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Rep. Kennedy will miss his father's Harvard ceremony

2:52 PM Mon, Dec 01, 2008 | Permalink
By Steve Peoples

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy will be awarded an honorary degree from Harvard University this afternoon in an extremely rare "special convocation" expected to feature a Supreme Court justice and Joe Biden, the vice president-elect of the United States.

But Kennedy's son, Congressman Patrick Kennedy, won't be there.

The congressman had invited Rhode Island media and was expected to attend the convocation, which begins at 4 p.m. But at about 2 p.m., his press secretary, Kerrie Bennett, notified The Journal that "the congressman is under the weather and not going to attend the ceremony at Harvard."

In a subsequent interview, Bennett said the younger Kennedy was experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms.

"He had planned to attend and he is disappointed," Bennett said. "He'd be sitting with his father and his family... He doesn't want to get his dad sick."

In a press release, Harvard notes that Ted Kennedy today joins "an elite group of individuals who have received their honorary degrees at special convocations." They include: Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, and James Monroe.

The elder Kennedy, who attended Harvard as an undergraduate, was supposed to have been honored at Harvard's spring commencement, but canceled because he had just been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Patrick Kennedy's office issued a statement this afternoon about the honor:

"Harvard University's special convocation today is a wonderful tribute to my father. It has certainly been an extraordinary year for my dad and receiving an honorary degree from his alma mater means a great deal to him.

"As children growing up, he would recount his days as a student at Harvard with great fondness and also appreciation, making sure to impress upon us the vital link between education and opportunity for both individuals and our society. My father's dedication and tenacity as a public servant and policy maker continue to inspire and motivate me, as well as generations of Americans, and this honor recognizes his ongoing efforts."