance and proceed past the Senate Chamber steps. The motorcade will then proceed to Arlington National Cemetery via Constitution Ave.
4:30 p.m. – Senator Kennedy arrives at the U.S. Capitol
The Senator’s motorcade will stop at the Senate steps for a brief prayer so that Senate staff and members of the broader Senate community with whom the Senator worked can bid a final farewell.
Arlington National Cemetery5:30 p.m. – A burial service for Senator Kennedy will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C. will perform the burial service.
The burial service is closed to the public and pooled press.
6:30 pm August 29, 2009
Senator Teddy Kennedy is at the Capitol in front of the east Senate steps so that staffers and congressmen and senators and bid their farewells to the Lion of the Senate.
Many faces are familiar.
Linda Johnson Robb and Chuck Robb were present. Poor old Senator Bryd was there. He was very emotional.
I believe I saw Gerry Connally at the service in Boston. Not positive but I saw the person twice that I think was Gerry.
I thought some of you all wanted to comment on a Ted Kennedy thread that didn’t have restrictions? Here it is.