I happened to notice a fairly recent issue of Time in my company library, featuring an article about “Camelot” on the cover. And it made me think - does anyone still care about this?
I don’t mean to diminish the lives and works of John or Robert Kennedy or anyone else connected with them, but does this stuff really matter anymore? What, honestly, had JFK Jr. done when he was so tragically taken away from us, other than be produced from a set of famous loins?
Obviously Time thinks this stuff is important, or else it wouldn’t be on the cover, but then again, the media is notorious about force-feeding us stuff we’re really not that interested in and flavoring it as “news”, such as the recent 24/7 coverage of all the nothing going on in the Chandra Levy case.
What do you think? Are the activities of the Kennedys (especially those with no political history) interesting to you? Do you find even the ones with a political history overplayed? What was your favorite hat that Jackie wore?
That phrase makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. This is a democratic republic, if they are a “royal” family, it is time to have a revolution all over again.
JFK had a vision for the space program which took us to the moon…The rest is hype.
Does anybody else find it strange that from Marilyn Monroe to the trial of Michael Skakle (spell?) anyone who can testify against a Kennedy seems to “overdose” at the worst possible time?
Obviously, no, I am not interested. As for fashion, I think that “Jackie O” idolitry has gone on long enough. Perhaps designers could find another source of inspiration.
Unfortunately, old Joe Kennedy has set these morons up for life-they will be running for office 50 years from now! Of course, the family is so moronic that they are less of a threat these days, but just look at the senior senator from massachusetts-Ted Kennedy is a bloated drunk who is reputed to be dying of cihrossis .The Knnedy fortune is sufficient for these louts to be around for a LONG time!
It turns out that this is hype as well. Tapes were released today that reveal Kennedy’s real feelings about the space program. In a nutshell - it didn’t interest him at all and he didn’t like spending money on it. His only goal was to score a political victory against the Russians.
Actually, many people remember JFK and RFK nostalgically, as youthful and energetic men who represented the hopes of a generation. This helps Kennedy candidates greatly in Democratic primaries, which in Massachusetts and Maryland (the states they’re running in) are pretty much the general election. You won’t see Ted on a national ticket, but Kathleen Kennedy Townshend, should she become governor, will get long hard looks as a running mate in future elections. If Christopher Kennedy becomes Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 2002 he could run for Senate two years later against a guy who’s way too conservative for the state and was only elected because he was fighting against a scandal-plagued incumbent, and barely at that. Then he’d be a senator from a vote-rich swing state, another springboard to a national ticket. Also, Mark Shriver’s name could carry him through the primary in the House race he’s eyeing. I’d hardly say the Kennedys are irrelevant.
And here in Massachusetts, Ted’s the only one in office. Joe couldn’t get elected governor, and Max couldn’t get into the House. Sure, neither actually ran, but pretty much everyone accepts that it’s because the family didn’t think they could win.
As for Camelot, and “America’s Royal Family” and all that crap, that just represents a victory for style over substance. And did anyone ever stop to think that royal families are simply un-American? What makes our country great is that we do not toil to serve our superiors, but for our own gain.
Actually, Joe would’ve won, according to polls, and Max would be in a first place tie. Neither ran because of the lashing they knew they’d get from the right, and it’s Massachusetts so the Democrat would probably win anyways.
