The end of the Kennedy Era has come. Some are crying and some are cheering; but all do recognize that this family has had a powerful influence on American politics. The quinticental Robber Baron, Machiavellian Princely family. Starting from an overload patriarch liquor runner and Nazi supporter (the inconvenient truth) with four sons. This family had a plan and even though the first son died in WWII the plan never faultered - only the sons.
John got lucky. In fact, Nixon supporters might argue that luck had nothing to do with it - it was the Chicago machine that put him over the top.
The third son, it seems, was a fluke. He actually cared about the people. But alas, he was a victim of history.
And then there was Teddy. The forgotten. Cheating his way through Harvard, given a second chance with daddy's money and connections; booze, women and sex (with the unfortunate indescretion) followd on. Granted, it didn't help his emotional stability to have three older brothers killed and then the mantle of fame and the responsibility to raise all the children tossed on his shoulders.
Did he manage it well? In some cases. In the Senate he did make a name for himself and seemed to have achieved some success, though one has to wonder was it what he did or just that he was there for sooo looong. In the big picture however, he could not live up to the dream. Certainly Chappaquiddick put the nail in the coffin of what many thought was a no lose opportunity for him to be President. this little indiscretion gave us Carter. Thank you senator!
On the whole, his life was a sad tale of waste and disappointment accompanied by throngs of rock star hangers-on longing for a lost dream. Perhaps a different generation of Kennedys but I doubt it. Caroline seems to be the only one with character and she doesn't seem like a "Rose" style matriarch.
Say good-bye to Teddy and the dream that never was and likely never will be.
Too bad his legacy may end up being his name on a health care bill future generations will curse as being a horcrux around the necks of the overtaxed and underserved masses.
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