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Last Call
Ending in Arlington
In search of the essential Ted Kennedy.
I can’t remember where, but years ago I read something that, politically speaking, captured the essential Ted Kennedy. He was doing some advance work before an appearance by his brother. One look at the auditorium or gym and he knew it was too big. He had the event moved to a much smaller room. It would be easier to fill, and the cameras would make the turnout seem like a standing room only throng. Artifice was the heart and soul of the Kennedy operation.
Teddy rather knew as much, which is what made him such a good political performer at Democratic conventions and other such occasions, a blowhard in the best rhetorical sense, dutifully pounding and harrumphing away from the podium in the name of all the usual Democratic nonsense. Even with a delicious Boston accent it was a tough act to sustain over 47 often stale years, but he retained enough public charm and wit to pull it off, most notably to the benefit of presidential upstart Barack Obama in early 2008. And what luster he had lost was more than made up for that day by Caroline Kennedy’s participation.
It’s when his words actually mattered—or were supposed to matter—that he ran into serious problems. Even a diehard loyalist like Hendrik Hertzberg noted after Teddy’s death the permanent damage caused by “considerable evidence” of the efforts Kennedy took to create “a false alibi” in the immediate wake of Chappaquiddick. The savaging of Robert Bork was worthy of father Joe’s Hitlerian proclivities. A simple question from Roger Mudd proved deadlier than drink itself. Among the Kennedy faithful, for whom the dream has always endured, none of that of course mattered. Political sycophancy is as old as time, leaving its practitioners blissfully beyond the requirement of self-respect.
Some three years ago I was on a long Interstate drive, always an ideal time for a blast of NPR’s “Fresh Air.” Dave Davies was interviewing Ted about his new book, America Back on Track. The bowing and scraping I heard wasn’t my muffler bumping the roadway. Late in the piece Davies inquired about Ted’s famous role as surrogate father to Robert’s and John’s children. Oh, they’re just terrific kids, Ted replied, unable to say anything specific about them, noting only that some are doing wonderful work in environmentalism, making documentaries, or in “Save The Children, different types of activities.” He mentioned how he and they had all recently read up on their John Brown and taken a bus trip to Harpers Ferry, high-lighted by “the excellent presentations that are made by the Park Service down there…” So many years in the Senate, so many years on automatic government pilot.
And now he rests on hallowed government property, after a sendoff of sendoffs (even if most of those lining Washington’s streets appeared to be tourists lucky to witness something unexpected), ending up near the spot where his brother is said to have said in 1963, “I could stay here forever.” CBS and Time magazine revived that quote during their coverage of Teddy’s death, though one had JFK saying it eight months before his assassination, the other just eleven days before Dallas. Not that it makes any difference, since we all know the words probably belong to Theodore Sorensen.
Oddly, Ted’s alleged final words were never spoken by him, just put down on paper and in the first case fed to the press days before he died, his letter calling for speedy naming of a successor, and in the second case read at his burial by one of the family’s favored clerics. Unfortunately, the cleric read aloud not only Kennedy’s self-serving missive to Pope Benedict but also the Vatican’s curt reply—a public blowoff that a hale Ted Kennedy would have anticipated and thus prevented. But he’s gone, and when I went by his grave two days later there were but four or five visitors in front of it, a smattering of flowers still wrapped in grocery store cellophane, and a single guard not quite sure what he should be doing. It was late in the day, and what tourists were left all seemed to gather around John Kennedy’s grave, oblivious to the presence of a newcomer a few hundred feet away.
About the Author
Wlady Pleszczynski is editorial director of The American Spectator and the editor of AmSpec Online.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (42) | Leave a comment
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WRTolkas| 10.8.09 @ 7:45AM
My father and uncles are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I had no use for Teddy when he was alive and now it galls me that I have to walk by this monument to the serial stupidity of massachusetts voters (yes lower case m) to visit my father and uncles.
waddyakiddin me| 10.9.09 @ 12:45AM
Oh shut up. Your father and uncles were buried in some potter's field.
WRTolkas| 10.9.09 @ 1:09PM
Troll, Twelve-forty-five A.M. Wasn't that past your bedtime? Your mommy would be upset.
And Troll, at least I knew who my father and uncles were.
Becky| 10.8.09 @ 7:46AM
I would believe that. I don't think he meant much to the rest of America, who had to tolerate him first because of his brothers, and recently because of the people of MA.
I think Caroline found out the hard way, they really aren't America's royalty.
Robbins Mitchell| 10.8.09 @ 7:47AM
Is Nazi Joe's last big mistake still dead?
Mark| 10.8.09 @ 9:05AM
well, at least now he's sober
Rob| 10.8.09 @ 10:24AM
It's a shame they couldn't have buried him somewhere else, alongside political sycophancy, and away from Arlington.
waddya kiddinme| 10.9.09 @ 12:47AM
Hey Mark, try a drink now and then. You could use a personality.
KyMouse| 10.8.09 @ 10:47AM
Mike Gallagher was just talking about the ACLU's war against the WWI cross in the Mojave National Preserve. Will the ACLU try to get any cross images removed from Arlington, and what would the public's reaction be? (I know that the headstones themselves are slab-shaped, but crosses are incised on them, as are Stars of David.) I wouldn't put anything past the ACLU.
WRTolkas| 10.8.09 @ 11:20AM
Dear KyMouse,
Firstly, there are over 26 different types of headstones available to the deceased for dozen of religions. Secondly, Arlington is the "Holy-of-Holies" to the American Military and veterans. Not even the ACLU would ever dare to challenge or disrespect "this hallowed ground."
KyMouse| 10.8.09 @ 3:39PM
I hope your right, but the way our country is going to h-e-double-hockeysticks in a hurry, I wouldn't put it past the ACLU to try. They'll wish they hadn't.
Jack Thompson (R) | 10.8.09 @ 1:59PM
(". . .efforts Kennedy took to create “a false alibi” in the immediate wake of Chappaquiddick.")
NOBODY has ever PROVED A FALSE ALIBI nor have they proved he was drinking to excess. Plenty of people saw him that night. Read his sworn testimony. Show us his false alibi. You can't.
martin stuart| 10.11.09 @ 10:20PM
Ted never really got over the fact that his side lost the cold war and putting him in Arlington is digraceful.
Ammo Guy| 10.8.09 @ 4:36PM
This about says it all - no alibis needed!
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/11555
Cpm| 10.8.09 @ 7:11PM
Mary Jo Kopechne was the last person to see him that night, she would be the best authority.
waddyakiddin me| 10.9.09 @ 12:49AM
Hey Moron! News Flash! She is dead.
Cpm| 10.9.09 @ 8:44AM
Hey moron! I Know! Ted killed her! Sarcasm? Duh!Back under your bridge, troll. Oh, that's how Ted got in trouble.
Richard Baker| 10.8.09 @ 7:57PM
Ted should be interred at the Mustang Ranch and not at Arlington. For that matter, all the Kennedy brothers should be sent there. Disgraceful family.
waddyakiddin me| 10.9.09 @ 12:43AM
And yours is better?
Molon Labe| 10.8.09 @ 8:32PM
Ted, Ted,
I'm so glad you're dead.
You were a druken loser,
And I wish you'd died sooner.
But not in your bed at your fine fancy home,
No, instead under water,
As in a cold and dark tomb.
Ted, Ted I am SO GLAD YOU'RE DEAD!
waddyakiddin me| 10.9.09 @ 12:41AM
So Mr. Labe, something tells me your kids are going to write a similar poem about you.
Richard Baker| 10.9.09 @ 5:13PM
waddyakiddin me:
You must be one of the Drunk's supporters. The sycophancy shows. Heard about what was left out of his memoirs? You must be so proud of him.
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Mike Smith| 8.12.10 @ 1:14AM
My Gosh.....this moderate Republican is always so embarrassed to read responses like I see here from "conservatives." They seem to be the new "Great Unwashed." They sound a whole lot more like the people who trashed the White House at Andrew Jackson's Inuguration (sic) party. I remember when being a Republican stood for a bit of class. Those days seem to be long gone when I read the "trailer trash" bombast here. It is a sad period of history for us Republicans. Too bad..too bad.