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July 20, 2009
40 Years Later Kennedy Still Getting Away With Death of Mary Jo Kopechne
Spinning Kennedy For 40 Years
In Massachusetts, everyone just loves Senator Ted Kennedy. In the Boston media, this man can do no wrong, especially now because of his illness, but we all know there are things few of us could get away with but he did simply because he’s a Democrat and (more importantly) a Kennedy.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, killed July 18, 1969 after leaving a party with Senator Edward Kennedy. That night, Kennedy drove his car off a bridge, and left the scene with Kopechne still in the submerged vehicle; he did not call the police until the following morning.
Perhaps the most egregious example of the liberal media planting a pro-Kennedy spin on Chappaquiddick came in a January 5, 2003 Boston Globe Magazine profile of Kennedy:
“If she had lived, Mary Jo Kopechne would be 62 years old. Through his tireless work as a legislator, Edward Kennedy would have brought comfort to her in her old age.” — Charles Pierce Globe writer
We all know what would happen to any of us had we walked away from the scene of an accident where someone died. Continuing on as a United States senator would not be one of them.
Remember that while Ted Kennedy continues to be celebrated
On this day 40 years ago 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne was left in the car to drown
Sometime around midnight, on July 18, 1969 Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile 88 off of a small bridge on Chappaquiddick island, into eight feet of chilly water. The vehicle landed upside-down. While Kennedy managed to free himself from the wreck and swim to safety, his passenger, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne was left in the car to drown.
Once he reached shore, Kennedy claims to have made seven or eight attempts to rescue Kopechne, but could not free her.
Kennedy then walked back to the cottage where he and four other men, were partying with several young women known as the “Boiler Room Girls“ who had worked on Robert Kennedy‘s campaign. Though Kennedy passed by a fire station and a private home to return to the cottage, he never stopped to ask for help for the trapped Kopechne.
He returned to the party and according to Kennedy himself, informed his cousin and a friend of the situation. The two men, Joseph Gargan and Paul Markham claim to have returned to the scene of the accident and made several unsuccessful attempts to free Kopechne.
Then Kennedy’s story takes an even stranger turn.
After the failed rescue attempts, Kennedy claims to have jumped back into the water and made the 500-foot swim across the channel back to Edgartown. He then walked back to his hotel and spent the night. He even took the time to change clothes and pay a visit to the front-desk, to complain about a noisy party--no doubt Kennedy's sloppy attempt at securing an alibi.
The next morning, Gargan and Markham around 8:00 a.m., and were supposedly shocked to discover that Kennedy never reported the accident to police. According to Kennedy‘s own testimony, he told them: "about my own thoughts and feelings as I swam across that channel ... that somehow when they arrived in the morning that they were going to say that Mary Jo was still alive"
The two men along with Kennedy went back to Chappaquiddick, where Kennedy spent some time making phone calls, seeking advice from various individuals as to how to proceed.
Meanwhile, two fisherman had discovered the submerged car and notified police. At 8:45a.m. a diver recovered the lifeless body of Mary Jo Kopechne.
It was not until 10a.m., over nine hours after driving-off of the bridge that Ted Kennedy went to the police station in Edgarton to report the accident.
Kennedy then gave the following prepared statement to police: “On July 18, 1969, at approximately 11:15 p.m. in Chappaquiddick, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, I was driving my car on Main Street on my way to get the ferry back to Edgartown. I was unfamiliar with the road and turned right onto Dike Road, instead of bearing hard left on Main Street. After proceeding for approximately one-half mile on Dike Road I descended a hill and came upon a narrow bridge.
The car went off the side of the bridge. There was one passenger with me, one Miss Mary [Kopechne], a former secretary of my brother Sen. Robert Kennedy. The car turned over and sank into the water and landed with the roof resting on the bottom. I attempted to open the door and the window of the car but have no recollection of how I got out of the car. I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see if the passenger was still in the car. I was unsuccessful in the attempt. I was exhausted and in a state of shock.
I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There was a car parked in front of the cottage and I climbed into the backseat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to Edgartown. I remember walking around for a period and then going back to my hotel room. When I fully realized what had happened this morning, I immediately contacted the police”
In a move which must have been rather tortuous for her parents, Kennedy attended Mary Jo's funeral, wearing a neck brace (which he reportedly never wore again) and looking rather pathetic.
The diver who recovered Kopechne’s body, John Farrar testified at the official inquest that her body was found where the air pocket would have formed. He said: “Had I received a call within five to ten minutes of the accident occurring, and was able, as I was the following morning, to be at the victim's side within twenty-five minutes of receiving the call, in such event there is a strong possibility that she would have been alive on removal from the submerged car.”
A week after the incident, Kennedy pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a suspended two-month sentence. Kennedy then went on national television to repeat his rather implausible story, and to ask for the public’s “prayers.”
The ensuing scandal and questionable details given by all of those involved is now left to speculation. It was obvious to most people that Kennedy had allowed a young girl to drown, in a desperate and self-serving attempt to protect his political career.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
It is sickening how the media and the Democrats and the RINO’s fawn over what a great man Ted Kennedy is/was.
It’s more revolting as the years pass. No justice.
....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
United States Army
1965-1971
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at July 20, 2009 05:48 AM
Comments
This doesn't say much about the honor and integrity of the people of Massachusetts for continually reelecting him. But then, they also continually reelect the likes of John Kerry and Barney Frank.
Posted by: BobF at July 20, 2009 07:37 AM
Wouldn't it be great if Kennedy drove Pelosi over the same bridge?
Posted by: Bob A at July 20, 2009 09:11 AM
Thank you Chrissie. My memory lapsed badly, but the media dutifully acknowledged the moon landing which occurred 40 years ago too. When can this POS join those of the ilk of Johnson, McNamara, Cronkite and a plethora of other amoral killers. I more than agree BobF and Bob A. It goes much deeper than the individuals in question, it's their base. Example: Obama nearly beat the media to the airwaves to praise Cronkite as an American hero yet he has to be forced to make a statement about events of grave national concern.
Posted by: Jack at July 20, 2009 11:12 AM
To my knowledge, Ted Kennedy never showed remorse for this incident. I guess he considers it just one of the costs of getting drunk.
Posted by: TomR at July 20, 2009 01:23 PM
If the people of Massatwoshits had any integrity they would immediately kick out Hanoi John, Barney Fwank, and Fatso from Hyannis Port. Honor, was lost 80 years ago at least.
Posted by: Mark at July 20, 2009 03:08 PM
BobF., that's true.
The last time I was in Boston, the
people we met worshiped the Kennedy
family. It was sickening.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 20, 2009 07:44 PM
Jack, your right, and not a word about
the missing soldier either. He only needs
to make a statement of our Nation is praying
he will be found and returned safely unharmed.
He would choke on any of that for sure.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 20, 2009 07:47 PM
Tom, I think your right, I really doubt
he has any remorse about it at all.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 20, 2009 07:48 PM
Mark, your right that word might even
be taken out of the dictionaries in
Mass. The voters don't seem to know
what it means.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 20, 2009 07:50 PM
