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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

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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.

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anna4054 | Jul 25, 2012, 01:52 PM EDT

I believe the Kennedy's get a bad rap from the media in general. I too, know that Vicki Kennedy is a great lady..I've met her and her generosity of spirit is without doubt. I believe the Kennedys are good people but like many Irish families they have the disease of alcoholism and addiction in every branch of the family tree. History has proven that they have tried hard to serve this country whether you like their politics or not. The facts are that the entire Kennedy family have suffered great losses and they haven't lashed back at the American people. When you loose a father, an uncle, brothers or husband to an assassins bullet in an effort to serve our country can any of us imagine the mixed emotions, pain, loss and suffering this family have endured? It is inevitable that these losses have left deep emotional scars, yet many of them have pursued careers in the field of public service. The media just love to focus on every fault, every rumor real or imagined. They fail to look beyond this...Has anybody looked at the underlying reason and perhaps get down to the root cause of the scandals or misfortunes they have endured throughout the years? No, they have just assumed that they are a bunch of spoiled brats. It is widely known that alcohol has almost always been a factor in the reported events. This is not necessarily their fault and those who throw stones have no idea what alcoholism is or how it affects not only its victims but the entire family. It would serve us a lot better if the media would focus on and learn something about this baffling illness that affects the lives of so many instead of trying to publicly humiliate them at every opportunity.

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garbo55 | Jul 25, 2012, 01:51 PM EDT

Susan724 NO crime committed?? what world are you living in. Its a crime to drink and drive,its a crime to leave the scene of an accident and the last time I checked vehicler homicide is a crime. And when you leave a person to die it becomes murder or at the very lest manslaughter.

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manhattan | Jul 25, 2012, 01:45 PM EDT

I always felt sorry for Patrick. His health since a child has been bad plus he is very honest about his mental health problems and is working to help people that suffer the same way. I'm shocked that you found him obnoxious. This family has the same problems most families have but can't they work them out without everyone sticking there nose in?

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Respectfully | Jul 25, 2012, 01:43 PM EDT

Hey susan724 . . try paying attention to the subject for discussion . . “Vicki Kennedy and the Kennedy brat boys” . . not “Bashing Bush”, which not doubt you take any and every opportunity. Too bad Chris Christie, New Jersey Governor, isn't here to monitor the reader's comments. He doesn't tolerate idiots that refuse to follow instructions and your useless ranting on and on, taking up space, would not have even been posted here!

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katieherk | Jul 25, 2012, 12:18 PM EDT

Wow, previous comments are firey!! My opinion is that finally Niall you have written an acceptable article about one Kennedy by marriage. You're right about their need to feel entitled to all good things.Yes Patrick is obnoxious as are so many. But, having said all that, please quit writing about such an obnoxious family, we're all tired of it.

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susan724 | Jul 25, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT

Tiseerie-ish: I have a better idea,why not burn down the homes of the Bushes, which were bought with the money that Grandpa Bush made while making banking deals with the Nazis during WW II? George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany. This is in the US National Archives and confirms that a firm of which Prescott Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism. His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy. In other words, fool, this is how the Bushes made their money! Pleeeez,don't talk about he Kennedy's - everyone knows that Bush will go down as the worst President in the history of the U.S. Every single Republican has distanced themselves from idiot "W" who has brought this country to its knees. Now, you want to talk about idiot-Romney who owns three mansions, inherited his money and made money off the backs of middle class folks who he fired from the companies he took over with Bain Capital and believes in an occult whose members wear "magic underwear." Egads, you just can't make this stuff up!

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pilib04 | Jul 25, 2012, 11:58 AM EDT

Yes Niall, we understand. You are an admirer of Vickie Kennedy. It comes through in your article. And, it also comes through that you have no love lost for the Kennedy progeny. Based on this, I would think that you are hardly an objective bystander. Your comments about Kennedy politicians could be made about any member of Congress. They tend to be know-it-alls. That is not an excuse for your little hatchet job. And please, enough with knowing what Ted wanted down with his mansion. I'm sure of one thing, we Irish put family first and when I say family I am speaking of our children!

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susan724 | Jul 25, 2012, 11:41 AM EDT

Poricksanluny ; Uh I don't remember the "crime" ted Kennedy committed. It was an automobile accident, fool! People die in them everyday- there was no crime. Republicans want to use this as apolitical tool but it didn't work did it? Ted was re-elected over and over and served over 47 years in the U.S. Senate and will go down as one of the greatest politicians in the history of our country - as did his brother who left office and is still considered the most popular President in the last 50 years!

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Porickseantuny | Jul 25, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT

Ted' since of entitlement didn't have him escape punishment for his crime at Chappaquidick? Like Father like sons.

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TisEyerish | Jul 25, 2012, 10:18 AM EDT

Here's an idea...burn the place to the ground and replace it with homes for the poor. There will be nothing left for them to argue about. If the "second generation" feels entitlement, it's only because their parents instilled that trait in them. When is the world going to realize that the Kennedys are garbage?

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