I grew up in the Soviet Union and can venture a guess.
The Soviet thinking was thoroughlly through the prism of the class structures. Since both Kennedy and Reagan were upper class, -- in fact, Kennedy more so than Reagan, -- the distinctions between them that we see as between the Democrats and the Republicans, the KGB did not consider important. The American system was viewed as rule of the very rich, the "capitalists", through the proxies of two political parties and illusion of democratic change.
They did not consider the American Left (other than the Communist Party USA and maybe another fringe group or two) as allies, or even trustworthy collaborators. They probably calculated that Kennedy's offer would come with a price of political openness inside the Soviet Union: release of political prisoners, freedom to emigrate, greater flow of information, that kind of thing.
Do not forget that the Soviet Rrgime depended on the continued Cold War in order to justify political repression at home and interventions abroad. They, perhaps, feared real confrontation or even being outspent on defense, -- hence, their interest in so-called detente, but they did not want the military standoff to go completely away.
In short, it is possible that they did not prefer Ted Kennedy to Reagan at that stage. To them, the ideal American president would be someone in the middle, neither a dove or a real hawk.
“I grew up in the Soviet Union and can venture a guess.
The Soviet thinking was thoroughlly through the prism of the class structures. Since both Kennedy and Reagan were upper class, — in fact, Kennedy more so than Reagan, — the distinctions between them that we see as between the Democrats and the Republicans, the KGB did not consider important. The American system was viewed as rule of the very rich, the “capitalists”, through the proxies of two political parties and illusion of democratic change.
They did not consider the American Left (other than the Communist Party USA and maybe another fringe group or two) as allies, or even trustworthy collaborators. They probably calculated that Kennedy’s offer would come with a price of political openness inside the Soviet Union: release of political prisoners, freedom to emigrate, greater flow of information, that kind of thing.
Do not forget that the Soviet Rrgime depended on the continued Cold War in order to justify political repression at home and interventions abroad. They, perhaps, feared real confrontation or even being outspent on defense, — hence, their interest in so-called detente, but they did not want the military standoff to go completely away.
In short, it is possible that they did not prefer Ted Kennedy to Reagan at that stage. To them, the ideal American president would be someone in the middle, neither a dove or a real hawk.”
Thank you for that insight!