Let's Bash a Kennedy: Chappaquiddick

lol@dick being in the word Chappaquiddick.

New book, old conspiracy theory first written about in 1969. Third person was involved.

Everyone knows the basic story, or should: Kennedy drove his car off the bridge and swam to safety while, in the backseat, a young woman drowned.

Personally, I like the 1969 style of writing.

As Senator Mike Mansfield explained it, with a certain lack of felicity, “After all, even a politician is human.” Those who disliked, feared, or distrusted the Kennedys, those who were merely skeptical, had grosser explanations. It was whispered that Ted had been drunk when he drove down the wrong road, that he was having an affair with Mary Jo, that the “cookout” in the cottage hideaway masked a Roman orgy. And jokes circulated, too cruel to bear repeating.

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This, obviously, was written back when eloquence was still a journalist's bread and butter. Call it the pre-salacious days of journalism. Hell, the piece does not even provide a picture of Mary Jo (why can't anyone spell her name by rote?).

Anyway, I digress.

...he looked more a delinquent college student caught in some prank his father could not fix, than a United States senator. “Guilty,” he answered almost inaudibly after the clerk had read the charge, and then repeated more loudly “Guilty!” still without lifting his head. District Judge James Boyle sentenced him to two months in the Barnstable House of Correction — he could have made it two years — and then suspended the sentence on the grounds that Kennedy “has already been, and will continue to be, punished far beyond any sentence this court can impose.”

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We all should catch a break like that. Should we not?

So, long story short, as we know, Teddy killed a girl and walked. That's not really a CT in the strictest sense, although one certainly could beg to differ.

But, all that favoritism and turn a blind eye aside, is there perhaps some grey here. What if Teddy was banging the girl whose purse they found, and no one had any idea that Mary Jo was in the back seat?

...this hypothesis would have had her [Mary Jo] feeling slightly dizzy, leave the stale air in the crowded room of the cottage to take a nap in the back of the Oldsmobile. At some time after midnight, Kennedy decided to take Rosemary Keough to the beach. When they left they did not notice Mary Jo in the back seat, although Deputy Sheriff Look observed her at the Dyke Road turnoff. Once the car flipped over at the bridge, Kennedy and Rosemary Keough — minus her purse — got to the surface, to the shore, and back to the Lawrence cottage. With only their car wrecked they would have felt no need or wish to knock on doors along the way. When they did arrive at about 1:30, the first question they were asked was: Where is Mary Jo? Then it was that the party dimmed. Still hopeful that she too might have found her way to the shore, Kennedy and Gargan and Markham headed for the bridge, searched both banks, but could find no sign of her.

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So, what's the CT? :shrug: Make one up.


Mine is that Kennedy was drunk as a skunk, ran off with some babe, maybe even two, wrecked his car and saved his ass. After that, being all rich and privileged, everyone else covered it for him.

calamity said:

lol@dick being in the word Chappaquiddick.

New book, old conspiracy theory first written about in 1969. Third person was involved.

Everyone knows the basic story, or should: Kennedy drove his car off the bridge and swam to safety while, in the backseat, a young woman drowned.

Personally, I like the 1969 style of writing.

This, obviously, was written back when eloquence was still a journalist's bread and butter. Call it the pre-salacious days of journalism. Hell, the piece does not even provide a picture of Mary Jo (why can't anyone spell her name by rote?).

Anyway, I digress.

We all should catch a break like that. Should we not?

So, long story short, as we know, Teddy killed a girl and walked. That's not really a CT in the strictest sense, although one certainly could beg to differ.

But, all that favoritism and turn a blind eye aside, is there perhaps some grey here. What if Teddy was banging the girl whose purse they found, and no one had any idea that Mary Jo was in the back seat?

So, what's the CT? :shrug: Make one up.

Mine is that Kennedy was drunk as a skunk, ran off with some babe, maybe even two, wrecked his car and saved his ass. After that, being all rich and privileged, everyone else covered it for him.

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How about that JFK's foul mouth while he was trying to put footprints on the moon?

calamity said:

lol@dick being in the word Chappaquiddick.

New book, old conspiracy theory first written about in 1969. Third person was involved.

Everyone knows the basic story, or should: Kennedy drove his car off the bridge and swam to safety while, in the backseat, a young woman drowned.

Personally, I like the 1969 style of writing.

This, obviously, was written back when eloquence was still a journalist's bread and butter. Call it the pre-salacious days of journalism. Hell, the piece does not even provide a picture of Mary Jo (why can't anyone spell her name by rote?).

Anyway, I digress.



We all should catch a break like that. Should we not?

So, long story short, as we know, Teddy killed a girl and walked. That's not really a CT in the strictest sense, although one certainly could beg to differ.

But, all that favoritism and turn a blind eye aside, is there perhaps some grey here. What if Teddy was banging the girl whose purse they found, and no one had any idea that Mary Jo was in the back seat?



So, what's the CT? :shrug: Make one up.


Mine is that Kennedy was drunk as a skunk, ran off with some babe, maybe even two, wrecked his car and saved his ass. After that, being all rich and privileged, everyone else covered it for him.

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I've always thought he was just a weenie. Probably too shell-shocked by the wreck and unable to think of anyone but himself. Too scared to try and save the girl and too embarrassed that he hadn't. But, yeah, a dick to be sure.

HowardBThiname said:

I've always thought he was just a weenie. Probably too shell-shocked by the wreck and unable to think of anyone but himself. Too scared to try and save the girl and too embarrassed that he hadn't. But, yeah, a dick to be sure.

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And likely too drunk to make a good decision in the moment.

But yeah, I think I agree with you.

However his family picked-up the ball, and covered-up a criminal act that resulted in a fatality. Let's not give them a pass on this, whatever we do.

Chomsky said:

And likely too drunk to make a good decision in the moment.

But yeah, I think I agree with you.

However his family picked-up the ball, and covered-up a criminal act that resulted in a fatality. Let's not give them a pass on this, whatever we do.

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That last line is technically a conspiracy. Right? Certainly it has to be if we factor in the judge and the various important players in the state of Mass who managed to keep him in the senate for another 50 years.

calamity said:

That last line is technically a conspiracy. Right? Certainly it has to be if we factor in the judge and the various important players in the state of Mass who managed to keep him in the senate for another 50 years.

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Depends.

I'm sure his family conspired in the initial hours, no different than today when a drunk leaves the scene of his DUI accident, and hides out until he sobers up. Because that is exactly with Ted Kennedy did with the assistance of his family.

Kennedy received a suspended sentence slap-on-the-wrist, for "leaving the scene". In reality, he deserved a stiff felonious sentence for DUI manslaughter. Which is what would have happened, if he remained at the scene.

This was not Ted's, nor his family's, brightest hour.

Teddy Kennedy was knighted by the Queen of England.
I wonder what title he went by.Sir Rosis or Sir Cumference

Mary Jo shouldn't have grabbed the wheel

Remember when Barbara Walters interviewed Ted Kennedy?
Twed,was Mary Jo pwegnant when you dwove over the bwidge?

Chomsky said:

And likely too drunk to make a good decision in the moment.

But yeah, I think I agree with you.

However his family picked-up the ball, and covered-up a criminal act that resulted in a fatality. Let's not give them a pass on this, whatever we do.

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I think that's the biggest problem with this story -- his family. But, that kind of think happens with the wealthy and well-known. And it's a shame.

HowardBThiname said:

I think that's the biggest problem with this story -- his family. But, that kind of think happens with the wealthy and well-known. And it's a shame.

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Actually, allowing my cynicism to rise, I'd argue this cover-up phenomenon occurs among families of all income groups. The affluent just have more resources to be able to promote a more effective cover-up & defense.

Chomsky said:

Actually, allowing my cynicism to rise, I'd argue this cover-up phenomenon occurs among families of all income groups. The affluent just have more resources to be able to promote a more effective cover-up & defense.

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Good point. Family (rich or poor) helps you "bury the body" after all. But, the very wealthy have the means to "buy justice."

Chomsky said:

Actually, allowing my cynicism to rise, I'd argue this cover-up phenomenon occurs among families of all income groups. The affluent just have more resources to be able to promote a more effective cover-up & defense.

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Back in the day, a Kennedy was a lot like Teflon Don. Ted probably could have shot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lost a single vote.

calamity said:

Back in the day, a Kennedy was a lot like Teflon Don. Ted probably could have shot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lost a single vote.

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Fair point.