Obama: The greatest United States senator of our time

PRESIDENT Barack Obama said yesterday the nation had lost “the greatest United States senator of our time” as world leaders joined inlionising Ted Kennedy.

“For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts,” Obama said of the Massachusetts senator, who died Tuesday at his home on Cape Cod, Mass, after a year-long struggle with brain cancer. He was 77.

A senior official said Obama was told of Kennedy’s death shortly after 2am yesterday, and spoke with the senator’s widow, Victoria, around 2.25am.