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What Happened at Chappaquiddick [Happy Anniversary
American Heritage ^ | July 18, 2006 | Alexander Burns

Posted on 07/18/2006 9:54:03 AM PDT by ncountylee

Late on the night of July 18, 1969, a car went off a bridge on Martha’s Vineyard. With a young senator from Massachusetts, Edward Kennedy, at the wheel, the Oldsmobile sank into the water beneath the Dike Bridge.

In a sequence of events that instantly became famous, Senator Kennedy escaped from the submerged vehicle and swam to shore. By 2:30 a.m. he had made his way back to his hotel in Edgartown, where he was sighted in the lobby. He made 17 phone calls to family members and associates. But not until 10 hours after the accident did he call the police to tell them about the car crash—and the other person in the car, who had died.

Senator Kennedy had not been alone. Riding alongside him had been a young woman, not his wife, named Mary Jo Kopechne. She had been sitting next to him as they drove away from a party, and as they crossed Dike Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island the accident ended her life. It would haunt the rest of Kennedy’s career.

After President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and then the killing of Robert F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy was regarded as the next standard-bearer of America’s foremost political family. With the 1972 presidential election approaching, many, including some of President Richard M. Nixon’s advisers, expected the youngest Kennedy brother to make a bid for the White House. As the details of the events at Chappaquiddick slowly emerged, however, they significantly weakened his prospects.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanheritage.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: abovethelaw; anniversary; chappaquiddick; corruption; crime; dontcallmebobby; drunk; dui; jailtime; kennedy; leftscene; manslaughter; maryjokopechne; maryjosuffocated; notinmybackyard; obstructjustice; perjury; teddytheswimmer; weremember; whenpigsswim
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To: ncountylee

61 posted on 07/18/2006 10:27:30 AM PDT by dead
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To: raccoonradio
Most amazon.com reviewers loved the Ted K kids' book, being loyal liberals. But a couple reviews...

"There is so much about this book that is appalling...but the one thing that really stands out is the blatant and STUNNING lack of respect for the young woman that he left to drown at Chappaquidick! Of all the names the Senator could have picked..he picks Splash? What was he thinking? The lack of integrity and compassion is chilling."

-----

"The Kennedys are arguably the most destructive family ever to defile America. So I was aghast to find this book in my local B&N in the innocent children's section. I picked it up gingerly, somehow fearing that doing so would cause hard-earned money to automatically disappear from my wallet. The contents are typical leftist fare. Immoral "Chappaquidick" senator battles mean old conservatives for an education finance bill, thereby saving the day for failing public schools and rewarding liberal teachers union. I was impressed at how the publisher made this book so realistic - it actually reeked of a strange combination of sea water and gin. After perusing this I placed it face down under a dwindling stack of Ann Coulter's latest blockbuster entitled Godless. Perhaps Teddy can persuade son Patrick to write a children's book glorifying drink and drugs."

62 posted on 07/18/2006 10:28:16 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: YCTHouston
Maybe you'd like to post the number

(202) 224-4543

63 posted on 07/18/2006 10:29:08 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: EagleUSA
The fat, drunk woman killer still walks the streets today. Amazing what money can do.

Ditto!

64 posted on 07/18/2006 10:30:12 AM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: Victoria Delsoul

Kennedy ping.


65 posted on 07/18/2006 10:30:21 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
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To: tioga
No, that he wasn't even in the car or the nearby vicinity when she went off.

I read a rather exhaustive book on the incident a number of years back. It had quite a few different possible scenarios and the reasons why they could have occurred.

One such possible scenario had him leaving the car after the local cop saw his car go by with only one person visible in it. Without it's lights on as I recall.

You can use your imagination about why she wasn't visible.

It had him exiting the area so he wouldn't be discovered with her. And she drove off the tiny bridge on the curve with no headlights on. A road he was familiar with, but she wasn't.

The next morning, drunk and stupid, he was informed of what happened and then began to scramble for a cover story with his advisers. Witnesses at the time were puzzled by his story because they were sure he was genuinely surprised about the accident initially.

I'm quite sure we will never know the truth and the fat ass old imbecile will take it to his grave with him.

66 posted on 07/18/2006 10:31:26 AM PDT by Protagoras ("Minimum-wage laws are one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of racists." - Walter Williams)
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To: ncountylee

67 posted on 07/18/2006 10:34:28 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Man was made in the image of God, not pond scum)
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To: napscoordinator
There is no statute of limitations on murder.

Negligent homicide, I do not know.

Ted Kennedy was negligent and deceitful. He did not render aid, instead he saved his own hide and presumably sobered up in the intervening hours. CERTAINLY the people he was with could have called the police.

There was some investigation at the time. I do not know if it was sufficient to prevent further prosecution (i.e. would it put him in double jeopardy).

What do you allege Tom DeLay to have done?
68 posted on 07/18/2006 10:34:49 AM PDT by weegee (Merry Jo Kopechne Day!)
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To: ncountylee

Quite the puff piece.


69 posted on 07/18/2006 10:36:25 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
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To: napscoordinator

note my tag line.

DeLay didn't kill anyone on purpose or by accident.
If you read the story, you know that Fat Teddy drove a car, with this young woman beside him, into the bay at Chapiquiddick. He escaped and, rather than call for help, he went to his hotel room and made dozens of phone calls to his family, lawyers, etc..

Rather that even TRY to save this woman's life, he spent precious time trying to save his sorry behind.

The story he told was patent lies and a sychophantic officialdom, still feeling sympathy for John and Bobby's deaths, let his off the hook.

I remember it well, him and his pathetic neck brace.

he's still drinking chivas, whilst SHE is dead, dead, dead.

Big diff between him and DeLay.


70 posted on 07/18/2006 10:36:26 AM PDT by camle (ueu)
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To: camle

Hmm tag line got messed up - here's another try


71 posted on 07/18/2006 10:37:12 AM PDT by camle (keep yoru mind open and somebody will fill it full of something for you)
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To: camle

uh can we try that tag line one more time, please?:-)


72 posted on 07/18/2006 10:37:46 AM PDT by camle (keep your mind open and somebody will fill it full of something for you)
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To: RedRightReturn
What about manslaughter?

Civil suit?

Who might have "standing" to file?

73 posted on 07/18/2006 10:37:48 AM PDT by paddles
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To: Protagoras

Interesting theory, except for the missing little factoid that he admits he drove off the bridge, and that she was with him...


74 posted on 07/18/2006 10:39:36 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)
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To: Darkwolf377

................"A friend once told me that the Kennedys have made sure the bridge stays clsed, which is a big inconvenience for the folks who live there"..........

Huh???

The original bridge was torn down, after so many folks visited there and tok away a wood sample, but a new bridge was immediately rebuilt - with heavy wooden sides so a car couldn't go off into the 30 foot wide stream running under it.

We had a camera all set up to have my picture taken on the bridge, with me play acting of trying to strangle my wife, but a car came along before the shutter went off.


75 posted on 07/18/2006 10:40:01 AM PDT by aShepard (Maybe the UN should donate UNICEF proceeds to the Gates Foundation, and fold!)
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To: aShepard
Huh???

That's why I wrote "Not sure if that's accurate." Although I HAVE seen the photo. Oh well.

76 posted on 07/18/2006 10:43:53 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (http://www.savethesoldiers.com/)
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To: rightgrafix
I just called myself, but got a busy signal.

That will happen every time you call yourself.

77 posted on 07/18/2006 10:44:15 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: ncountylee

Be specific. Which despicable Kennedy? Which crime?


78 posted on 07/18/2006 10:45:24 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: ncountylee
Toll free number for the US Capitol

1-888-355-3588

79 posted on 07/18/2006 10:45:52 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: EagleUSA

The only high profile case Grand Jury that NEVER leaked.


80 posted on 07/18/2006 10:46:16 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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