Sins Are Forgiven, But Only If You Ask
While the family of Mary Jo Kopechne was still mourning her tragic and needless death, LIFE magazine saw fit to publish this obscenely idolatrous cover story of Ted Kennedy’s recovery.
I’m so glad that he got over causing the death of another human being so quickly.
The man is now dying, but I have little sympathy. The Kennedy clan has been marked by extremes, seemingly doing little (if anything) in moderation: corruption, drinking, drug-taking, infidelity and killing.
And while I hope that whatever time he has left is as comfortable as it can be, I also hope in vain that Kennedy might in death do what he never did in life: offer some small token of remorse to the family of Mary Jo Kopechne. It doesn’t need to – and shouldn’t – be made public, but a posthumous act of this kind would allow the remaining Kopechnes a slight peace-of-mind that has been denied them since Mary Jo’s death.
But Ted is not done yet, proving his immense willpower in remaining as corrupt as he possibly can be until the very end.
Nothing matters to Democrats except power and they will do anything to achieve and retain it. In 2004, MA Democrats changed state law regarding the selection of a replacement senator to require a special state election, thus depriving then Gov. Mitt Romney of the lawful ability to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Kerry as he ran for president (y’know, like the Democrats recently did themselves in NY, IL and other places). Such an election had to take place within five months. Kennedy now wants to change this law again, to ensure that another subservient Democratic lackey will quickly fill his empty Senate seat.
And why does Kennedy so want this to happen? To make the passage of Barry’s health care plan more likely, thereby guaranteeing that the peerless medical treatment that Kennedy has received for his entire life remains forever out of reach to peons like you and I. Democrats absurdly think that they will level up health care, when all that their central command diktats will do is enforce a massive leveling down in the quality of health care provision.
Kennedy’s illness did not magically imbue him with the capacity to divine the solution to the health care issue, no more than being responsible for the death of another living soul allowed him to claim to be a man of conscience.
And helping to deliver state-rationed health care to millions of people who don’t want it, not to mention millions of illegal immigrants, will not atone for his past sins, either.
UPDATE: I erred before. Whenever mention of Ted Kennedy (I really dislike even referring to him as “Ted” as that implies some slight sense of camaraderie, kinship or familiarity, none of which I have nor want with the man) is made, one should always bring up the infamous Waitress Sandwich.
What a guy.
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August 20th, 2009 at 12:08
Ugh, the Kennedys. Ted’s dunderheaded son Patrick is my unfortunate representative in the House. I’ll never understand the average New Englanders’ fascination with this family. Look under the covers and you’ll find a history of corruption.
August 20th, 2009 at 12:42
I hope they are not able to change the rules again to favor themselves. Sounds like kids trying to make up the rules to a board game as they go along.
August 20th, 2009 at 13:32
..I am afraid you have it all wrong here. This was a picture of Kennedy taken while he was testing out a line of U.S. Divers’ snorkels he was going to endorse.
By the way, we want him to hang on as long a possible — at least until the health care issue is deader’n a door-nail. Otherwise, there’ll be this “win one for the Dipper” ethos in congress that might get the thing passed in memoriam.
August 20th, 2009 at 14:46
My stomach turns every time I hear Kennedy and Camelot in the same sentence. For a country that grew out of the people’s dislike of the monarchy, I can’t for the life of me understand this love affair with the Kennedy’s implied royal status. I’d rather stick a fork in my eye before giving respect to “Ted”. Cancer couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
August 20th, 2009 at 14:47
And before anyone thinks I’m one of those mean, racist, bible toting, gunslinging right wingers…. This just comes under the heading of what goes around comes around.
August 20th, 2009 at 14:52
OTC: not-so-lucky you! Remind me which scandals that particular Kennedy is famous for?
Opus: that’s exactly what it’s like, spoiled brats who sulk when everything doesn’t go their way.
Voyska: the thought of all the thoroughly undeserved obituaries, memorials and dedications that are to come is already making me nauseous.
Anon: hate speech! Hating, hateful, conservative, hate speech! (PS – As you’re no doubt aware, I don’t think that you’ll run into much opposition on this site, we appear to be almost entirely free of any lurking socialist trolls.)
August 20th, 2009 at 15:09
I loved this blog, I really enjoyed reading it.
August 20th, 2009 at 16:35
I’ll never understand the average New Englanders’ fascination with this family.
Speaking as what I would consider your “average New Englander” – I wonder about the same thing. I’ve lived in New England all my 46 years; I grew up in MA under the jackboot of the Kennedy clan.
Believe me – no one wonders about the Kennedy “mystique” more than those of us in New England who can string 2 sentences together.
They are wealthy – and that’s about it. Their money bought Jack the presidency, bought his wife for him, got Teddy out of trouble for the Kopechne murder and has kept untold other “situations” from ever seeing the light of day.
They should be reviled, not worshipped.
August 20th, 2009 at 18:11
Well TAC, I suppose you could say that Patrick takes after dear old dad.
You may recall the episode in 2006 when he crashed his Ford Mustang into a barrier near Capitol Hill at 2:45 AM and blamed it on Ambien. Just a few months earlier, Patrick hit a car driven by an off-duty U.S. Coast Guard Warrant Officer in Rhode Island. If those episodes don’t ring a bell, perhaps you remember the incident in 2000 when he grabbed and pushed a security guard at LAX.
What you may not have heard about is the time in 2000 when Kennedy abandoned a rented yacht off Martha’s Vineyard after causing $28,000 in damages to that pleasure craft. That same year, his “girlfriend” had to be rescued by the Coast Guard from yet another rented yacht after she and Patrick became embroiled in an argument.
Then of course there have been his repeated trips to rehab for alcoholism and drug addiction. But my favorite Patrick moment occurred in 2003 when he exclaimed, “I have never worked a f***ing day in my life.”
August 20th, 2009 at 19:40
“And before anyone thinks I’m one of those mean, racist, bible toting, gunslinging right wingers…. This just comes under the heading of what goes around comes around.”
These days that’se fast becoming a compliment. Welcome to the club, friend