In his statement, Obama referred however to Ted Kennedy himself, and the role he played in mentoring him when Obama was first elected to the Senate in 2004.

'I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague,' Obama said.

Obama joined the chorus of tribute for Kennedy's legislative accomplishments, noting that 'virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.'

Obama called Kennedy the 'greatest United States senator of our time' who had picked up the torch of his fallen brothers. Another brother of Kennedy's, Robert, was assassinated in 1968 as he bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.