Check out Courtney's thoughtful column in the American Prospect about Ted Kennedy's severe missteps and great achievements, and questions how (or if) we can measure the two. A snippet:

Kennedy never, in fact, expected perfection from others. Instead, he made cross-party alliances based on a belief that political life is not Camelot but Red Rover. He became, in many ways, the antithesis of the Kennedy hype. He became a man with a truly problematic past and a deep commitment to contributing to the nation nonetheless. As Kay Steiger writes at Jezebel, "Sometimes it's difficult to examine the whole life of a public figure. After all, public figures are human, and humans can't be perfect. Sometimes, they don't even come close."

Also read Dana's post on Kennedy's legacy on abortion and disability rights, which discusses his capacity to maintain his pro-choice beliefs alongside with his passion for disability rights. She says it well, "Only Ted Kennedy could bring NARAL to the table with Sam Brownback." Make sure to check it out.