U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died Tuesday at 77 and was the last of the storied Kennedy brothers, was a legislative giant. He was an American icon, a powerful political leader and a revered elder statesman who served the public almost 47 years, making him the third-longest-serving senator, after South Carolina's Strom Thurmond and West Virginia's Robert Byrd.

Sen. Kennedy was both a shining star and a fallen angel. It is impossible and irresponsible to ignore his greatest mistake: The incident on Chappaquiddick Island.

In 1969, Mr. Kennedy was driving Mary Jo Kopechne back to her hotel after a party when, as he later said, he took a wrong turn and drove into a pond. He was able to swim to the surface. He said he dove several times to try to free her. But, after failing to do so, he never notified authorities of the accident. Later, as evidence suggested, timely assistance might have saved her life. Mr. Kennedy pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, and received a suspended sentence.

Later, perhaps by fully accepting the Chappaquiddick incident and wishing to make amends to society, Mr. Kennedy was able to regain a more positive political reputation.

He was a natural legislator — congenial, hard working, passionate and, when needed, very patient. He was much aided by one of the best staffs (drawn to the Kennedy glamour) — both in helping to craft policy and in providing superb constituent services.

He earned a reputation not only as the staunch standard-bearer for liberal politics, but also as a sort of moral voice for the Democratic Party: It was often left to him to call the party back to the idealism of its roots. He was the champion of the poor and undefended.

Mr. Kennedy was always in the political limelight. Possibly because he had a safe seat ensured by a Massachusetts constituency that revered him and his family, which gave him remarkable seniority, and the power, perks and knowledge of legislative detail that came with it. But also essential was his hard work and unwavering commitment to certain causes — especially those that would help average Americans – and ability to work across political platforms.

Senator Kennedy was an old-fashioned fighting liberal whose efforts as a stirring orator, often referencing the New Deal. As such, he was a key figure in enacting a range of policy initiatives, mostly in domestic affairs.

His most notable efforts came in promoting health care, civil-rights and environmental programs that have dramatically improved the lives of many Americans. More ambiguous, has been the impact of his legislation encouraging immigration, which has tended to suppress wages.

Most of all, the senator will be remembered for his ceaseless efforts to provide Americans with the universal health-care coverage most of the developed world has but America seriously lacks. How poignant that he died during another campaign.

Armand Nardi is the publisher of the Gainesville Daily Register. He can be contacted at anardi@ntin.net.