Ted's Tainted Dream
by Graham Davies

He was the only one of four brothers to survive beyond the age of 50. He had to carry a particularly heavy Torch of political idealism all on his own for more than half a century of public service.

He had a knack for getting people to sit round a table and consider compromise without making them feel that they were conceding their principles. And he was a fine set-piece political presenter, who could make lofty ideals seem to be practical possibilities rather than hot air.

He forced himself out of his sick-bed to perform one last big speech at the Democratic Convention last year. He thus ensured that he could be satisfied with the feeling that he had said all that really needed to be said. This emotion was never within reach for any of his prematurely departed brothers.

But the saddest fact is that all his glorious words were continually tainted by his drinking, womanising and general lack of judgement in his personal life. His Personal Presentation Brand had really been in a state of constant decay from the moment he gor into a car with Mary-Jo Kopechne.

When all is said and done, nearly all the fine words that Kennedy has said have been hugely devalued by just some of the things he has done.