I remember being shocked to see Sen. Ted Kennedy come out on stage and deliver this speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year. He had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor that spring, and had only undergone surgery a couple of months before. This speech, and the accompanying introduction and tribute video, occurred exactly one year ago to the day of Kennedy’s death.

“For me this is a season of hope — new hope for a justice and fair prosperity for the many, and not just for the few — new hope,” Kennedy said from the stage of the Pepsi Center on August 25, 2008.

“And this is the cause of my life — new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American — north, south, east, west, young, old — will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege.”