RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
OF TED KENNEDY’S
“ADDRESS TO THE
PEOPLE OF
MASSACHUSETTS ON
CHAPPAQUIDDICK”
Aristotelian Analysis of Logos, Ethos, and Pathos
Abstract
Ted Kennedy’s future as a Massachusetts Senator was put into question by his actions at
Chappaquiddick. Due to Kennedy’s strong skills in rhetoric and positive reputation, he was able to
connect with the people of Massachusetts on an emotional level, as well as give Logical reasoning
for his actions. Ted Kennedy did not fight against the people of Massachusetts, rather, Kennedy
gave them the power to decide if he should stay in office.
Author’s Notes
References of original drafts were Sara Lundeen, Noel Huff, and Jonathan Laner.
Tyler Masek
Tymase01@wsc.edu
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In December 2008, Ted Kennedy said this following quote at Harvard University; “We
know the future will outlast all of us, but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we
made” (Lansing, 2009). Ted Kennedy was a Massachusetts Senator from 1962-2009, getting reelected eight times. The people of Massachusetts saw that Ted Kennedy was making a positive
change to improve the future, but it was not always that way. Ted Kennedy, on July 18, 1969,
had an incident that changed Ted’s future to the extremes. It was through his use of public
speaking and honesty he was able to protect his public image from being destroyed. At the age of
thirty-seven, while serving as Senate Majority Whip, Ted Kennedy (D-MA) addressed the people
of Massachusetts regarding his involvement at Chappaquiddick in the hope that ethos, logos, and
pathos would save his governmental career. Ted Kennedy is a prime example of using his
rhetoric skills to produce a speech that improved his future and the futures of the people of
Massachusetts.
Ted Kennedy was a very well-known senator for Massachusetts that came from a family
with a tragic history, both his brothers in government work getting assassinated. It was a
tremendous feat to be able to overcome his own personal incident. This would have not been
possible without his clever and strategic use of rhetorical speaking.
Throughout this speech, Ted Kennedy speaks out to the people of Massachusetts using
logos, ethos, and pathos, to be able to persuade his audience to accept that no one is perfect, and
that people make mistakes. The important part is to give people a second chance to improve and
rebuild the trust that was lost due to the mistakes. Ted Kennedy connects with the people of
Massachusetts by admitting his faults, explaining his experience, and requesting advice on how
to continue.
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One key component to producing a successful rhetoric speech is the use of Aristotle’s
Forms of Proof: logos, ethos, pathos. Logos is the factuality of the speech, ethos is the credibility
of the speech, pathos is the persuasiveness of the speech.
Logos is a proof which demonstrates that a statement is so (Gordon, Bequist, Coleman, &
Sprout, 2011), an appeal to logic. The speaker uses logos when they make logical connections
between ideas and using facts and statistics (St. Louis Community College Writing Center,
2022). Logos gives the logical and factual component of rhetoric and does not leave any room
for doubt or logical fallacies.
Ethos is a proof that focuses on the effectiveness and believability of the speaker. Ethos is
the component of rhetoric that influences an audience to trust what the speaker is saying as well
as the credibility of the speaker based on previous reputation (Gordon, Bequist, Coleman, &
Sprout, 2011). Ethos tells the audience whether the speaker has the authority or is qualified to
speak on their topic. This is shown by using credible sources, stating their own personal
experience with the topic, making the audience aware of how well the topic was examined prior,
and using correct grammar and syntax (St. Louis Community College Writing Center, 2022).
Pathos is designed to sway a few listeners feelings, an appeal to emotions. Pathos is the
component that is used by a speaker to connect with the audience. This includes using
experiences, emotions, and understandable vocabulary for the intended audience (Gordon,
Bequist, Coleman, & Sprout, 2011).
Kennedy’s speech entitled “Address to the People of Massachusetts on Chappaquiddick”
on July 25th, 1969, has been analyzed by multiple rhetoricians. Many of them focused on
Kennedy’s use of denial and evasion of responsibility of the incident. Other rhetoricians think
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that this was planned to cover up a potential scandal between Ted Kennedy and the victim
(Lampe, 2021).
Senator Ted Kennedy, also known as Edward Moore Kennedy, was born on February 22,
1932, to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Dorchester, MA. Ted Kennedy
was the youngest of nine children; two of his siblings were Senator Robert Kennedy and
President John F. Kennedy. (John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site, 2021)
Ted Kennedy was a man with a strong religion. Since birth, Ted Kennedy had been a
member of the Roman Catholic Church. The entire Kennedy family was Roman Catholic. Ted
Kennedy’s religion was a key part of his entire life. Catholicism is a religion that has strong
beliefs on being a morally good person, which Ted Kennedy did his best to maintain throughout
his life.
Being the youngest in the family, “Teddy” had lofty standards growing up. Ted Kennedy,
along with his siblings, attended multiple private schools due to the family traveling frequently.
Ted Kennedy graduated high school from Milton Academy in Milton, MA, a preparatory
boarding school just outside of Boston. At the age of twelve, Ted Kennedy had lost one of his
brothers, Joseph Kennedy Jr., who was a pilot that was shot down in World War II in the year
1944. Ted Kennedy’s sister, Kathleen Kennedy, was killed in a plane crash in France
in 1948.
In 1950, Ted Kennedy enrolled into Harvard University, but was expelled from Harvard
due to cheating on an exam. In 1951, Ted Kennedy enrolled in the U.S. Army and served from
1951 to 1953. In 1953, he returned to Harvard and graduated with bachelor's degree in history
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and government in 1956. After Harvard, Ted Kennedy enrolled in law school at the University of
Virginia and got a law degree in 1959. (John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site, 2021)
Ted Kennedy was interested in a relationship and found one with Joan Bennett. Ted and
Joan were married a year after they met on November 29, 1958. While Ted Kennedy and Joan
Bennett were together, they had four children. Kara Kennedy was born in 1960. Edward M.
Kennedy Jr. was born in 1961.A stillborn son was born in 1964. And their last child, Patrick J.
Kennedy was born in 1967.
Ted Kennedy managed John F. Kennedy’s campaign to become president. In 1960, John
F. Kennedy was elected to become the thirty-fifth President of the United States. In 1962, Ted
Kennedy was convinced to run for Senator of Massachusetts by John F. Kennedy and was
elected at age 30 to take John’s old spot in the U.S. Senate for Massachusetts. Thirty was the
youngest a Senator could be to run for office. (John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site,
2021)
During his time in the senate, Ted Kennedy made big steps to improve the United States,
especially advocating for civil rights, health care, education, and immigration reform. Ted
Kennedy was supported highly by the state of Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy stayed in the Senate
for the next 8 years. Ted Kennedy was known for welcoming protestors to his office to discuss
their political issues such as civil rights.
Ted Kennedy had a rough start to his political career which started with the death of his
brother and the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy:
“On November 21, 1963, President Kennedy flew to Texas to give several political
speeches. The next day, as his car drove slowly past cheering crowds in Dallas, shots rang out.
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Kennedy was seriously wounded and died a brief time later. Within a few hours of the shooting,
police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald and charged him with the murder” (National Archives, n.d.)
Ted and Robert Kennedy worked to fulfill their brother’s legacy. Robert Kennedy
continued his work as Attorney General. Ted Kennedy fulfilled John F. Kennedy’s legacy
through his position in the Senate:
“My brother was the first President of the United States to state publicly that segregation
was morally wrong. His heart and soul are in this bill. If his life and death had a meaning, it was
that we should not hate but love one another; we should use our powers not to create conditions
of oppression that lead to violence, but conditions of freedom that lead to peace.”
-Ted Kennedy
Above is a portion of a speech given to urge the support of the Civil Rights act of 1964,
which outlawed discrimination in employment, education, and public accommodations. Through
his work in the senate, Ted Kennedy made many differences to improve social equality in the
United States (Edward M. Kennedy Institute For the United States Senate, 2017).
In June 1964, Ted Kennedy had a close encounter with death when the small
plane he was riding in crashed in Massachusetts in harsh weather, killing two people
and leaving Ted Kennedy with a broken back and other injuries that required a six month hospital recuperation. Even through all the suffering, Ted Kennedy continued
to serve the people of Massachusetts as their Senator. (History.com Editors, 2018)
There was another death that affected Ted Kennedy personally in 1968. Robert was
assassinated in 1968 at the height of his presidential campaign. Shortly after midnight on
June 5, 1968, Senator Robert Kennedy is shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles
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after winning the California presidential primary. Kennedy was shot several times by
24-year-old Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan. He was pronounced dead a day later, on June 6,
1968. (History.com editors, 2022)
Ted Kennedy was the only son of the Kennedy family still alive after the
assassination. Ted Kennedy continued to have influence in the Senate and no matter
the personal connections, Ted Kennedy held his political and moral stance, one of
these being opposed to the death penalty. In 1969, Ted Kennedy and his sisters wrote
the district attorney of Los Angeles, asking that the killer of their brother Robert not
be sentenced to death (Edward M. Kennedy Institute For the United States Senate,
2017).
Due to all the deaths in his family, and his father dealing with health issues due
to a stroke in 1961, Ted Kennedy became the family patriarch and a surrogate father
to his two slain brothers’ thirteen children (History.com Editors, 2018)
Ted Kennedy did not have much time till there was another significant issue in his life.
The incident changed every aspect of Senator Ted Kennedy’s future. The incident happened on
July 18, 1969, at Chappaquiddick Island.
“EDGARTOWN, Martha’s Vineyard – A 28-year-old woman was killed yesterday when
a car driven by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy plunged off a narrow bridge on a tiny offshore island
and landed upside down in eight feet of water” (DiLorio & Broadhurst, 1969)
The woman mentioned above that was killed in the accident was Mary Jo Kopechne, a
former secretary for Robert Kennedy who assisted in the presidential campaign efforts.
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Mary Jo Kopechne was born on July 26, 1940, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Mary Jo
Kopechne moved to Montgomery, Alabama and graduated from Caldwell College in 1962 and
became a teacher at Montgomery Catholic High School but only worked as a teacher for one
year. Mary Jo Kopechne started her career in politics by getting a job in the office of Florida
senator George Smathers in 1963. The next year, she transferred to Robert Kennedy’s senate
office. After Kennedy’s death, Kopechne took a job at a Washington, D.C., consulting firm
(Fraga & Kuroski, 2021).
Lawrence Cottage on Chappaquiddick Island was the location of a celebration of the life
of Robert Kennedy. Gathered at the party were many friends and associates of Robert Kennedy.
Two of these people were Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne.
Ted Kennedy offered to drive Mary Jo Kopechne to the ferry around 11:15 to be able to
board the last ferry trip at midnight. While driving to the ferry, Ted Kennedy took a right turn
instead of a left and proceeded to drive on a dirt road and across a bridge locals called the
“Dike.” On this narrow bridge, the car fell into the water below. Ted Kennedy was able to escape
the car, but Mary Jo Kopechne was not able to. Ted Kennedy left the scene of the accident and
went back to the party.
“The car turned over and sunk into the water and landed with the roof resting on the
bottom. I attempted to open the door and window of the car but have no recollection of how I got
out of the car. I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see
if the passenger was still in the car. I was unsuccessful in the attempt. I was exhausted and in a
state of shock. I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There was a car parked in
front of the cottage and I climbed in the back seat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to
Edgartown. I remember walking for a period of time then going back to my hotel room”
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-Ted Kennedy
The next day, the crash was first found by a boy that went fishing, the boy’s mother
called the police. Police were at the scene at 8:00am and investigated the body of Mary Jo
Kopechne. Mary Jo Kopechne died due to drowning and was found in the car with her head at
the highest point inside the car, this implies that she was conscious during her last moments
alive. Mary Jo Kopechne was reported deceased at 9:30am and was thought to be dead for about
6 to 8 hours.
Ted Kennedy finally came to his senses and made a police report at 10:00am, a portion of
the report is written above. One reason given for Ted Kennedy’s choices was a “potential
concussion” (DiLorio & Broadhurst, 1969).
There were many questions that came from this accident, some of these questions being
about a potential secret relationship or scandal between Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne,
whether Ted Kennedy made the wrong turn on purpose or a true mistake, whether Ted Kennedy
was drunk or sober while driving, or the reasoning for no conversations of the accident that night
with other guests at the party.
Once finding out about the accident, the people of Massachusetts were left in a point of
shock and confusion. Many of them were not sure if Ted Kennedy was still capable of being
Senator.
Ted Kennedy, after the accident, was left in a difficult position. Ted Kennedy knew that
his future career in politics was jeopardized and any chance of becoming President of the United
States were slim to none. Ted Kennedy was genuinely liked by the state of Massachusetts before
the accident, the question was how badly this incident would affect his reputation. Ted Kennedy,
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on July 25, 1969, gave a speech to the people of Massachusetts about Chappaquiddick that
would be the turning point for his career in the government as well as his entire future.
Throughout Kennedy’s speech, he speaks showing two different nonverbal styles. While
discussing the details of the accident, Kennedy reads from a paper, presumably a script, and
makes occasional eye contact with the camera. Through these forms of body language, Kennedy
shows that he is separating himself from giving his opinion and is sticking specifically to the
facts. This portion of the speech focuses on Logos.
Ted Kennedy also made sure to use an effective verbal style. Ted Kennedy spoke at a
slow pace so everyone can understand what he was saying. Kennedy also had an apologetic tone
and manner when he was speaking. Kennedy was terribly sorry for his actions and was asking
forgiveness from his audience.
While discussing/asking his audience how to proceed after this accident, Kennedy makes
it a priority to use the word “you.” Throughout the speech, Kennedy uses the word “you” a total
of seven times, once in the beginning and six times all near the end. Kennedy does not use this
word in this speech as often as one would expect. This is done strategically to emphasize the
importance of connecting with the audience at the seven points “you” was used. Ted Kennedy is
separating himself from the people of Massachusetts to show that this is the people’s decision on
how to proceed.
Kennedy also only uses the word “we” once throughout the speech, when discussing “the
grief we feel over the loss of a wonderful friend,” this friend being Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy
is separating himself from the people of Massachusetts throughout the rest of the speech. This
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shows that only he himself will take any of the repercussions following the delivery of the
speech.
Kennedy does not want any harm to come to the people of Massachusetts and feels
“morally obligated” to continue to support Massachusetts in the government. Kennedy is also
aware and respects his audience if his audience decides that he is not adequately able to “perform
his duties,” that Kennedy “should not continue in office.”
Kennedy’s language throughout uses the same level of knowledge as the average
American citizen, allowing the majority of the audience to fully understand the speech. Kennedy
describes his thoughts of the incident through describing the feelings and emotions that he went
through the night of the incident. All these emotions and feeling he states our feelings that many
people have felt before and can connect and understand the incident more completely. This
clearly shows the use of Pathos in this speech.
One substantial portion of Kennedy’s future that was in question was his career. Ted
Kennedy’s career focused heavily on public leadership and some key parts of public leadership is
credibility and communication, to maintain a positive reputation with the public to ensure that
they can trust the leader in question.
Ted Kennedy’s speech is a keen example of the importance in maintaining a positive
reputation through communication. Ted Kennedy speaks directly on the incident that is making
others question his credibility and communicates in a clear manor on how he plans to continue
his career with the audience’s permission. Kennedy accepted that he was guilty and at fault and
was only attempting to pick up the pieces to continue helping the people of Massachusetts. Ted
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Kennedy uses ethos throughout the speech to confirm his credibility (Johnson & Hackman,
2018).
Ted Kennedy’s speaks throughout his speech on the experiences that he has gone
through, rather than pointing out only his knowledge. Kennedy speaks of his experience and asks
for advice from his audience to learn how to continue as their leader. Another rhetorician that
saw that rhetoric bases itself not on knowledge and facts but on the use of experiences to connect
with their audience was Plato (Miller, 2012).
Due to Ted Kennedy’s religious background, it is important for him to be morally good in
society. This is remarkably similar to the rhetorician Thomas Aquinas, who had a strong moral
foundation and the importance of reasoning (Loveridge, 2017).
Ted Kennedy has thought through all his options before speaking to the people of
Massachusetts, he is prepared to support his followers in their decision. Ted Kennedy has only
provided his side of the story and what he believes to be true and trusts his followers to make the
right decision for Massachusetts.
Ted Kennedy is a public figure that has had multiple tragedies throughout his life and
was able to live through the downfalls and continue to do work for the people of Massachusetts.
Ted Kennedy always attempted to be a public servant whenever he was able to.
Ted Kennedy's speech, while looking at the truthfulness, has some facts and truths but
focuses more on feelings and persuasion that cannot be measured by truthfulness. This would be
described as a personal truth and not a Universal Truth.
Ted Kennedy pleads guilty for the actions that he took, accepting that the decisions he
made were not the best. Ted Kennedy also believes that he is not a complete monster for his
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actions and that he will continue to be morally good in the future. Ted Kennedy’s prior
reputation before the accident also showed the people of Massachusetts that Kennedy showed no
attributes of being a monster that was not capable of being a good senator for their state.
Ted Kennedy’s future did change drastically after this speech. Due to the accident at
Chappaquiddick, Ted Kennedy knew that this would ruin any plans of becoming president. By
giving this speech, pleading guilty of his actions, and accepting full responsibility, Ted Kennedy
was able to maintain a portion of his reputation that allowed him to continue to be a senator for
the State of Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy continued to do work for the people of Massachusetts
for many years after the incident and was re-elected eight times into the Senate.
Morality is a big focus in Ted Kennedy's speech. The importance of forgiveness,
knowledge that everyone can make mistakes, even senators, and the ability to give second
chances are all underlying themes throughout the speech.
At the age of thirty-seven, while serving as Senate Majority Whip, Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
addressed the people of Massachusetts regarding his involvement at Chappaquiddick in the hope
that ethos, logos, and pathos would save his governmental career. Ted Kennedy was able to
communicate to his audience that he was still capable of keeping his governmental job. Ted
Kennedy also got closer to the people of Massachusetts through this speech. Ted Kennedy was
viewed as any normal, average person that can make mistakes rather than being put on a pedestal
for being a member of the Kennedy family. This was done through the correct facts, logos, of the
issue, the credibility, ethos, that Kennedy brought with him from the past years of success as a
senator and this being the first occasion of an issue, and Kennedy’s ability to connect with his
audience’s emotions, pathos, which allowed the highest amount of understandability on the
issue. While Ted Kennedy might not always have the smoothest path to success, he was a
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notable example of putting others first and making a better future for the people of
Massachusetts.
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Bibliography
DiLorio, B., & Broadhurst, F. (1969). Ted Safe, Woman Dies in Car Dive. Boston: Sunday
Herald Traveler.
Edward M. Kennedy Institute For the United States Senate. (2017). Championing Civil Rights &
Promoting Fairness and Equal Opportunities for All. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from
ted kennedy.org: http://www.tedkennedy.org/service/item/civil_rights.html
Fraga, K., & Kuroski, J. (2021, August 2). The Tragic Story Of Mary Jo Kopechne, The Woman
Who Drowned In Ted Kennedy’s Car. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from
allthatsinteresting.com: https://allthatsinteresting.com/mary-jo-kopechne
Gordon, J. L., Bequist, G. F., Coleman, W. E., & Sprout, J. M. (2011). The rhetoric of Western
thought from the Mediterranean world to the global setting. Dubuque, Iowa, United
States: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
History.com Editors. (2018, August 21). Ted Kennedy. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from
HISTORY: https://www.history.com/topics/us-politics/ted-kennedy
History.com editors. (2022, June 2). Robert F. Kennedy is fatally shot. Retrieved October 18,
2022, from HISTORY: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bobby-kennedy-isassassinated
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site. (2021, Sep 10). Edward Moore Kennedy: A
Legacy of Public Service. Retrieved from National Park Service:
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/edward-moore-kennedy-a-legacy-of-public-service.htm
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Johnson, C. E., & Hackman, M. Z. (2018). Leadership A Communication Perspective. Long
Grove, Illinois, United States: Waveland Press, Inc.
Lampe, R. (2021). Apologia Analysis of Ted Kennedy’s “Address to the People of Massachusetts
on Chappaquiddick. Kansas City: University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Lansing, S. (2009, August 31). The Future We Make: Ted Kennedy's Legacy in Fighting Cancer.
Huff Post Politics.
Loveridge, J. (2017). Rhetorical Deliberation, Memory, and Sensation in the Thought of Thomas
Aquinas. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 50(2), 178-200.
Miller, D. (2012). Rhetoric in the Light of Plato's Epistemological Criticisms. Rhetorica: A
Journal of the History of Rhetoric, 30(2 ), 109-133.
National Archives. (n.d.). Life of John F. Kennedy. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from JFK
Library: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy
St. Louis Community College Writing Center. (2022, December 12). Pathos, Logos, and Ethos.
Retrieved from St. Louis Community College: https://stlcc.edu/studentsupport/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/pathos-logosandethos.aspx#:~:text=Logos%2C%20or%20the%20appeal%20to,logical%20argument%20i
s%20another%20strategy.
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Edward M. Kennedy
Address to the People of Massachusetts on Chappaquiddick
broadcast nationally from Joseph P. Kennedy's home on 25 July 1969
My fellow citizens:
I have requested this opportunity to talk to the people of Massachusetts about the tragedy
which happened last Friday evening. This morning I entered a plea of guilty to the charge of
leaving the scene of an accident. Prior to my appearance in court it would have been
[im]proper for me to comment on these matters. But tonight I am free to tell you what
happened and to say what it means to me.
On the weekend of July 18th, I was on Martha's Vineyard Island participating with my
nephew, Joe Kennedy -- as for thirty years my family has participated -- in the
annual Edgartown Sailing Regatta. Only reasons of health prevented my wife from
accompanying me.
On Chappaquiddick Island, off Martha's Vineyard, I attended, on Friday evening, July 18th,
a cook-out I had encouraged and helped sponsor for a devoted group of Kennedy campaign
secretaries. When I left the party, around 11:15pm, I was accompanied by one of these
girls, Miss Mary Jo Kopechne. Mary Jo was one of the most devoted members of the staff of
Senator Robert Kennedy. She worked for him for four years and was broken up over his
death. For this reason, and because she was such a gentle, kind, and idealistic person, all of
us tried to help her feel that she still had a home with the Kennedy family.
Mary Jo Kopechne
There is no truth, no truth whatever, to the widely circulated suspicions of immoral conduct
that have been leveled at my behavior and hers regarding that evening. There has never
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been a private relationship between us of any kind. I know of nothing in Mary Jo's conduct
on that or any other occasion -- and the same is true of the other girls at that party -- that
would lend any substance to such ugly speculation about their character. Nor was I driving
under the influence of liquor.
Little over one mile away, the car that I was driving on an unlit road went off a narrow
bridge which had no guard rails and was built on a left angle to the road. The car
overturned in a deep pond and immediately filled with water. I remember thinking as the
cold water rushed in around my head that I was for certain drowning. Then water entered
my lungs and I actual felt the sensation of drowning. But somehow I struggled to the
surface alive.
I made immediate and repeated efforts to save Mary Jo by diving into the strong and murky
current, but succeeded only in increasing my state of utter exhaustion and alarm. My
conduct and conversations during the next several hours, to the extent that I can remember
them, make no sense to me at all.
Although my doctors informed me that I suffered a cerebral concussion, as well as shock, I
do not seek to escape responsibility for my actions by placing the blame either on the
physical and emotional trauma brought on by the accident, or on anyone else.
I regard as indefensible the fact that I did not report the accident to the police immediately.
Instead of looking directly for a telephone after lying exhausted in the grass for an
undetermined time, I walked back to the cottage where the party was being held and
requested the help of two friends, my cousin, Joseph Gargan and Phil Markham, and
directed them to return immediately to the scene with me -- this was sometime after
midnight -- in order to undertake a new effort to dive down and locate Miss Kopechne. Their
strenuous efforts, undertaken at some risk to their own lives, also proved futile.
All kinds of scrambled thoughts -- all of them confused, some of them irrational, many of
them which I cannot recall, and some of which I would not have seriously entertained under
normal circumstances -- went through my mind during this period. They were reflected in
the various inexplicable, inconsistent, and inconclusive things I said and did, including such
questions as whether the girl might still be alive somewhere out of that immediate area,
whether some awful curse did actually hang over all the Kennedys, whether there was some
justifiable reason for me to doubt what had happened and to delay my report, whether
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somehow the awful weight of this incredible incident might in some way pass from my
shoulders. I was overcome, I'm frank to say, by a jumble of emotions: grief, fear, doubt,
exhaustion, panic, confusion, and shock.
Instructing Gargan and Markham not to alarm Mary Jo's friends that night, I had them take
me to the ferry crossing. The ferry having shut down for the night, I suddenly jumped into
the water and impulsively swam across, nearly drowning once again in the effort, and
returned to my hotel about 2:00am -- and collapsed in my room. I remember going out at
one point and saying something to the room clerk.
In the morning, with my mind somewhat more lucid, I made an effort to call a family legal
advisor, Burke Marshall, from a public telephone on the Chappaquiddick side of the ferry
and then belatedly reported the accident to the Martha['s] Vineyard police.
Today, as I mentioned, I felt morally obligated to plead guilty to the charge of leaving the
scene of an accident. No words on my part can possibly express the terrible pain and
suffering I feel over this tragic incident. This last week has been an agonizing one for me
and for the members of my family. And the grief we feel over the loss of a wonderful friend
will remain with us the rest of our lives.
These events, the publicity, innuendo, and whispers which have surrounded them and my
admission of guilt this morning raises the question in my mind of whether my standing
among the people of my State has been so impaired that I should resign my seat in the
United States Senate. If at any time the citizens of Massachusetts should lack confidence in
their Senator's character, or his ability -- with or without justification -- he could not in my
opinion adequately perform his duties and should not continue in office.
The people of this State, the State which sent John Quincy Adams, and Daniel Webster, and
Charles Sumner, and Henry Cabot Lodge, and John Kennedy to the United States Senate
are entitled to representation in that body by men who inspire their utmost confidence. For
this reason, I would understand full well why some might think it right for me to resign. For
me, this will be a difficult decision to make.
It has been seven years since my first election to the Senate. You and I share many
memories -- some of them have been glorious, some have been very sad. The opportunity
to work with you and serve Massachusetts has made my life worthwhile.
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And so I ask you tonight, the people of Massachusetts, to think this through with me. In
facing this decision, I seek your advice and opinion. In making it, I seek your prayers -- for
this is a decision that I will have finally to make on my own.
It has been written:
A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles, and
dangers, and pressures -- and that is the basis of all human morality.1
...whatever may be the sacrifices he faces, if he follows his conscience -- the loss of his
friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow man -- each man must
decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of the past courage cannot supply
courage itself. For this, each man must look into his own soul.2
I pray that I can have the courage to make the right decision. Whatever is decided,
whatever the future holds for me, I hope that I shall have -- be able to put this most recent
tragedy behind me and make some further contribution to our state and mankind -whether it be in public or private life.
Thank you and good night.