Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died

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.