'54 years ago today, the Kennedy clan forever lowered the bar of acceptable conduct in American politics in a degradation that still plagues the public order today.' -TianaTheFirst
In a country perhaps more democratic than our little republic, a dynasty like the Kennedys would have been shamed into obscurity long ago. It was nearly a century ago that Joseph Kennedy Sr. used his post as ambassador to the United Kingdom to side with Nazi Germany, and just two decades later, after the family patriarch succeeded in coronating his son president, John F. Kennedy repeatedly demanded sexual favors from the staff .
Kennedy publicly maintained that he was not drunk, and quickly the Kennedys assembled a legal team including a past and future defense secretary, ABC News executive, senator, lobbyists, and speechwriters. The first goal was to keep Kennedy out of prison. The second was to salvage his political prospects and hope of one day running for president.
We all know how the story ended, at least in terms of its immediate consequences. Well, there were virtually none, as Kennedy was given a two-month suspended jail sentence and one year of probation after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and driving too quickly. But in the long run, Chappaquiddick permanently shifted the Overton window of conduct the public expected from our political elites.
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