Wednesday, July 18, 2007
This Day in the History of Evil
On this day in 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) got away with manslaughter when he drove his mother's car off the Dike Bridge and into shallow Poucha Pond on Chappaquiddick Island, due East of Martha's Vineyard, and killed Mary Jo Kopechne. Wait, it's worse. There is evidence from John Farrar, the rescue diver who recovered the body, and from the undertaker Eugene Frieh, who prepared the body for shipment for burial (there was no autopsy performed), that Ms. Kopechne was alive for a while after the plunge, perhaps two hours, breathing air trapped in the back of the car, and suffocated rather than drowned when the CO2 level in the air pocket got too high. The drawing is from the inquest which didn't result in even a finding of negligence. Valiant rescuer Kennedy walked back from the accident passing two houses with people in them and their lights on to the place where the party (six single women, six married men, plenty of alcohol) had taken place, but did not report the accident to police for at least 11 hours. Neither Ted Kennedy, the least of the Kennedy brothers, nor any of Kennedy's friends at the party thought twice, apparently, about leaving Ms. Kopechne in the water for that long. Prompt notification of the proper authorities might well have saved her. John Farrar thinks he could have rescued her if he had known of the accident shortly after it occurred.
A less rich man would have gone to prison. Kennedy has been reelected to the Senate at least 6 times since. Sometimes I despair at the lack of real Justice in America and the idiocy of the electorate.
Labels: American Injustice, Chappaquiddick
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:32 AM 
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Rog,
Time for my yearly comment on this event. Hard to explain how he made a left turn onto the Dike Road inasmuch as that led to the Atlantic Ocean beach as oppposed to back toward the ferry to Edgartown.
Hard to explain how the other people, one of whom was Paul Markham, who went back to the car in an effort to save Kopechne, let him go afterward.
Really hard to explain about swimming the channel between Chappaquidddick and Edgartown. This is at least 150 yards maybe longer.
T
Time for my yearly comment on this event. Hard to explain how he made a left turn onto the Dike Road inasmuch as that led to the Atlantic Ocean beach as oppposed to back toward the ferry to Edgartown.
Hard to explain how the other people, one of whom was Paul Markham, who went back to the car in an effort to save Kopechne, let him go afterward.
Really hard to explain about swimming the channel between Chappaquidddick and Edgartown. This is at least 150 yards maybe longer.
T
# posted by 
: 10:45 AM
: 10:45 AM
"and the idiocy of the electorate."
I agree. Maybe we should require a test or something. Why there are some people who think Bush will still go down in history as a successful president. Should people who think like this be allowed to vote?
I agree. Maybe we should require a test or something. Why there are some people who think Bush will still go down in history as a successful president. Should people who think like this be allowed to vote?
# posted by : 7:29 PM
: 7:29 PM 
Peter b, we allow everyone over 18 and not in prison to vote. So, yes, even those who believe Bush's reputation will grow like Truman's get to vote. I know it's inconvenient but...
Eric, and I didn't throw in the expulsion from Harvard for cheating or what went on at UVA law school, not to mention his notorious philandering, or how very little he has accomplished in 4 decades in the Senate. A horrible man in nearly every measure.
Eric, and I didn't throw in the expulsion from Harvard for cheating or what went on at UVA law school, not to mention his notorious philandering, or how very little he has accomplished in 4 decades in the Senate. A horrible man in nearly every measure.
Roger,
Take the under on Bush's reputation.
If you want, we can trade the two paragraphs that will be devoted to his presidency in HS US History books published in 2040.
T
Take the under on Bush's reputation.
If you want, we can trade the two paragraphs that will be devoted to his presidency in HS US History books published in 2040.
T
# posted by : 9:58 AM
: 9:58 AM
I just spoke to a buddy who works in the sports book at the Mirage.
Odds that Bush will go down in history as a successful president:
75-1
Odds that Bush will go down in history as the worst president ever:
Even money.
I bet a couple of bucks at even money that he'd be remembered as the worst. Seemed like a big overlay to me. Always look for value.
Odds that Bush will go down in history as a successful president:
75-1
Odds that Bush will go down in history as the worst president ever:
Even money.
I bet a couple of bucks at even money that he'd be remembered as the worst. Seemed like a big overlay to me. Always look for value.
# posted by : 12:40 PM
: 12:40 PM
Looking only at the 20th century, there were at least four presidents who were unequivocally worse than GW Bush (Wilson, Carter, Johnson, and Kennedy) and only three who were unequivocally better (T Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Reagan). If there were any real way to adjudicate that bet, I'd take it in a heartbeat, and not for just "a couple of bucks".
How has the sports book become the oracle of truth? I'm with Doug, even though he hates Wilson much more than I do.
I disagree Doug. I think GWB is worse than any of the four you cited. particularly b/c he had 2 terms to do his damage whereas Kennedy had < 1; Carter only 1 and Johnson slighly more than 1.
Only Wilson had 2 terms and I'm with Roger here.
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Only Wilson had 2 terms and I'm with Roger here.
# posted by : 4:26 PM
: 4:26 PM << Home
