Mary Jo Kopechne was unavailable for comment
Update: The New York Post weighs in…”Camelot died a long time ago.”
***
When I watched the Kennedy dynasty’s self-indulgent endorsement of Barack Obama yesterday, I saw a bloated, effete patriarch patting himself on the back and his candidate on the head. I heard empty platitudes and nostalgia and a desperate, windy plea for relevance. The hypocrisy of vicious, country-clubber Teddy K (Flashback: Teddy K and The Owl Club; Flashback;Teddy K’s unhinged diatribe against Sam Alito; Flashback: Kennedy’s shamnesty “Gestapo” rant) extolling Obama for “lifting up” rather than “tearing down” was nauseating.
New York Times conservative David Brooks, on the other hand, was enthralled by the “Kennedy mystique.” There was, gushed Brooks, “something important and memorable about the way the 75-year-old Kennedy communed and bonded with a rapturous crowd half a century his junior.”
Get him a drool bucket, stat:
The audience at American University roared. It was mostly young people, and to them, the Clintons are as old as the Trumans were in 1960. And in the students’ rapture for Kennedy’s message, you began to see the folding over of generations, the service generation of John and Robert Kennedy united with the service generation of the One Campaign. The grandparents and children united against the parents.
How could the septuagenarian Kennedy cast the younger Clintons into the past? He could do it because he evoked the New Frontier, which again seems fresh. He could do it because he himself has come to live a life of service.
After his callow youth, Kennedy came to realize that life would not give him the chance to be president. But life did ask him to be a senator, and he has embraced that role and served that institution with more distinction than anyone else now living — as any of his colleagues, Republican or Democrat, will tell you.
“Callow?”
“A life of service?”
Here’s his distinctive diatribe opposing the surge in Iraq:
And one of his distinctive, race-card diatribes during the Alito nomination:
And another of his slimy, bottom-of-the-barrel attacks on Judge Alito accusing him of bigotry:
Download here (.wmv file)
In an era when America is still too divided by race and riches, Judge “Alioto” has not written one single opinion on the merits in favor of a person of color alleging race discrimination on the job. In fifteen years on the bench, not one.
“Distinction?” My foot.
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Categories: Ted Kennedy
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He didn’t become president because he couldn’t even answer a simple question: “Why do you want to be president”. Ted wasn’t even a part of Camelot..Speaking of which, if his theme was out with the old in with the new, why bring up 1960?
His first name took out a loan on his second name and he hasn’t made a payment in 75 years.
JLP
Um, er, Chivas!
I thought harass was two words…
Human garbage and nothing more.
I’m reading a book by Schlesinger called “The Age of Jackson”, right now. One of the chapters deals with “Radicalism in Massachusetts”. I see nothing has changed in 180 years.
David, you might want to lower your Tryphorgetin dosage.
Ted Kennedy is a foul piece of work just like his father, only Teddy went further…murder. That acorn didn’t fall far from the tree. And if the history of the Kennedys is read, there was alot of swarmy stuff that went on just to get JFK elected.
With a few exceptions, the Kennedy line is nothing to be admired or aspire to. The fascination with their debauchery is sick.
Always felt the whole family was scum of the earth and screwed over many Americans. Papa Joe would be proud of Teddy.
Really nice how they lobotomized a sister who didn’t need lobotomizing:
http://fatboy.cc/fatboyscrapbook.htm , for those who missed his shenanigans and photogenic appeal before.
My mom will vote for Obama in the Super Tuesday elections because of Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement. To some people in Massachusetts, the Kennedy legacy of Camelot is the driving political force in their lives. People remember the idealism and Jackie’s dresses and touch football on the Cape (5 miles from where I grew up).
To be honest, I don’t get it.
Really, is that so? Frankly I think this comment alone makes David Brooks sound like a fool. He must not remember all of the “good” senator’s past. One in particular, his outreach to the Soviets through back channels, should have barred him from any distinction, other than prison time for treason.
#8 On January 29th, 2008 at 11:07 am, katieanne said:
“And if the history of the Kennedys is read, there was alot of swarmy stuff that went on just to get JFK elected.
With a few exceptions, the Kennedy line is nothing to be admired or aspire to. The fascination with their debauchery is sick.”
Yep.
I recommend:
“The Sins of the Father: Joseph P. Kennedy and the Dynasty He Founded”
by Ronald Kessler
Lots about Joe Kennedy Sr.
Also:
“Senatorial Privilege: The Chappaquiddick Cover-Up”
by Leo Damore
and:
“Chappaquiddick Revealed What Really Happened”
by Kenneth Kappel
Again, I say to katieanne’s post: Yep.
katieanne #8 said it best. how true.
but the dems live on star power not issues. that is why they have this new found star to drool over. Obama. We will see if the Clintons can come out the winners. I am not certain that an endorsement from the Crooked Kennedy Clan will help Obama.
#10 On January 29th, 2008 at 11:14 am, Rusty said:
“My mom will vote for Obama in the Super Tuesday elections because of Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement. To some people in Massachusetts, the Kennedy legacy of Camelot is the driving political force in their lives. People remember the idealism and Jackie’s dresses and touch football on the Cape (5 miles from where I grew up).
To be honest, I don’t get it.”
No offense to your mother, but yet another example of why the fact that everybody’s vote counts just as much as that of everyone else is both our greatest strength…and our greatest weakness.
“…the idealism and Jackie’s dresses and touch football on the Cape….”
Yeah, that oughtta help us defend ourselves in this dangerous world.
Teddy Kenndey, talk about clueless.
1. Gets caught cheating during a spanish test at Harvard, gets kicked out.
2. Inherits his brother’s seat in the Senate.
3. Encourages his nephew to go out bar hopping and then is shocked, shocked I tell you that he committed rape
4. Mary Jo
5. Lectures others about lacking ethics.
6. After failing for decades to get his national health care plan passed, he is now a proponent for “change.”
Just go away Kennedys-the USA doesn’t need or want a royal family.
Now THAT’S an Oxymoron.
One fact that shines through this situation is the desire of young voters to have someone they can ‘relate’ to, age-wise. Obama exudes a youthful ‘hope’ to many young voters, that Republican challengers such as McCain & even Romney cannot.
I believe that - in the not-so-distant years to come, the GOP needs to find a candidate with conservative values and a youthful exuberance who can bring together a generational cross-section of conservative voters.
If the GOP continues to prop-up baby-boomers and older as their answer, the new generation of voters, many of whom look to style over substance, will ultimately go over to the “Dark Side” for no other reason than “I want someone who knows my concerns, who can relate to me”…. regardless of the consequences in the long run.
BTW:
Anybody know if Teddy Kennedy has ever had a real job in his entire life?
Sure.
He went from callow (is that a joke) to SHALLOW.
He is STILL an embarrassment, oh yeah, and a killer.
Send him a case of Scotch and he’ll endorse you too…even though you aren’t running for anything…well, except to the refrigerator. Take your pills, Ted boy, and go home.
Let’s not forget how he treated his ex wife.
He is a disgrace to the female race.
He is a disgrace to moral men.
He is a disgrace to the USA.
Anyone want to bet the Clintons told the swimmer to endorse Obambi in the hopes it wold tarnish him?
jrlingreenbay
Hopefully by 2012 we will be talking about people like Condi, Michael Steele, and maybe Bobby Jindal, if he works out in La. like we hope …
gayle,
He is a disgrace to the HUMAN race.
I firmly pray that there is an afterlife…
If so, then I think people like Ted Kennedy, the Clinton’s, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, and numerous other’s will have a ’special’ Hell reserved for them.
(my guess is that it will be empty except for themselves, and their eternal torment will be spending eternity with each other)
I did a quick Google search for the definition of callow:
“callow \KAL-oh\, adjective:
Immature; lacking adult perception, experience, or judgment.”
Nothing there about leaving a girl to die in a sinking car, or not reporting it until the next day when one has sobered up, and Daddy has lined up all the lawyers and paid off the politicians, judges and doctors.
I guess the definition needs to be updated!
What is truly sad is the efficiency, conniving and collaboration by the press to subdue the Chappaquiddick travesty. I can get diatribes from college students about President Bush’s “callow” youth and trivial DUI, but mention Chappaquiddick and Mary Jo Kopechne, and they look at you blankly, slackjawed, and say “who?” or “what?”
The Kennedy crime family is such an embarrassment to non-lib/socialists in MA. From old Daddy Joe illegally distributing liquor during Prohibition to young Joe, immorally distributing heating oil from Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
Ladies, if you learn nothing else in life, learn this: never get into a vehicle driven, piloted, steered or otherwise “controlled” by a Kennedy.
#26 On January 29th, 2008 at 12:07 pm, Dimsdale said:
“The Kennedy crime family is such an embarrassment to non-lib/socialists in MA. From old Daddy Joe illegally distributing liquor during Prohibition to young Joe, immorally distributing heating oil from Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
Ladies, if you learn nothing else in life, learn this: never get into a vehicle driven, piloted, steered or otherwise “controlled” by a Kennedy.”
Correct.
And, sound advice!
Pandering pile of political putrescence.
Kennedy’s nothing more than a besotted Jabba-the-Hut in an expensive suit.
I mean, that’s hardly fair. I encourage my little brother to go bar hopping with me and neither of us have been accused of anything untoward.
I also do not understand the fascination with the Kennedy mystique, particularly that of JFK. In my estimation, as a president he was way in over his head. Not to mention the fact that were he alive today, I doubt very much he would have anything to do with the current crop of democrats that extol him.
Oh well. People have a right to be foolish, I guess.
Teddy is yet another GREAT example of why we need term limits for Congressmen.
If we made a complete list there would be virtually no one left in DC …
Visitor’s to the area know when there approaching Teddy’s home.
Caution
I met Caroline Kennedy in Destin years ago (at Harbor Docks). She is very lovely, personable and engaging. But her choice for president had no influence on me then or now.
I met Teddy as well, up here in the Beaver Valley. He was plastered. His nose was a red as Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer. He slurred his words and was overall a total disgrace.
Although I still like and respect Caroline on a human level, the NY Post is right …”Camelot died a long time ago.”
I had a disturbing thought when I saw Teddy-boy fawning for the cameras since I do not believe he puts ANYTHING or ANYONE ahead of his own best self-interests (windmills anyone?).
First a disclaimer lest I be attacked for wishing harm on anyone:
I do not wish any harm to come to any American, even those I despise (That would be Ted, not Barrack).
John F Kennedy, and the Kennedy name, have become the bedrock of the Democratic party due in large part through martyrdom. Aside from what he said, did and represented, it was the tragedy of his assassination that touched people so deeply, my mother included.
With the vestiges of racism lurking in the shadows of the US, could Teddy see another possible extension of Democratic martyrdom if Barrack were assassinated?
I know, I know, I sound a bit like the 911 conspiracy nuts, but anyone who could drunkenly drive off a bridge and leave a young woman to drown then delay calls for help just to save his career could be capable of that sort of thing. Of course, it could be that he fears a Hillary Clinton/Bill Clinton legacy could unseat his family’s stranglehold on democratic party influence and power.
For the record, I hope I am wrong and I hope, if he is elected, that Obama remains safe to be unseated four years later.
I am becoming much too jaded. Yeesh.
Ted is worried about the Clintons becoming the new “Kennedys” in the future, unseating his own legacy and family.
Ted Kennedy Sings Osama Obama
Does this mean we can finally officially stop using the adjective “conservative” to describe David Brooks?
There’s a hopeful thought……..
No kidding, considering JFKs positions, he’d be a Reagan Democrat at least.
Obama is absolutely nothing like JFK. That president had the guts to stand firm against Castro during the Bay of Pigs dilemma until they turned the ships around.
Obama would invite Castro to tea.
What makes anyone think that JFK was any more sincere or honest than Ted?JFK was a conservative only because it was to his advantage to present himself as such.Had he run as a liberal in 1960,he would have lost in a landslide.JFK was just an immature,self-serving opportunist,just like all of the Kennedy clan.Get over it people there was no Camelot.
After the 1969 drunken driving accident that killed Mary Jo Kopechne, Ted Kennedy announced that he would never again answer any questions about Chapaquiddick. Most members of the MSM took the vow of silence. That explains why the MSM ignored the death last week of Mary Jo Kopechne’s mother. I believe, albeit reluctantly, that Edward Kennedy breathed a sigh of relief at the passing of Mary Jo’s mother. Mary Jo was an only child and with the passing of Mary Jo’s father and mother, there were no living links to remind the world of what Edward Kennedy did on that summer night in 1969. The Kennedy clan has managed to reduce David Brooks and others to silence about Chapaquiddick. To raise the issue of Chapaquiddick means, for David Brooks, that he will not be invited to speak at the Kennedy School at Harvard, that Caroline Kennedy will not shine her light of approval upon him. And for someone like David Brooks, approval from the Kennedy family means everything. Therefore, Mr. Brooks will gladly take the code of omerta.
Back in 1980, William Safire was the only columnist who dared to mention Ted Kennedy’s suspension from Harvard for cheating, Kennedy’s history of reckless driving, and his lies to the police and to the country about Chapaquiddick. Mr. Safire was never allowed to speak at the Kennedy School or the Kennedy Library. And for David Brooks, that is the worst fate that any man could ever suffer.
I remember someone stating that dead politicians are known as statesmen. Here is hoping that the swimmer will do the planet a favor by reducing his carbon footprint and become a statesman in the very near future. Of course the alcoholic beverage industry may take a significant hit in their sales when he does.
Interesting verbiage. Very Clinton-esque. Respond to comment regarding “committed” with a rebuttal of “accused”. Is there something you want to tell us, Rusty?
Seriously though, the tragedy is that JFK did not live long enough to 1) prevent the massive damage to this nation caused by LBJ and 2) For history to find what a horrid president he was and how aristocratically he really governed, ignoring most everyone except his hand chosen “Wiz Kids”. Actually, LBJ and JFK make Nixon look like a patriotic choir boy in comparison. Because of the assassination and the Camelot carry-over to LBJ, neither man has ever been fairly appraised by history to the extent that the general public is aware of their perfidy.
I know it sounds horrible and I’ll probably go to hell for thinking it, but I can’t help but wishing that Teddy had been able to find just enough greatness to attract “friends” like Bobby, JFK and MLK did, rather than just enough greatness for the Old Grey Communist Lady to extol his virtues.
HA, the great irony is that when Teddy dies, his own family will feel the greatest financial impact in this regard. Gotta love good irony. Up to this point, all that scotch importing money just gets paid to Teddy and he just buys more scotch with it. It’s really more a recycling trust fund than anything.
Yeah, there is something I want to tell you. William Kennedy Smith was acquitted.
Camelot, n. A Middle Eastern delicacy that tastes sweet at first, but leaves a long lasting rancid aftertaste. Etymology, made from the sweepings of camel lots.
The Kennedy family is nothing more than a continuing criminal enterprise that started with the father becoming Al Capone’s supplier during prohibition.
They have leeched off the Government teat ever since and Ted Kennedy almost single handedly brought socialism to our Constitutional Republic with support of open borders,Illegal Immigration and invented the HMO scam that will result in Nationalized Medical Care.
The whole family should be behind bars, not only for their crimes but for Treason.
Camelot my ass
Beautiful, and the reason why MM is #1.
Well heck, Rusty, I expected something better in rebuttal to my teasing than that, but since you brought it up… Ted was never even charged on Mary Jo’s death nor was Clinton in Juanita Broaddrick’s rape. Doesn’t make them innocent. OJ Simpson was acquitted as well. A Kennedy clan member could pretty much commit a Virginia Tech type attack anywhere on the eastern seaboard north of Richmond, Virgina and South of Valdosta, Georgia and the liberals (acting as legal counsel, police investigators, DA, judge and jury) will find a way to get them acquitted, even if there are 27 eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against them, with pictures of the approach, the getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that’s not to mention the aerial photography.
William Kennedy Smith has had at least 5 other women accuse him of rape and at least 3 other women filed EEOC claims against him for sexual harassment and unwanted sexual advances in the work place. Besides that, there were substantial allegations at the time of the rape in question that the Kennedy clan refused access to the grounds for forensic examination for several days, which the authorities tolerated because, well, they’re Kennedy’s, and most of the Kennedy’s there refused to make themselves available for questioning for times in excess of two weeks. Patricia Bowman passed 2 polygraph tests and the ER exam immediately following the rape supported her story in every fact and facet.
In short, if that had been you or me accused of that rape, we would still be serving our rightful sentence right about now. Now see, my original comment was obviously a pithy little joke, and now you made me go and get all serious (except for that one part in the first paragraph which not everyone is going to get).
#47 On January 29th, 2008 at 4:31 pm, Rusty said:
“Yeah, there is something I want to tell you. William Kennedy Smith was acquitted.”
My response:
So what?
O.J. Simpson was acquitted (found “not guilty”), too.
Again, so what?
Being acquitted, or found not guilty, is NOT the same as being found “innocent”.
The old, boring reason: legal, procedural technicalities…evidence is disallowed, etc.
Being acquitted very often means only that the prosecution did not “play the game” as well as the defense, and nothing more; and screw the crime victim(s) and society.
#51:
You beat me to it; and well said!
It just needed a little correction.
I know acquittal does not equal innocence. But to say he committed a rape when he was acquitted is irresponsible. And it’s why I changed “committed” to “accused.” The former is speculation. The latter is fact.
Rusty, you have to get a sense of humor. Buy it, borrow it, develop it, whatever. I was joking around and yanking your chain. If you note, I started the following paragraph of that post (#45) with the words, “Seriously though” which is a dead give away that the previous paragraph was not a serious comment. I even commented in my rejoinder to your statement that my original comment was joking with you. Lighten up. Hell, I even quoted “Alice’s Restaurant” in my reply which was a further indication of tongue in cheek. I understand that you east coast liberals spend most of your time trying to control your St. Vitus Dance-like knee jerking and take yourselves way too seriously, but sometimes ya just gotta loosen up a bit.
I’m a little perturbed that people would accuse William Kennedy Smith of rape over a decade after the accusations.
I’m more perturbed that I missed the Alice’s Restaurant reference.
It was right there! Argh!