[FrankR]

It always amazed this Georgia boy how a fat, slobbering drunk, murderering son of a bootlegger ever became such an "influence" in the United States.

It's like he had Massachusetts in a trance of some kind, and made it totally politially incorrect to utter in public any disparaging words about the "senate lyin'".

I guess the phrase "follow the money" explains it.

[pt17]

It always amazed this Georgia boy how a fat, slobbering drunk, murderering son of a bootlegger ever became such an "influence" in the United States. It's like he had Massachusetts in a trance of some kind, and made it totally politially incorrect to utter in public any disparaging words about the "senate lyin'". I guess the phrase "follow the money" explains it.

You may (or may not) recall how the (free)world media promoted JFK as some kind of dashing, handsome, super war hero political royal person and the aura was picked up by his family by association. Despite the fact that the family was highly dysfunctional and composed of a bunch of less-than-brilliant bimbo chasers, that generation of folks in MA, as well as other democratic enclaves, clung to the image of them as some sort of political elites.

To this day, the name Kennedy brings up an image of a youngish, dashing, handsome and brilliant personality (JFK) rather than a tired, ugly, unshaven political crook (Nixon). IMHO, Teddy benefited from this associative comparison until the very end. In any event, that's the best answer I can come up with. Hopefully someone has a better one.

[hinckley buzzard]

In answer to your question, it is a plain fact that the assassinations of JFK and RFK were the best things that could ever have happened for Ted Kennedy. As the "last Kennedy" he was granted a lifetime pass by the Massholes.