From senator to patriarch of the Kennedy clan to the "lion of the Senate," Sen. Ted Kennedy is known by many names. Today he picked up a new title: honorary knight.
The pronouncement came from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his address to a joint meeting of Congress, but Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, was not there.
Kennedy's honorary knighthood was a nod to his work in the Northern Ireland peace process back in the 1990s. His role almost seemed providential, as the last surviving Irish-American son of his generation from one of the most influential political dynasties in American history.
Whether you agree or disagree with Sen. Kennedy's political philosophy one thing is for sure. He is a fighter -- living a life peppered with proud moments and instances in which he probably would readily confess weren't his finest. Through it all, Kennedy has shown he's more than a survivor. More accurately, he's a fighter which in many ways makes the honorary knighthood seem quite fitting.