In the most inspiring speech of his career, Ted Kennedy once
vowed: "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the
work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and
the dream shall never die."
Unlike his martyred
brothers, John and Robert, whose lives were cut off before
the promise of a better future could be realized, Ted lived
long enough to make many promises come true. During a career
that spanned an astonishing half-century, he put his imprint
on every major piece of progressive legislation–from health
care and education to civil rights.
There were times
during that career–such as after the incident in
Chappaquiddick–when Ted seemed to have surrendered to his
demons. But there were other times–after one of his
inspiring speeches on the floor of the Senate, for
example–when he was compared to Henry Clay, Daniel Webster,
John Calhoun, and other great lawmakers of the past.
Indeed, for most of his life, Ted Kennedy played a
kaleidoscope of roles–from destructive thrill seeker to
constructive lawmaker; from straying husband to devoted
father and uncle. In Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never
Died, celebrated Kennedy biographer Edward Klein at last
reconciles these contradictions, painting a stunningly
original, up-to-the-moment portrait of Ted Kennedy and his
remarkable late-in-life redemption.
Drawing on a vast
store of original research and unprecedented access to Ted
Kennedy’s political associates, friends, and family, Klein
takes the reader behind the scenes to reveal many secrets.
Among them:
• Why Caroline Kennedy, at Ted’s urging,
aspired to fill the New York Senate vacancy but then
suddenly and unexpectedly withdrew her candidacy. • How
Ted ended his longest-lasting romantic relationship to marry
Victoria Reggie, and the unexpected effect that union had on
his personal and political redemption. • What transpired
between the parents of Mary Jo Kopechne and Ted Kennedy
during two private meetings at Ted’s home. • Which feuds
are likely to erupt within the Kennedy family in the wake of
Ted’s demise, and what will become of Ted’s fortune and
political legacy.
Ted Kennedy: The Dream That
Never Died does not shrink from portraying the erratic
side of Ted Kennedy and his former wife, Joan. But both in
spirit and tone, it is a compassionate celebration of a
complex man who, in the winter of his life, summoned the
best in himself to come to the aid of his troubled nation.
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