alternatehistory.com

On May 1st, 1971, at a press conference in Boston, Ted Kennedy announced that he would not be a candidate for the Democratic nomination in 1972. He said that "After months of serious thought and consideration, I have decided that running for President at this time would be wrong. Wrong for my family and wrong for myself. I pledge to do whatever I can for whoever emerges as our party's nominee, so that our Democratic party is victorious in November of 1972." Kennedy made this announcement despite the fact that polling showed even or ahead of candidates like Edmund Muskie, Hubert Humphrey, and George McGovern.