Ted Kennedy’s sons recall their father’s legacy

bostonglobe.com ^ | Sept. 4, 2012 | Brian MacQuarrie

[Free ThinkerNY]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The two sons of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy strode into the lobby of the Omni hotel on Tuesday morning and were besieged by delegates, reporters, and well-wishers. Photos were taken, sound bites recorded, and a flurry of handshakes exchanged.

“It’s like he’s still in Congress,” Ted Jr. quipped as he waited for his brother, Patrick, a former US representative from Rhode Island.

The sons arrived in Charlotte for an afternoon reception for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, which is being built at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and to attend a video tribute to their father later Tuesday during the opening night of the Democratic National Convention. Joseph Kennedy III, candidate for Congress form Massachusetts, will introduce the video.

The video, in part, would replay some of Kennedy’s debate performance against Mitt Romney in their 1994 Senate race, and resurrect issues -- economic and social -- that characterized Democratic differences with Romney both then and now.

[CaptainK]

How pissed off will the Massachusetts Kennedys be with a Massachusetts Romney presidency?

[tenger]

On that rare occasion that I feel my blood pressure is a tad low, I break out this video of Dick Durbin:

Dick Durbin refusing to answer questions at a press conference

[Lizavetta]

IIRC, Joe’s principal mistress was Gloria Swanson.

IIRC, he swindled Gloria out of a great deal of money.

[Vermont Lt]

I met Teddy several times. There was one time where he was really drunk. The rest of the time he was just hammered.

[crosshairs]

We all have our special memories of that pathetic lost soul

[dfwgator]

I wonder if the Kopechne family will talk about Ted’s legacy?

[crosshairs]

How did they make it all the way to Charlotte without at least one of them getting killed? Maybe they took the train. Obviously they didn’t drive a car, fly a plane or ski there. I’ve never heard of a Kennedy getting killed in any kind of a train accident.

Are you saying a Kennedy has never been killed boating or windsurfing? Amazing! Probably ran over a few swimmers with their yacht, at least.

[crosshairs]

It doesn’t say much for the Catholic church that whenever a Kennedy wanted a divorce they simply got the church to give them an annulment.

Hey, money talks. You think the upkeep at the Vatican is cheap? Thats a multi-billion dollar industry.

[ladyjane]

When they need a second divorce they have to take extreme measures, e.g., Robert Jr. and his very former wife Mary. RIP Mary.

[Twinkie]

“I’m from MA and have been putting up with them my entire adult life.” - You have my sympathy. I just have to take a breather from politics every once in a while, and I’m long overdue for a vacation (unlike Michelle). At least, be thankful you’re not one of those from MA who lives and breathes, (and worships) the Kennedys and lives by every word that proceedeth out of the mouths of the Kennedys. These sorts of “public servants” have just about done in the republic.

[MayflowerMadam]

That would be great. Duplicate the Wellstone fiasco and damage their campaign. I like it!