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The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby, and Ted and a ...

book about the Kennedy clan and politics by Vincent Bzdek

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All Hail Ted!

May 26, 2009

by missed

Rating:

While this book is titled "The Kennedy Legacy," the subtitle should really be something along the lines of "How Jack and Bobby's deaths help make Teddy a star." Not that I mind: I'm a fan of Ted Kennedy as a politician (Jack and Bob died before I was born). But this thin tome would have been better served if it had taken a more rounded look at the Kennedy Legacy as a whole rather than how it all funneled into Ted's still growing legacy.

For example, Bzdek discusses Jack's run for president against Richard Nixon. He fails to note that it was Jack who first began the whole "missile gap" fearmongering, and does not note that radio listeners (this debate really marked the end of radio as a national tool for disseminating information) felt that Nixon won the debate, whereas television viewers felt that Jack won. Minor points? Perhaps. But if you're going to title your book and use the word "Legacy," little things like these facts can go a long way in creating a well-rounded image of your subject.

I enjoyed this read regardless. There's some pocket psychology I could do without, but overall it's a fascinating, albeit short, look at the Kennedy clan in politics.