This is sad news. I think Sen. Kennedy has achieved wonderous things and I laud him for that and wish him bon chance with the tumor.
I cannot, however, ever think of him and not simultaneously think about how in 1969, the diver stated that he found Mary Jo Kopechne's body pressed up in the car in the spot where an air bubble would have formed, which he interpreted to mean that Kopechne had survived for a while after the initial accident in the air bubble.
He also stated:
" Had I received a call within five to ten minutes of the accident occurring, and was able, as I was the following morning, to be at the victim's side within twenty-five minutes of receiving the call, in such event there is a strong possibility that she would have been alive on removal from the submerged car."
Sen. Kennedy did not report the crime until the next morning. That whole thing is just horrifying to me. Here's a cite for those interested
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jo_Kopechne