One more Kennedy thought
Jay Tea April 23, 2005 Politics 25 Comments
Here's a movie plot:
A man, ambitious for political power, makes a deal with the devil: in exchange for power and success through his sons, he will surrender his soul.
The first son is killed in war.
The second son achieves the presidency, and the father suffers a crippling stroke that leaves him virtually unable to communicate.
The second son is assassinated.
The third son is well on his way to the presidency when he, too, is assassinated.
The fourth son accidentally/negligently gets a young woman killed, forever denying him the presidency.
Mere months after the fourth son destroys his future bid for the presidency, the father finally dies, knowing that those brief 2 1/2 years of his second son's presidency was the summit of the family's success, and the beginning of the end.
Nah. Nobody'd ever buy that one.
(And one final note: three of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.'s four sons died in service to the nation. With those kinds of odds, why the hell does the survivor have to be Teddy? The only other answer (other than the one above) is that Teddy simply lacked the courage, the character, the convictions to put his own life in harm's way the way his older brothers did.)
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YukYuk April 23, 2005
I'm sorry, but how did Robert die? Campaigning is considered serving your country?
DaveP. April 23, 2005
Don't forget his daughter, who he had lobotomized so that she wouldn't become an "embarassment to the family" (she liked hanging out in jazz clubs, you see- couldn't have that getting out).
If you'll be willing to allow a nonfamily addition: His primary aide, when he was Ambassador to england during World War Two, is caught passing English and American secrets to the Italians and becomes the (to my knowledge) ONLY man EVER to have America waive his diplomatic immunity so that he could be charged and convicted of espionage by the host country.
littleboy April 23, 2005
"…lacked the courage, the character, the convictions to put his own life in harm's way the way…"
Odd post from someone who's hasn't done the same.
Well, certainly some kind of familial problem, no doubt about it, extending through the following generations. I have no idea what, just that it's obvious there's something wrong there.
Tom April 23, 2005
There are many reasons to despise Teddy Kennedy, but his failure to "serve" his country in uniform isn't one of them. ("They also serve, etc.") Otherwise I like the plot, with the added twist suggested by DaveP: having Rosemary lobotomized. Talk about selling your soul to the devil. Old Joe was a precursor to Michael Schiavo in getting a family member out of the way when her existence became inconvenient to him.
capitano April 23, 2005
Teddy gets a pass because he had the courage to rush to the floor of the Senate to proclaim that "Saddam's (Abu Graib) torture chambers haven't been closed, they are just under new (U.S.) management." Thus proving he's all about taking the high road and putting the welfare and morale of our troops ahead of any cheapshot slander for political gain.
Geoff Matthews April 23, 2005
Maybe the reason why the previous Kennedy's have good reputations because they didn't live long enough.
After all, Jack had a penchent for women that would put Clinton to shame.
However, I'll concede that Robert seemed pretty decent.
Jay Tea April 23, 2005
YukYuk, Robert was a sitting United States Senator who was killed while running for president. That's why I gave him that appelation.
Tom, Teddy DID serve in the Army — an entirely undistinguished two-year stint (1951-1953) after he was suspended from Harvard.
And I didn't bring up Rosemary because I feel somewhat icky bringing her up. Poor woman… her involvement in Joe's craving for power was pretty tangential.
I dont think it's fair to say that Neal Bush simply lacked the courage, the character, the convictions to put his own life on the line.
And Naomi would have turned out just fine if she hadn't been raised with "the little brown ones".
Dodo David April 23, 2005
According to his biography, Senator Edward Moore Kennedy was suspended from Harvard because he persuaded a Harvard classmate to sit an exam for him.
dgstring April 23, 2005
Never been a kennedy fan. Hated it when they changed the name of Cape Canaveral.
My whole class cheered when he was shot but then again I lived in the south. I'm not saying it was right but a reflecition of how we felt about JFK.
The family is trash, makes we want to puke when I hear about Camelot.
Far be it from me to call bullshit on someone else's first-hand, personal experience, but this urban myth was promoted by none other than Dan Rather with regard to an elementary school in the Hyde Park/University Park area of Dallas. The truth was that the students cheered a public address announcement by the school's principal that school was closing early without revealing the reason.
I have never heard a credible account of students cheering JFK's assassination.
Someone has been watching the History Channel, Am I right Jay?
Nah, Sparkle. Just stuff I've known for ages. It took the arrest of his brother-in-law that gave me the excuse to put it all together.
Was there a Kennedy special recently? Dang, missed it…
The Other JD April 23, 2005
Sorry, but I was in 7th grade when John Kennedy was killed, and one kid in our class DID applaud and laugh when we were told. (The teacher slapped the crap out of him.)
S. Landers April 23, 2005
"Old Joe was a precursor to Michael Schiavo in getting a family member out of the way when her existence became inconvenient to him."
I've heard others imply that rumor also, Tom.
Jill April 24, 2005
Ya'll forgot to mention Kathleen Kennedy (the oldest daughter I believe – nicknamed "Kick.") She died tragically in a plane crash. There really is a curse on that family.
And to the wisecracker, it's Noelle, not Naomi.
wavemaker April 24, 2005
One of the best comments ever made in a political debate:
During Ted's first Senate campaign (actually his first campaign for any office), he was opposed in the Democratic primary by Edward McCormack, Attorney General of Massachusetts and the son of House Speaker John McCormack. Lacking any qualifications whatsoever other than his lineage, he was subjected to this line from McCormack:
"If your name were Edward Moore instead of Edward Kennedy, your candidacy would be a joke."
Remember that Teddy was the minimum age (30) at the time, 1962 , but JFK had vacated the seat two years earlier — the seat was occupied during those two years by Ben Smith, a Kennedy family friend who was a placeholder until Teddy reached the required age.
Jeff April 24, 2005
Sins of the Father discussess some pretty icky speculative reasons for why Joe had Rosemary lobotomized.
The Edward Moore vs. Edward Moore Kennedy line in the McCormack debate (it included using Ted's middle name in the comparison) was a slap in the face to Ted at the time because Eddie Moore was one Joe's closest aides and who Ted was named for.
Jeff, Eddie Moore was described as Joe's "chauffeur."
Jay, Bobbie was not assasinated for being a US Senator, nor was he assasinated while "serving" his country. Your purported explanation was a pathetic attempt at rectifying the severely flawed premise of your piece. With explanations like that you're becoming more msm by the minute.
a4g April 24, 2005
Jay, you missed the big twist at the ending:
The fourth son accidentally/negligently gets a young woman killed, forever denying him the presidency. And then his head inexplicably swells up like a balloon.
Yukyuk, I don't particularly care if it meets your exceptionally fussy criteria. He was an elected official who was murdered while campaigning for higher office. To me, that constitutes killed while serving the nation. If you don't like it, you're free to bite me.
Yes, that's a pathetic comeback. You simply don't seem worth more of a response.
Jay, you've simply jumped the shark. Fine. You're content with sloppy reportage. Me fussy? Jay, don't be incompetent AND lazy. And don't blame me for your own shortcoming.
Capitino, let me tell you I was in Mrs. Ridizell's 8th grade class at Johnson Jr. High School in Anniston, Al. I stand by my story. It happened. It was not just one kiid it was the whole class.
Mrs. Rudisill was at the front of the class wearing her green shaded glasses when we got the announcement over the PA system.
She cried as much due to our reaction as to the actual event.
Remember Anniston was the site of the Freedom rider bus incident and the bus burning. Not the most liberal of places.
I doubt you will check back on this one but let me tell I remember the row I was in the desk and members of my class laughing and cheering. Not a fantasy or made up story just one more part of the strange ride.