Leo Damore speculates that when the car hit the water, Kennedy was thrown clear. Seat belt usage was not common at that time, and shoulder harnesses were not standard equipment. The inrush of water closed the door after he was clear.
The bridge was one lane, with a couple of 2 x 10’s laid flat as “guard rails”. Kennedy had been approached by Constable Huck, a teenage summer constable in Edgartown in a police uniform. Huck was authorized to direct traffic and chalk tires, not issue tickets or make arrests. He was on his way home and saw Kennedy’s car stopped on the side of the road. Chappaquiddick is a maze of dirt roads and dead ends, and tourists often became lost in those days before GPS. He approached the car to offer directions, or other help. Kennedy who was probably tipsy and in a car late at night with a woman not his wife saw a uniformed officer approaching and took off at 60 MPH towards the bridge which was meant to be crossed at about 15 tops. Huck did not follow, and probably felt sheepish about upsetting what he took to be a couple of summer tourists.
https://www.amazon.com/Chappaquiddick-Power-Privilege-Kennedy-Cover-Up/dp/1621578186
Occam’s razor explanation Mary Jo was pregnant and - eh watch the movie and you’ll see what is the simplest explanation -
Once the press figured out how to get away with lying and manipulating public opinion they have only grown more bold in their lies and corruption, they are the worst abusers of 1st amendment rights.
“Senatorial Privilege” is a great book, one that I have read multiple times.
I think speculation Kennedy wasn’t in the car is groundless. If he wasn’t, he would have most certainly found a way to weasel out of it somehow. He tried to weasel out of it even though he was IN the car.
But he couldn’t. He had to admit he was in the car, and driving.