WI: No Chappaquiddick

Just as the tin says. If Chappaquiddick doesn't happendoes Ted Kennedy have a chance at the presidency?
 
Just as the tin says. If Chappaquiddick doesn't happendoes Ted Kennedy have a chance at the presidency?

Perhaps. But I don't think he'd run. He never really expressed the same burning passion for the role that Presidents have; the one time he did was more out of a distaste for Carter than anything else.

Shortly after Chappaquiddick, he lost his position as Senate Majority Whip to Robert Bryd. I reckon that without the Chappaquiddick Incident, Ted Kennedy won't become President, but Senate Majority Leader.
 

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Just as the tin says. If Chappaquiddick doesn't happendoes Ted Kennedy have a chance at the presidency?

He might run in '72- lot of talk of him taking the plunge, but of course he never did, and no one really expected him too. If he runs in '72 he has a good chance of getting Nomination, and a decent shot running against an unbeatable Nixon, although is likely to loose, albeit far closer than McGovern.

Ted's also more likely to have a child, given how his wife's third miscarriage from around this period was blamed on the stress of Chappaquiddick.
 
Part of why his heart wasn't in it was he knew the Chappaquiddick would be brought up in attacks and often, and possibly other scandals, and scandals of his brother, without Chappa maybe he's not so scared that the scandals will come up. But another demon on holding him back from WANTING the job was what happened to his two older brothers. That had to have a sobering effect.
 

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Part of why his heart wasn't in it was he knew the Chappaquiddick would be brought up in attacks and often, and possibly other scandals, and scandals of his brother, without Chappa maybe he's not so scared that the scandals will come up. But another demon on holding him back from WANTING the job was what happened to his two older brothers. That had to have a sobering effect.

Certainly this would be something to consider- '72 would be a miss, though in '76 and '80 it wouldn't be out of place to see his name on the Campaign Posters. Maybe just as the one under the Nominee.
 
I seriously wonder how much of an impact Chappaquiddick had on Kennedy's career considering OTL in 1972 and 76 he was seen as a candidate who everyone expected to run for president, and could give the GOP a run for their money; George McGovern preferred him as a running mate to Thomas Eagleton.

I still don't think he'd run even without the incident. Through the 70s and 80s, he was a bit like Al Gore is now: People kept speculating he'll run for president in spite of there being no evidence that wants to because he's a big name and a known quantity.
 
First I have to admit I'm not a TEK fan. That said I would expect him to step on his crank in some other fashion. Most likely involving women and liquor.
 
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