Introduced by the daughter of his late brother the President, the old lion came onstage with his white mane still visible, although a bit thinner on the left side of his head.

He was a bit heavier than before and needed the guidance of his wife to point him in the right direction to the podium and to help him to get there.

There was a stoop to his back and a shuffle in his walk, a tremble in his right hand and a bandage on his left. But his voice was still strong as he made his speech to the delegates of the 2008 Democratic National Convention—possibly his last.

The only current politicians he mentioned were Obama and Biden. He promised to be on the Senate floor in January when he expects “President” Obama will be the leader of the country and he will fight his fights for him in the Senate. Somehow I hope he lives that long, no matter who the president is at noon on January 20, 2009.

His rhetoric wasn’t as soaring as what we have heard in the past, but he tried his hardest to encourage people to vote for his candidate.

He shuffled off stage with the assistance of his wife and into the arms of his extended family, with Maria Schriver crying in the audience.

He told us he was passing the torch to a new generation. Words his brother spoke 47 years ago.

And, love him or hate him, one couldn’t help cheering for him to defeat this disease that is eating at his body.

Teddy, we’ll miss you when you leave the stage for good.

(I intended to recap the convention coverage, but felt everyone would have seen what I saw and I couldn’t tell you anything you didn’t know, so I decided to give you my impression of the Old Lion.