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Chappaquiddick Shaped Kennedy's Legacy

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posted: 6 HOURS 29 MINUTES AGO

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(Aug. 26) -- If obituaries were written based on Google Trends results, Chappaquiddick would be in the first paragraph of Sen. Ted Kennedy's.

"Chappaquiddick" and other search terms related to the car accident on Martha's Vineyard that killed Mary Jo Kopechne account for four of the top 10 on the list as this is being written.

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Ted Kennedy's car pulled from water at Chappaquiddick

Sen. Ted Kennedy's car is pulled from the water at Chappaquiddick July 19, 1969. Mary Jo Kopechne's body was found in the back seat

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Whenever AOL News runs any story about Kennedy, readers quickly fill the comments area with references to the scandal. Here's a sampling of the vitriol from our article on the senator's death.

Mary Jo - It's finally over

"Kennedy remembered as a great leader, a 'joyess light'..." But never as a great driver by Mary Jo's account.

I wonder if Mary Jo has had a word or two with him yet.

i hope mary jo is the gatekeeper this week

Clearly, some have never forgiven Kennedy. And so, as unpleasant as it may be, no review of Kennedy's life is complete without a mention of Chappaquiddick's part in his legacy.

Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile off a wooden bridge on Chappaquiddick island after a party on the night of July 18, 1969. He escaped the submerged car, but Kopechne, his passenger, drowned -- and the young senator didn't report the crash until the next morning. A week later, he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and made this nationally televised speech to explain himself.

Damage-control efforts saved his Senate career, but the incident left an indelible mark on Kennedy's image. It fueled his reputation as a heavy drinker and womanizer. It's often cited as one of the main reasons Kennedy never became president.

"As long as I am in public life, the incident will be raised," Kennedy once acknowledged.

Chappaquiddick "may even have magnified Kennedy’s place in the history books," says Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jay Bookman. By putting the White House out of reach, the scandal "helped ensure that Kennedy’s life played out in the Senate instead" -- where, over nearly half a century, he became a legend.

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http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=702020&pid=702019&uts=1251284238

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Remembering Ted Kennedy

Edward M. Kennedy, who served in the Senate for more than four decades, died at his Massachusetts home Tuesday. "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," his family said.

Susan Walsh, AP

2009-08-26 11:33:34

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ZIGGYSLEDZ

07:06 PMAug 26 2009

They haven't declared him saint yet, what's taking so long?

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DchrisDenn

07:06 PMAug 26 2009

Those who choose to judge Edward Kennedy, to belittle him, to wish him to Hell, are the lowest of humans! How dare you to go above God Himself! Edward Kennedy will answer to God alone! And so will all of us!

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Martintcurran

07:04 PMAug 26 2009

Troutbum, I see you failed Debate101. You responded to a question I didn't ask. Even in a forum where your identity remains anonymous you are afraid to address truth and concede a reasonable argument/point. I gather, then, that you would advise your sober child that they should get in the car with the drunk. Very sad.

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Orbitxal1

07:04 PMAug 26 2009

For five decades, almost all major pieces of law to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of Americans had Ted Kennedy's name on it and came about from his efforts.

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Lucyceleste0

07:03 PMAug 26 2009

Screw his 'legacy'! A woman DIED!!! You AOL morons have really got to get your priorities straight!!!

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MasseyNM

07:03 PMAug 26 2009

Any good character Ted Kennedy might have had was left at Chappaquiddick. Anyone but a Kennedy would have served time for vehicular homicide.

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Dsamliv

07:02 PMAug 26 2009

good ridance.

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Srmunn

07:02 PMAug 26 2009

I love Martincurran's typical sleazy spin in blaming the victim.He does have a point, though, sort of. Mary Jo K. exhibited extremely poor judgement in trusting a Kennedy.

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PGail 99

07:00 PMAug 26 2009

DBluefish - Kennedy was anything but a "man of courage". Yes, he could have driven off the bridge by accident; but a man of courage would have managed to contact the police within the next hour, not waited 10 hours until the victim of his irresponsibility was dead. It is an embarrassment to Massachusetts that its citizens voted in a man who, had his name not been Kennedy, would have (and should have) served jail time.

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DrBryanOblivion

07:00 PMAug 26 2009

Maybe Kennedy wanted Mary Jo out of the may as she was becoming a problem, like Marilyn was becoming an embarrassing problem for JFK and RFK. Relationships are so complicated.

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