NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Vicki Kennedy and the Kennedys 'brat boys' attack on her -- Ted’s widow brave in her efforts to keep the Kennedy sons in line

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Vicki Kennedy and the Kennedys 'brat boys' attack on her -- Ted’s widow brave in her efforts to keep the Kennedy sons in line

Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 08:23 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

25 Comments

RSS

Archives

Vicki Kennedy pictured with Sen. Ted Kennedy

The news of a Kennedy family feud involving Vicki Kennedy, widow of Ted, and her two stepsons Patrick and Ted Junior, is hardly surprising.

It seems the family is fighting over Ted’s legacy institute and how the funding is organized as well as access to the Hyannisport house where Ted lived the last few years.

Seems the Kennedy lads wanted to use Ted’s mansion for their own ends but Vicki wants it as a permanent institute and memorial to her husband as he had specified in his will.

Some of the Kennedy clan allegedly wanted performer Taylor Swift to stay there on the recent July 4th holiday but Vicki would have none of it.

The Boston Globe revealed the feud after the brothers informed a family friend who clearly leaked it to the Boston paper. It was a pre-emptive strike against Vicki. “Brat Boys Attack” is how the Boston Herald headlined it.

My heart is with Vicki on this one. I have met her on several occasions, canvassed for a full day with her and her husband during his tough race against Mitt Romney back in 1994, and have observed her up close on many occasions since.

She strikes me as a wonderful woman, who prolonged Ted’s life and happiness and took him away from the often-sordid life he led after his first marriage breakdown.

They always seemed a special couple when I met them and she looked out for and watched over him on every occasion. You could see the love was reciprocated by him, as he clung to her like his anchor.

As for Ted’s sons, I’m afraid I have less kind things to say. Patrick was one of the most obnoxious politicians I have met, and I have met a few, full of his own importance and utterly unable to flash any of that famous Kennedy charm.

He had his problems with alcohol and bi-polar condition so it is probably not fair to go too hard on him. But like many Kennedys of that second generation, the sense of entitlement was palpable.

I remember flying to Ireland on the Clinton presidential plane on his famous visit there in 1995 and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Bobby’s daughter, insisting on two seats for herself because she felt so important. That’s the kind of entitlement I’m talking about.

Joe Kennedy junior came into my office one time for a briefing from me on Northern Ireland. By the time he stopped briefing me the session was over.

And so it goes. In fairness, I have never met Ted Junior and he gave a beautiful eulogy for his father, but I have no doubt that entitlement runs deep there too.

Vicki, on the other hand, exudes a genuine warmth and interest in people. In this particular Kennedy feud I think she is probably the aggrieved party.

Kennedy watcher Joe Battenfeld wrote in the Boston Herald: "Vicki Kennedy is right to resist demands by the family to use the house. Ted Kennedy put in his will that he wanted his historic, rambling home to become a place of learning for the public, especially young people. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean Taylor Swift."’

Amen to that.

E-mail

25 comments

Next Page 1 of 2 pages

mollymguire | Jul 29, 2012, 10:31 AM EDT

I don't know how bratty the Kennedy boys are, but I've heard locally for years what a social grubber Reggie-Kennedy is. A madonna she is not. Nothing is beyond her in her attempt to stay on the social ladder rung she has obtained. But I hope she stays up there & continues to pretend she's not from here, Louisiana.

Report abuse

pattbaa | Jul 26, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT

So the "Lads" want to use it ( the house ) for their "Own Ends" ? ; based on past behavior , their "own ends" would suggest drugs , sex , and booze .

Report abuse

dickmac | Jul 26, 2012, 02:23 PM EDT

The Kennedy's are who they are and that will not change it just gets deeper.

Report abuse

susan724 | Jul 26, 2012, 11:48 AM EDT

NYCfiredog - wow - your rant sounds like a mixture of hate, anger,jealousy, despondency and depression - all over someone you don]t even know! - SOOOO NEW York City - but if I had to live in that armpit of the country - I'd probably feel the same way! I am so sorry for you.

Report abuse

sparticusnorth | Jul 26, 2012, 06:39 AM EDT

the kennedys are great people

Report abuse

sparticusnorth | Jul 26, 2012, 06:38 AM EDT

have a nice day

Report abuse

manhattan | Jul 25, 2012, 11:10 PM EDT

Gee firedog, sounds like you don't like the Kennedy's.

Report abuse

NYCFiredog | Jul 25, 2012, 10:00 PM EDT

Susan 724. Is that the number of times you genuflect at the Kennedy altar? Very sad. And I shudder to think of Ted at the judgement seat, reviewing his life, seeing all the aborted baby souls he was responsible for legislating and furthering. And of course, Mary Jo, who he let suffocate in a trapped air bubble in 6 feet of water. The drunk Ted, driving into the drink was criminal negligence, and leaving the scene, AND DWI, but at the judgement seat, it may well be abandoning the helpless woman to save his own pasty white arse. A narcissistic pig and breeder of narcissistic pigs. And his Pa Joe was a Nazi sympathizer who was fired from his ambassador post, AND bootlegger. He used to bring women home to pass around to his sons. A family of pigs, all. Except John John. Caroline I'd just a tool

Report abuse

handsome68 | Jul 25, 2012, 06:03 PM EDT

I was hoping to never hear of that family again. Do you have any idea how many really important issues are out there that you and the rest of the mass media -- as well as the sleazes out in Hollywood -- insist on ignoring? No, you'd rather act holier than thou, and be politically correct than deal with really difficult stuff. Get it together!

Report abuse

alisaann | Jul 25, 2012, 05:34 PM EDT

it sounds as if vicki is going according to what her HUSBAND put in his WILL...too damn bad if the boys don't like...that's what their father wanted....the kennedys have done GOOD for the little person...kennedy faught for health care and such.....while i don't know vicki personaly, i'm STANDING BY HER on this. alisa

Report abuse

Murph46 | Jul 25, 2012, 05:25 PM EDT

More Kennedy Krap-Who cares?

Report abuse

bunkerisland | Jul 25, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT

Seems Taylor Swift would be the criteria of youthful, but simply bunking up is not something Vicki would accept. Courageous woman!

Report abuse

Mary Caulfield | Jul 25, 2012, 03:06 PM EDT

Family squabbles aren't very interesting or important. If the press leave the Kennedy family alone perhaps their sense of entitlement will diminish.

Report abuse

SlipitTwomey | Jul 25, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT

I have no sympathy for any of the Kennedy clan. Had Ted Kennedy been a good Democrat, he would have resigned when he was sick unto death. Thereby, the Party would have been able to appoint a Dem to fill out his term and have a shot at winning the seat--Dems need all the seats they can get--that aside, I think Ted was full of himself until the end--and she knew what she was getting, and is milking it for all it is worth--speaking fees are but one example. Who is she??? As for the Kennedy kids, you are right on that--a bunch of spoiled brats who are unable to hide their human failings as well as their fathers were!! The Irish need to wake up as far as the Kennedys go--they are nothing more than a bunch of "sprats out of hell."

Report abuse

jclarkin | Jul 25, 2012, 02:14 PM EDT

O'Dowd: Your shotgun blast at the Kennedys is unfair, specifically in re Kathleen Kennedy Townsend whom I have known for thirty years. She is bright, engaged, passionate about justice and a great wife and mother. My guess is that she claimed two seats on that flight to avoid having to listen to you for six hours.

Report abuse

Next Page 1 of 2 pages