I write not to praise Ted Kennedy, but to bury him.

A man died today, like men die everyday, but the reason Kennedy will be all over the cable news channels bumping Michael Jackson retrospectives from the schedule, is because of the mythology the American media and the Kennedy millions created for the family.

Michael Jackson's name can't be spoken without the tagline, "King of Pop" attached to it these days, but those of us with actual memories recall that he and his publicity people invented the phrase and promoted it to a then critical music media. Think of that when you hear Ted Kennedy referred to endlessly as "The Lion of the Senate".

The original lion of the Senate was William Borah (R-ID) who served between 1907 and 1940. One imagines that the mantle was appropriated by Kennedy, but I can't find any reference to how and when that actually happened.

Reputation is however a powerful tool, and Kennedy's role as heir of Democrat aspirations made him a co-sponsor magnet for important legislation. If a Republican wanted legislation to pass, getting Kennedy as a co-sponsor was a serious leg up. Regardless of what else can be said of the man, for good or ill, he was an extraordinarily effective legislator. I find some irony in that--while many Senators look at their office as simply a stepping stone to the Presidency (including Jack and Bobby), Kennedy didn't look beyond the mark. He thought the Senate a good a place as any to merit his best efforts.

The second generation of Kennedys have not forged the link to the dream that never dies. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg grossly mishandled her bid to be appointed to Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, and effectively destroyed her political prospects--the latest in a conga line of failure for the grandchildren of Joe Kennedy. Nevertheless, generations of Kennedys yet unborn will trade on the name recognition to gain elective office and establish modest political careers.

Ultimately, Edward Kennedy's death with hold the most meaning for those personally close to him. His reputation will fade away as those who can still extract benefits from it, experience diminishing returns from rising generations who have no emotional connection to the myth of Camelot.