Let's remember the Kennedys

The Old Medic

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Why do people remember the Kennedy's? Let's look:

There was the father, Joseph P. Kennedy, who made his money running illegal booze during prohibition. He made millions, because he was a gangster (you didn't make much money running booze back then, unless you had the enforcers to keep the other gangs away, plus the money to pay off the cops and the politicians. He had both.

He bought his way into becoming Ambassador to Great Britain. He was a disaster, and ended up being withdrawn because the British were on the verge of declaring him "Persona Non Grata" because of his open campaigning for the Nazi's. He told the press that Britain was foolish to fight the Nazi's, that their leadership was crazy, and that they should make a pact and become allies of the Germans. Roosevelt was so disgusted with his behavior that he kicked him out of government service, and made certain that Joe Kennedy never got another position.

Old Joe had groomed his eldest son to run for President. Unfortunately, his eldest son was killed during the war, so he switched to his next oldest son, JFK. He spent over $50,000,000 (in an ear when that was a HUGE amount of money) getting his son into the House, then into the Senate. He spent even more in securing his son the Presidential nomination. It is well known that he bought almost half of the votes necessary to get his son nominated.

John F. Kennedy, accomplished almost nothing of his agenda as President; was unfaithful to his wife with dozens of women; lied to the American people about his medical condition (Addison's Disease, which affects mental as well as physical well being); but was perceived as a "Young, vigorous President" because he was almost totally shielded by the press. The best thing for his memory was that he was murdered while in office. Had he served his two terms, he would have gone down in history as a mediocre President.

Then there's Bobby, who also screwed anything between 14 and 80, never sponsored a single bill of any importance, got into the Senate solely because he was JFK's brother, and was on his way to becoming President for the same reason.

Ted got into office solely because he was a Kennedy. He had no other qualifications at that time. He had been kicked out of Harvard for cheating, was considered a "wastral" and was the biggest skirt chaser of all of the brothers. Unlike his brothers, he did grow into the office, and he became a power in the Senate. BUT, like all the Kennedy men, he didn't believe in marital fidelity (he drove his first wife to drink with his constant philandering, then abandoned her). He killed an intern he was taking off to have sex with, and lied his way out of any punishment. Sadly, all too many were ready to forgive him, because he was a "Kennedy".

He ran for President 3 times, and made it exactly nowhere. He never even came close to obtaining the nomination for any office outside of Massachusetts.

Yes indeed, a family of extremely low morals, a family with no standards of civilized behavior, total hypocrites to their professed religion (they claim to be Roman Catholics, but they stood FOR abortion, Ted was divorced and remarried but still was allowed to have the Sacraments [which violated Church Law, but he was a "Kennedy"]), and they set about as poor an example of the way that people should conduct themselves as it is possible to do.

Yes indeed they are really some people to remember and emulate, aren't they?

I remember them, all too well.
 

JLM

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Nov 27, 2008
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Read the book "The Last Brother"- that delves into all the skulduggery the various Kennedys were involved in.
 

talloola

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Nov 14, 2006
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Read the book "The Last Brother"- that delves into all the skulduggery the various Kennedys were involved in.

i'm not contradicting what you read BUT, when one reads books about people's personal lives, or their
complete lives, how do you know what to believe and not believe, anyone can write just about anything,
and in the u.s., or anywhere where there is a political axe to grind, the books can be very nasty, while
seeming very sincere, when they are not.

I did read 1000 days, (I think that is the name), about jfk, was written by a fellow politician and
friend, (aurthur schlesinger I think it was), so he kept to the facts without adding gossip or
anything outside the actual work of a president, which is what a friend would do, but those books
written by certain others would not be like that.

I have heard gossip about him murduring marilyn monroe for instance, which there is no proof, but
definitely makes an impact on all of those who take the written word as gospel, and believe everything,
and don't understand how 'loose' it all is, so back to my question, how does one really know, or
do we just all believe what we want to believe, and pass that on.

i'm being sincere here, not sarcastic.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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i'm not contradicting what you read BUT, when one reads books about people's personal lives, or their
complete lives, how do you know what to believe and not believe, anyone can write just about anything,
and in the u.s., or anywhere where there is a political axe to grind, the books can be very nasty, while
seeming very sincere, when they are not.

I did read 1000 days, (I think that is the name), about jfk, was written by a fellow politician and
friend, (aurthur schlesinger I think it was), so he kept to the facts without adding gossip or
anything outside the actual work of a president, which is what a friend would do, but those books
written by certain others would not be like that.

I have heard gossip about him murduring marilyn monroe for instance, which there is no proof, but
definitely makes an impact on all of those who take the written word as gospel, and believe everything,
and don't understand how 'loose' it all is, so back to my question, how does one really know, or
do we just all believe what we want to believe, and pass that on.

i'm being sincere here, not sarcastic.

Yep, whenever anyone writes anything, you are not sure of what their agenda is. On the other hand when there is three or four events or situations described in
a book that coincides with other accounts, that tends to give it some credibility. Then there is the fact that with all the power in the Kennedy family you can be fairly certain that the author would have had his ass sued off had he not been presenting the truth. As far as Joe Sr. goes, I didn't really learn much new from the book- heard pretty well all of it before. The main thing that separates the Kennedys from most American families is MONEY.
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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Yep, whenever anyone writes anything, you are not sure of what their agenda is. On the other hand when there is three or four events or situations described in
a book that coincides with other accounts, that tends to give it some credibility. Then there is the fact that with all the power in the Kennedy family you can be fairly certain that the author would have had his ass sued off had he not been presenting the truth. As far as Joe Sr. goes, I didn't really learn much new from the book- heard pretty well all of it before. The main thing that separates the Kennedys from most American families is MONEY.

that's right, and what about all of the other wealthy families, the bushs for instance, the secrets
must be pretty interesting, and I wouldn't trust any of them, but I don't know, and I'm not going
to read anything about them, and their republican cronies/authors will write positively and their
democrat enemies will find all the smut, and put it out there, so I will concentrate on more important
lives, like 'mine' for instance, all of that money doesn't get in the way, 'geeze' can't believe I
said that, a vault full of money would not phase me at all, I would quietly stuff it in the
bank, and make it work for me, and wouldn't bat an eyelash. lol
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
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that's right, and what about all of the other wealthy families, the bushs for instance, the secrets
must be pretty interesting, and I wouldn't trust any of them, but I don't know, and I'm not going
to read anything about them, and their republican cronies/authors will write positively and their
democrat enemies will find all the smut, and put it out there, so I will concentrate on more important
lives, like 'mine' for instance, all of that money doesn't get in the way, 'geeze' can't believe I
said that, a vault full of money would not phase me at all, I would quietly stuff it in the
bank, and make it work for me, and wouldn't bat an eyelash. lol

Smart thinking. Why is it that of all the hundreds of things people can have in common, party affiliation is the most hateful and destructive? ...............well, apart from money that is.
 

gopher

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Jun 26, 2005
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The Kennedys remain a great family. Quite a contrast with abortionist Prescott Bush, and his two corporate welfare giving imperialist warmongering son and grandson - what a crime klan that is!
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
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The Kennedys remain a great family. Quite a contrast with abortionist Prescott Bush, and his two corporate welfare giving imperialist warmongering son and grandson - what a crime klan that is!

Yes, great in terms of size of the family tree- otherwise exactly how are they great? :lol:
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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Yes, great in terms of size of the family tree- otherwise exactly how are they great? :lol:

I wonder how one could determine how 'any' family is great. In the kennedy conversation, so much trash
has come out about them, as I have said before, and no one is really interested in finding all the good
they, as individuals, have done for others. Ted Kennedy is a good example of that, no one cares how
much good he did for regular people, and he didn't brag it around either, it was done as a senator and
a private citizen, quietly, and he and other members of that family continued on, as they have always
done, thru much grief, more than any of us can think about, and yes, the mistakes, 'that' is what was talked talked about all over the world, and never left to die.

Again, it comes down to the 'money', people with money and fame who make mistakes will hear about it
for years, people without money who makes same kind of mistakes, move on, and it is forgotton.

Yes, it's all about the money.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
I wonder how one could determine how 'any' family is great. In the kennedy conversation, so much trash
has come out about them, as I have said before, and no one is really interested in finding all the good
they, as individuals, have done for others. Ted Kennedy is a good example of that, no one cares how
much good he did for regular people, and he didn't brag it around either, it was done as a senator and
a private citizen, quietly, and he and other members of that family continued on, as they have always
done, thru much grief, more than any of us can think about, and yes, the mistakes, 'that' is what was talked talked about all over the world, and never left to die.

Again, it comes down to the 'money', people with money and fame who make mistakes will hear about it
for years, people without money who makes same kind of mistakes, move on, and it is forgotton.

Yes, it's all about the money.

I wonder what Mary Jo Kopechne's family thinks of Teddy!
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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I wonder what Mary Jo Kopechne's family thinks of Teddy!

just a example of exactly what I was saying, mary jo kipechne's family has been
mentioned thru the years every time ted kennedy's name was mentioned, but nothing
else he ever did that was 'good' for the country/people is ever thought about.

thousands of women have died since she died, because of careless and neglectful acts
by men they were with, no one remebers any of them, unless they were either rich or
famous.
I remember the happening with mary jo very clearly, we all were horrified, and had
the same reaction. Imagine him, the rich spoiled womanizer, getting away with this.
Well, years later, when I grew wiser, and began to see the world a little clearer, and learned
how people act in 'all' walks of life, I put ted kennedy in the catagorie along with the
rest of the young men, or anyone, who had reacted in a manner that he did at that time.

To begin with, it was an accident, he did try to save her, was unsuccessful, panicked, went
home, tried to figure out what to do along with his family, and now here is the difference
between him and someone like us, 'the money', and if we had the money he had, and were in his
shoes, we also would do all we could to save ourselves.

He was young, stupid, drunk, careless, the accident happened, 'he did try to save her', and couldn't.

He did not murder her, and what happened was an accident.

But no one ever forgave him, or understood, because he was 'rich' and 'famous', how does that make
him any different from my neighbour, if the same thing had happened to him.

And, yes, if someone talked to her parents today about the accident, it would be interesting to
hear them speak, because maybe they have put it behind them long ago, and moved on, remembering
their daughter forever, and perhaps understanding what happened, and not torturing themselves
hating ted kennedy.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
just a example of exactly what I was saying, mary jo kipechne's family has been
mentioned thru the years every time ted kennedy's name was mentioned, but nothing
else he ever did that was 'good' for the country/people is ever thought about.

thousands of women have died since she died, because of careless and neglectful acts
by men they were with, no one remebers any of them, unless they were either rich or
famous.
I remember the happening with mary jo very clearly, we all were horrified, and had
the same reaction. Imagine him, the rich spoiled womanizer, getting away with this.
Well, years later, when I grew wiser, and began to see the world a little clearer, and learned
how people act in 'all' walks of life, I put ted kennedy in the catagorie along with the
rest of the young men, or anyone, who had reacted in a manner that he did at that time.

To begin with, it was an accident, he did try to save her, was unsuccessful, panicked, went
home, tried to figure out what to do along with his family, and now here is the difference
between him and someone like us, 'the money', and if we had the money he had, and were in his
shoes, we also would do all we could to save ourselves.

He was young, stupid, drunk, careless, the accident happened, 'he did try to save her', and couldn't.

He did not murder her, and what happened was an accident.

But no one ever forgave him, or understood, because he was 'rich' and 'famous', how does that make
him any different from my neighbour, if the same thing had happened to him.

And, yes, if someone talked to her parents today about the accident, it would be interesting to
hear them speak, because maybe they have put it behind them long ago, and moved on, remembering
their daughter forever, and perhaps understanding what happened, and not torturing themselves
hating ted kennedy.

I hear you Talloola- I just don't happen to be a great fan of the Kennedys. Certainly, most of the Kennedys have done some beneficial and nobel things, and they deserve credit for that. I started forming an opinion of them many years ago and I don't get too excited about people who are able to buy privilege, especially when the old man was an out and out crook. But having said that you can't hold the younger generation to blame for all his shenanigans either. Eunice did a lot of good for the disabled in starting the Olympics for the Disabled. Maybe it's just sour grapes on my part as a guy who had to work for most of what he's got- and then reading the book "The Last Brother" didn't particularly endear them to me. Then there was the nephew of J.F.K. - it might have been Jean's son who got himself into a crock of sh*t which I think the family was able to mainly buy his way out of. But you are right- the good stuff we don't hear about, and I guess if I was rich I'd certainly use it to MY advantage. Probably just the fact that everything they do good or bad hits the news kind of tires me of them.
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
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He was young, stupid, drunk, careless, the accident happened, 'he did try to save her', and couldn't.

He did not murder her, and what happened was an accident.

Somewhat akin to a first lady who when she was young, stupid, and drunk, killed a friend in a car accident.
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
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Which one was that?

On the night of November 6, 1963, Laura Welch (later, Bush) ran a stop sign, causing a fatal car accident that killed her friend in another car. The driver of the other car was her close friend and classmate Michael Dutton Douglas. By some accounts, he had been Welch's boyfriend at one time.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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113
Vernon, B.C.
On the night of November 6, 1963, Laura Welch (later, Bush) ran a stop sign, causing a fatal car accident that killed her friend in another car. The driver of the other car was her close friend and classmate Michael Dutton Douglas. By some accounts, he had been Welch's boyfriend at one time.

Oh yeah, I recall hearing about that. Never heard that she was drunk though. Could it be just one of those unfortunate incidents that happened during a moment of inattentateness (that happens with all of us periodically)?
 

Johnny Utah

Council Member
Mar 11, 2006
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Don't forget your flippers..
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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Vancouver Island
I hear you Talloola- I just don't happen to be a great fan of the Kennedys. Certainly, most of the Kennedys have done some beneficial and nobel things, and they deserve credit for that. I started forming an opinion of them many years ago and I don't get too excited about people who are able to buy privilege, especially when the old man was an out and out crook. But having said that you can't hold the younger generation to blame for all his shenanigans either. Eunice did a lot of good for the disabled in starting the Olympics for the Disabled. Maybe it's just sour grapes on my part as a guy who had to work for most of what he's got- and then reading the book "The Last Brother" didn't particularly endear them to me. Then there was the nephew of J.F.K. - it might have been Jean's son who got himself into a crock of sh*t which I think the family was able to mainly buy his way out of. But you are right- the good stuff we don't hear about, and I guess if I was rich I'd certainly use it to MY advantage. Probably just the fact that everything they do good or bad hits the news kind of tires me of them.



yeah, and doesn't the media just love it, if we want our skin to crawl from the behavior of human beings,
maybe we should focus more on how 'they' make their money, I would have much more respect for any
rum-runner any day. South west marine drive has rows and rows of mansions, some of which were built
with rum-running profits. I wish my dad had would done that, rather than drink it all when it arrived,
would have made our home life a little more comfortable and congenial.