Ted Kennedy’s still present at the DNC

>>> caroline kennedy will speak at the first democratic convention in 56 years without senator ted kennedy at it. over the years the line of the senate was fierce, poignant, and always memorable.

>> for all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives , and the dream shall never die. and this november, the torch will be passed again, to a new generation of americans, so with barack obama and for you and for me, our country will be committed to his cause. the work begins anew. the hope rises again. and the dream lives on.

>> and now for the first time in six decades, there's no kennedy in washington. but that actually could change after today. joe kennedy iii introduced a video tribute to his uncle on tuesday night, faces off in a democratic primary for congressman barney frank 's massachusetts house seat. joining me ted kennedy 's sons, former congressman patrick kennedy and ted kennedy jr. welcome both.

>> thank you.

>> do you get tired of seeing those highlights of your dad sh.

>> i don't. i love my father so much and coming here and watching this, these videos, just fills me with pride. and because i know how much he loved being a united states senator and how much he loved the democratic party .

>> congressman, quickly, handicap joe 's chances today? what's going on?

>> we need people to turn out and vote. nothing is taken for granted. joe is working hard, great grassroots campaign and so we're just going to keep pushing as someone who is on the ballot myself for many years, you never take anything for granted. joe 's got a terrific organization on the ground, which is where it matters the most.

>> i want to talk about that '49 senate race. -- '94 senate race. you would hear these stories your dad was sometimes as worried about your race as he was about mitt romney . talk about some of the stories. here he was in the fierce closest race of his political career and he's worried about your race.

>> the paradigm of the mitt romney / ted kennedy race of '94 is replaying itself in this campaign. mitt romney was on every side of every issue? '94 and once again he is playing the flip flop game again. so all you really need to do is replay those debates between my dad and mitt romney in '94 and you're getting to see what this campaign's about. and you know, mitt romney looked really good looking and great and style, but the end of the day , people wanted substance and that's what they're going to want again and why they'll vote for president obama for re-election.

>> is he running for office again? i mean, you know, he was -- he's fired up. what do you think of how the administration has sold health care ? this was in many cases, you know, obviously your dad's cause and, you know, you read these books that say -- quotes that say he wish he had cut the deal with nixon in the early '70s could have gotten health care and gotten it done. how do you think he would be assessing what the administration has gotten done?

>> my father would be on his feet, applauding the president and the way that the president stuck his neck out, it was my dad's signature cause. he promised my dad that he was going to make this issue a priority for his administration and he did. a lot of his advisors said wait, it's too complicated, too many vested interests you're going to get bogged down, but the president it's an example of how the president's leadership he was willing to do this, take this on. there's so many special interests , chuck, who don't want change. pause there's a lot of money flowing around the health care system . and i think that my father, he believed, you know, he worked or rich hatch to expand medicaid for chip, worked with president bush trying to expand part d medicare drug benefit and one of his proudest moments was working with governor mitt romney to create the model --

>> in the picture.

>> the model of health care we now have in the united states .

>> congressman, your dad always seemed to find a republican partner. if he were still in the senate today, do you think there would have been more republicans supporting health care or do you think the environment has simply changed?

>> it's hard to tell. i will say this, my dad always looked forward. he was never stuck in the past and he would be excited about another term for barack obama . as president clinton said last night, the president has taken us four years to get this far and believe me, he had a big hole to dig us out of after eight years of george w. bush . i don't think this country wants to go back to those trickle down economics. they will if they vote for mitt romney . they will have a chance at a much stronger future for the middle class if they vote for barack obama .

>> speaking of voting and ballots either one of you going to be on a ballot again?

>> i hope he is.

>> i hear everybody --

>> he's still fired up and ready to go.

>> connecticut is your home state.

>> connecticut is my home state. listen, i look forward to the opportunity to have the honor to serve one day and what that is, chuck, i have no idea. but i'm fighting, i'm a health care lawyer, i've been active in the disability rights movement and those are the issues i'm going to fight for the rest of my life.

>> it was quite the moment the other night just seeing