Ted Kennedy

CommonWealth interviews John McDonough, who has been fighting for universal health care for years, first as a state rep from JP, then as director of a statewide advocacy group and most recently as an aide to Ted Kennedy. He talks about the challenges for the new law and says the Senate election in Massachusetts wasn't really about health care, the Republicans blew it and Mitt Romney should be proud of his role in the whole thing, rather than just running away, again, from Massachusetts.

And he talks about the blue wristbands Kennedy staffers put on after Kennedy's diagnosis with brain cancer:

... After he passed way last August, a lot of us decided to continue wearing them until health reform was done. So a lot of us are finally taking them off.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley blogs about his participation in Ted Kennedy's funeral, defends his decision from Kennedy haters and adds that he used his brief time talking to President Obama to tell him the church will only support universal health care if it does not include abortion provisions.

The Herald reports that some dignitaries at Ted Kennedy's Mass at Mission Church tired of waiting in the pouring rain for a shuttle bus back to the Northeastern parking garage where their cars were - so they hopped on the Orange Line. Among them: New York Sen. Chuck Schumer:

... Schumer, who is a Brooklyn, N.Y., homeboy, seemed quite comfortable taking the train, unlike dozens of other wet, bedraggled funeral invitees who had to wrestle with the Charlie Card automated ticket purchasing system! ...

The Phoenix posts excerpts.