Not much was known of Joseph Kennedy other than he was his father Joseph's early pick to be President some day. WWII ended that dream. John F., on the other hand, became the next in line to accomplish his father's wish for one of his sons to be President. Robert Kennedy took up the challenge following the tragic death of President Kennedy by an assassin's bullet.
We now know that John and Robert Kennedy were a couple of womanizers and high rollers. Joseph Kennedy Sr was a known bootlegger and fixer within the political network of good old boys. The Kennedy boys grew up rich and led the socialite life style - wine, women and song. Teddy boy fit right in.
They say you shouldn't kick someone when they're down or say bad things about them when they die. Maybe so for the general rule of being a nice guy. As an old combat soldier, I always put a couple of extra rounds into the bad guys that I shot to make sure they stayed down. I also cussed the poor bastards later. As General Patton said, "Make the other poor son-of-a-bitch die for his country." I always thought that made a lot of sense.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, 1932-2009, was the third longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate behind Robert KKK Byrd (D-WV) and Strom Thurman (R-SC), serving 47 years before his death. He was first elected in November, 1962 and was elected nine times. He was one of the Senate's most liberal senators. And today's, mostly liberal, socialist, media have made him one of America's greatest ever "Statesman."
Edward M. Kennedy, most often referred to by his nickname "Teddy" (Rose Kennedy called her fourth son Teddy after her grandfather Edward who she also called Teddy) was no statesman. He was a spoiled rich kid who never worked a day in a private-sector job. As I said to a friend, the only two good deeds Kennedy ever did for his country was 1. Die and 2. Serve briefly in the U.S. Army (even then, with the help of his father, he avoided the Korean War by serving in Europe and only served half of his enlistment before being discharged as a PFC).
He was expelled twice at Harvard for cheating. While going to law school in Virginia he was cited for reckless driving four times. He was a known drunkard. Despite his reckless actions on and off campus, he managed to pass the bar exam in 1959.
In 1964 he was seriously injured in a plane crash and hospitalized for several months. Hospital tests showed that he was highly intoxicated (drunk) at the time of the accident.
Kennedy's biggest scandal occurred on July 19, 1968, during a drinking party on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. Shortly after 11:00 pm he offered to give Mary Jo Kopechne, a campaign worker, a ride home. Both had been heavily drinking at the time. Kopechne climbed in the back seat and laid down. A short time later, with Kennedy behind the wheel and Kopechne asleep in the back seat of the Oldsmobile limousine, the car careened off the bridge of the road and turned over into Poucha Pond.
Kennedy managed to escape from the overturned, submerged car and swim to shore. He then walked back to the party leaving Kopechne trapped in the back seat of the car. Instead of reporting the incident to the police, Kennedy went back to his hotel and went to sleep. He called the police the following morning. By then the police had discovered the Oldsmobile in the Poucha Pond. Kopechne had scratched at the upholstery on the floor of the overturned car trying to get out. Authorities believe there was an air pocket above her head and she probably survived for a period of time before drowning. Had Kennedy summoned help, they may have been able to save Kopechne.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was given a suspended sentence of two months. So much for justice. Had it been anyone else without the political connections of the Kennedy's, they would have been behind bars for a long time. Statesman - not in my book.
In his nearly fifty years in the U.S. Senate Kennedy did much damage to the nation with his socialist driven legislative agenda. He played a major part in allowing millions of illegal immigrants to cross our unsecured borders. He was a strong advocate of granting amnesty to all illegals. He was an outspoken advocate of more and more gun control - a staunch anti-Second Amendment politician who favored banning the private ownership of firearms in America. He supported Flag burning, same-sex marriage, homosexuals in the military, Global Warming (now referred to as climate change) and opposed the War on Terror. He was in favor of every social crackpot scheme dreamed up by the Democrats including socialized medicine.
He was well known for endless and degrading grilling of Republican Supreme Court nominees. His scathing remarks directed against Robert Bork, Reagen's USC nominee, became known as the infamous "Borking" of a nominee. Kennedy had the audacity to grill nominees on "what was right." What a jerk.
He was a well known drunk and womanizer around the Washington DC area. A real loud mouthed, foul minded individual who had a reputation for practically molesting women on restaurant and night club tables and booths while in a drunken stupor.
Well, there you have it. Judge for yourselves - Villain (skunk) or Statesman?
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