I was fortunate enough - as the 15-year old I was in the summer of 1980 - to watch Senator Kennedy give this speech live on TV. I laughed, cried, and cheered. 😊 Simply put, it was the greatest speech I have yet heard from a living politician.

This is widely acknowledged throughout the entire ideological spectrum as one of the great political speeches in American history. Whatever one feels about Ted Kennedy, he was a giant in experience, longevity and influence. The current crop of Congressional "leaders" pales in comparison to him.

An amazing speech that is still relevant today. The hope will always be with us; and I too believe the dream shall never die! here and now in this year of 2019.

In the past two weeks I listened to both Biden and Trump and neither had the oratory skills of Kennedy. Whether you liked him or not, this speech and his delivery is iconic and ranks as one of the greatest speeches in political convention history. I can't remember a speech during either's party convention where the audience was so engaged. It should be a requirement for any college speech class. This speech actually set him up perfectly to be a voice of the Democratic party in Congress in the 80's. If I heard this speech today, I have to be honest and say I would probably vote for him.

No politician could stand as long these days and bring words with such wisdom

Democrats need to start being like Ted Kennedy if they want to be taken seriously again.

I watched every minute of this speech. I was in tears at the end. ------------MJL< 76 y/o

This man had to be the Dad of not just his own kids but the children of John and Robert Kennedy. He more than made up for Chappaquiddick by his later deeds. May he Rest in Peace…

It is hard to be a public figure. He made it happen. A great inspirational leader.

According to a book about the 1980 race, the ovation that followed the speech went on for 40 minutes- 5 minutes longer than the speech itself.

I miss ted kennedy. Let his soul rest in peace.

It's insane that we're still debating over most of these issues

In these troubling times of "things working out a bit differently than expected", sometimes we just need to hear Ted's words again, hope against hope

I just listened to it again. It is very moving at certain points. It seems like the delegates are hanging on to his every word. I felt moments of great emotion bubbling at the surface within me also. He definitely had a shot to carry on the Kennedy mantra...

Magnificent.

If the American people had forgiven this guy for Chappaquidick they would have had the greatest president in their history. It was in his blood to help those who had no voice. God bless you Teddy warts and all. Missed by millions 🙏❤

Im neither democrat or republican. Both parties fail. But i think i would have voted for ted. He was for the people. Even if he was not a perfect human (nobody is) I can look past that because he truly cared for his country and for his people.

As Time magazine said when he passed away, "The Kennedy Who Mattered Most".

Great speaker

This was not the keynote address. Representative Morris Udall gave the keynote address. This was Kennedy’s concession speech.

How could American Democrats prefer Jimmy Carter in 1980? Ted Kennedy's speech was outstanding, stronger than any speech delivered by Carter ever before. Ronald Reagan easily won against Carter in the 1980 election. Ted Kennedy was a Kennedy. And this speech is the greatest evidence! The Dream shall never die. God bless America.

Fast forward to the mid nineties, when the Democratic party forgot about all of these principles.

Teddy was the best of the three Kennedy brothers

THAT SPEECH WAS NOT AUG. 11TH, IT WAS TUESDAY THE 12TH! I remember-today is my birthday! I'm 52 now, n I was 15 yrs old that day he spoke! I pissed my family off, in the living room, (waiting for me to come celebrate my birthday) because I was hold up in my room Watching Teddy! : )

23:11 And he meant real national health insurance - single payer!

I'm afraid the dream has indeed died at the hands of a great many disillusioned voters...

May the lion of the U.S. Seante rest in peace

Excellent gifted speaker

He is so greatest man

Wow his speech was better than jimmy carter acceptance speech.

Just like his elder brothers, JFK and RFK, he gave an excellent speech to the issues. Yet, his past from the Chappaquiddick incident cost Ted Kennedy the Democratic Party nomination in 1980.

God bless the Kennedys and God bless America. Are there any more Kennedys in America. God bless them and reward them Amen. 🤴❤️💛🌲🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

A thank him for his support.

Wow just pooped on the entires RNC. I’m a conservative, but I probably would’ve voted democrat back in the day

He sure lived life to the fullest.

In retrospect,this was the last great moment for the Kennedys.BTW Kennedy would have beaten Carter for the nomination had it net been for the support Carter received in the early months of the Iranian hostage crises.

This was the guy who could have beat Reagan, and saved us this entire generation of right-wing hell.

Edward Kennedy was not perfect but that speech was a great speech!

My political hero.

I've read about this speech before, but this is the first time I've watched it in its entirety. Damn, this guy was impressive. Should've been president, would've been better than Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Clinton and both Bushes. I think Carter is underrated but this guy is a much better orator and force of personality and more charismatic than Carter. Respect to Ted Kennedy from the UK

Was there.....

Unfortunately, the audio is missing between 30:02 and 30:54. The rest of this video and recording seems fairly well-preserved.

Now I hope that RFK, Jr will become President.

He lived in the shadows of his siblings like me.

His voice is identical to JFK's

This makes all other speeches look ... well, almost amateurish by comparison.

GREATNESS

What is the name of the song at the beginning?

A reference to national health care even back in 1980. Shocking he was runner-up. More fire and energy than most of the Democratic candidates running now. They should take note. I like Jimmy Carter in retrospect but Kennedy probably would kicked Reagan's ass.

I Think The Audience at The Beginning Said "We Want Teddy!"

C-Span got it wrong. This speech took place on August 12, 1980, not August 11.

What's the name of the song in the beginning? Its sounds familiar.

So sad that few months later the Democrats in Congress helped Reagan cut taxes that started the journey to the wealth gap we have today in America. I still admire the vision for America the Kennedy family represents!

Ted Kennedy was never more wrong. The dream died less than three months later and is still dead.

07:52, Promise Land...

"The dream shall never die...", unlike Mary-Jo, eh Teddy?

I don't think there was anytime during that speech, you got the sense the delegates had nominated the wrong man.

what do u do ..its grans cousin ...all..now all gone...how get in touch who are family left

Was that Ethel Kennedy at 1:40?

Seems like the Democrats in 1980 had a similar deal to Republicans in 1976.

I feel edward found himself in this speech....but was too late!

What a great day to have been a Democrat and for a country to more forward and to be whole but we screwed up and got Carter and Reagan

At 13:38 was that Rosie Greer?

So sad he lost to carter kennedy deserved to win

God listening to this speech just makes me well up in years. The dream of almost 200 tears of the Democratic Party to be the party of service to the common man is still a dream. But we are a step closer to achieving that dream every single day. God I wish modern day Democrats had the hall, the strength, the courage, the hardheadedness, and the sheer force of personality as the great Democrats of old: William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S Truman, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Robert Francis Kennedy, Edward Moore Kennedy, and Lyndon Baines Johnson. We need Democrats like these men in modern day -- Democrats who were willing to go to the mat and absolutely defeat and bring to hell the Republicans. Until Democrats can find such strong-willed leaders again, they will continue losing elections. The last Democrat who had even an ounce of this mental toughness and willingness to break the backs of his opposition was Harry Reid, but he is gone now from public service. This current generation of Democrats are absolutely useless and don't even have spines. We need a totally new generation that will bring back the hardball tactics that FDR, LBJ, the Kennedys, and even Andrew Jackson were known for. Sometimes, you have to become a villain first before you become The People's Hero.

Back when Democrats were actually Democrats.

So bizarre that he quotes Skyfall at the end lol

Definitely a speech to be remembered always. Too bad that Teddy wasn't anywhere near this brilliant and articulate in most of his campaign. I sincerely believe that he did not want to be president (hence the Roger Mudd interview where he couldn't come up with a coherent answer as to why he wanted to be president). He probably just ran out of some sense of obligation to his family's memory, and maybe to just get the presidential bid out of the way. He knew he could do far more in the Senate than he could in the White House, and he did that. He was still, despite his flaws, somebody who should be honored and remembered for the work he did.

I think if Ted kennedy ran for president in 1976. He will be win the election and became president instead Jimmy Carter In 1977. BEcause at that time people don't like Republican and President Gerald Ford. What a shame. I want The kennedys family come back to president again In 2020 election. Caroline Kennedy please ran for president In 2020. Please read this comment.

Time travel may be real. I Justin Bieber in the congregation.

The dirty deeds of their father prevented them achieving their goals

The Kennedy curse

Hard to believe he lost to the peanut 🥜 farmer. Why, how did that happen? I was in highschool and not interested in politicians or politics, yet.

An American symbol

“ The dream shall never die......unlike women who ride in my car!”

He should have ran in 1984, served two terms, and there never woulda been a George Bush or George W

The fools supported the peanut farmer from Georgia instead.

The last progressive leader in dem party. AOC is picking up the torch, but she needs a lot more help.

It should be the nightmare!

Teddy is in a hot place right now getting burned up for eternity

Good grief. One platitude after another. Can anyone tell me they know what the hell he is talking about?

Reagan/ Bush '80

Never did like the Kennedys

What a demagogue

One of the worst politicians ever.

The dream will never die unless I am driving. A lousy rotten human being. Dam shame we can't go back in time and give Ted the ride in Dallas that day. I'm sure Mary Jo wouldn't object.

Had Ted conducted his campaign the way he delivered this speech, he might have won the primaries. In the end, had Ted followed the conservative ideals of his older brother (JFK) and not spiraled down to the bottom, endorsing Barack Obama - arguably one of America's worst and weakest modern day presidents, Ted might've gone down as a great American. His poor judgement (from Chappaquiddick, to booze, to aligning with failed socialist policies in his political life) was Ted at his worst. Ted, at his best, was a good and loving father, uncle, and protector of his extended family.

Pos