Sen. Ted Kennedy has died of brain cancer at age 77.
There is much to criticize in his career,
particularly leaving Mary Jo Kopechne to die after the auto
accident on Chappaquiddick Island in July 1969. The ensuing
cover-up kept him out of jail and preserved his Senatorial
career, but effectively ended his presidential
hopes. Even in the twilight of his career he
failed to take responsibility for his actions, which tragically
and unnecessarily ended another life. The result is an
indelible stain on his legacy, which should disturb
even liberals, whose cause he so effectively (and
unfortunately) championed.
But today our thoughts and prayers should go out to his
family. Edward M. Kennedy, RIP.
Update: Jim beat me to the punch, posting while I was
writing. He is right about the complexity of Sen. Kennedy's
character. It is tragic that someone who could do good had
such tragic flaws.
About the Author
Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and the Senior Fellow in International Religious Persecution at the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics (Crossway).
