Kennedy Family Members Greet Visitors at JFK Library

Members of the Kennedy family, including his daughter Kara Kennedy Allen

, nephew Tim Shriver, whose own mother, Eunice, had just died 2 weeks ago, and 81-year-old Jean Kennedy Smith, the senator's sister and the last surviving Kennedy sibling, greeted visitors. Smith, the former U.S. ambassador to Ireland, choked back tears. "This is a hard time for me," she said when asked to talk about her brother. She was joined briefly by her son, William Kennedy Smith. The nation will likely be watching the funeral proceedings on the local channels: ABC, NBC, CBS, and C-Span which can all be seen on Dish Network. Isn't it truly amazing that members of Ted Kennedy's own family are there to meet and speak to the many thousands of well-wishers who willingly waited patiently in line, in some cases, for several hours? They did this expecting only a brief glimpse of the senator's casket only to find themselves personally extending condolences to a member of the famous Kennedy family. Where have you ever seen this happen at a public wake like this one? A five-person military honor guard stood at attention around the casket in a high-ceilinged room with a spectacular view of Boston Harbor. Large photos of Kennedy with his family greeted mourners on their way into the room, including one of Kennedy as a boy with his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, and a 1960s-era shot of Kennedy with his slain brothers, John and Robert. The library was supposed to close at 11 p.m. Thursday, but the doors were left open until 2 a.m. Friday as more than21,000 people paid their respects. Many visitors actually waited in line up to 4 hours to reach the library and museum. Visitors resumed before 8 a.m. Friday and was to continue until 3 p.m., at which point the viewing was to end to make preparations for a collection of big political names converging for a private "Celebration of Life" service Friday night. Scheduled speakers include Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. John McCain, Orrin Hatch, and Christopher Dodd; and niece Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President Kennedy. Performances will include "God Bless America" and Kennedy's favorite song, "The Impossible Dream." Among visitors Friday morning was the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who said Kennedy helped change the country through his work for minorities, the disabled, and the poor. "As a rich person, no one reached back further for the poor or exalted them higher," Jackson said. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a longtime civil rights leader, noted Kennedy's substantial influence on the movement. "He's one man that changed America forever," Lewis said. "He made America a better place. ... Sen. Kennedy was our champion. He was our leader. He was our shepherd." By: Frank Bilotta Kennedy Family Members Greet Visitors at JFK LibraryBy: Frank Bilotta

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