Ted Kennedy, Scandal Survivor

Who would have expected that young Ted Kennedy, whose early days in public life were almost totally strangled by scandals would end up considered respected, king-maker, active-to-the-end "Elder Statesman?"

The Kennedy (Caroline and Uncle Teddy) support for Obama was the  tipping point against Hillary Clinton.  It's ironic to think that Kennedy served in the Senate for forty-six (46) years, and Obama was born just two years before Teddy became a Senator.

For people of my generation and older the terrible irresponsibility (if not criminal action) of young and married Kennedy when he left Mary Jo Kopechne trapped in his car under water.  His seriously troubled first marriage was no secret at a time when journalists protected politicians.

I left America to live in Israel almost forty years ago, so in my mind Kennedy never really matured.  Yes, he got older and his hair whiter, but I've always been suspicious of him.

The younger Kennedy's have stayed mostly in his large shadow.  At one point it seemed like Bobby's daughter Kathleen would be the next Kennedy in power, but she didn't have the machine behind her.  She was more "nice" than charismatic.  Actually, she was in our house, not this one, the prefabricated one we lived in during our first five years in Shiloh.  Her cousin Caroline, more like her mother, prefers the privacy over the fame.  There are a few male cousins in minor office, but none seem to have that drive, that  need to control everything.

Teddy was thrust into the Senate as soon as he was old enough because his father Joe wanted to "keep it in the family."  Jack was in the White House and Bobby was Attorney General, but Teddy was too young, so one of the Kennedy followers "held" the seat until Teddy came of sufficient legal age.  So, now, maybe since he's dead the younger generation will fill his heavy shoes.