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==Joe Kennedy==

==Joe Kennedy==

In 1914 Fitzgerald's daughter '''Rose Kennedy''' (1890-1995) married '''[[Joseph P. Kennedy]]''' (1888-1969), the Harvard-educated son of wealthy liquor dealer.  Joe built the family fortune with brilliant forays into banking, shipbuilding, motion pictures, real estate and (just before prohibition ended), a heavy investment in upscale imported liquor.  He moved the family base from Boston to New York in 1927, where it remained until his son [[John F. Kennedy]] (1917-63) returned to Boston in 1946.  Joe was noted for his fierce devotion to promoting his children, his notorious love affairs, his ruthless business dealings, and his major roles in the [[New Deal]].  He was a strong supporter of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] who named Kennedy in 1934 to head the new [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], and turn it into a powerful watchdog of Wall Street.  Joe reached the pinnacle of esteem as Ambassador to the Court of St. James (ambassador to Britain) in 1938-40, cruising elegantly in the highest circles of London society, in contrast to his maligned reputation in American high society. Daughter '''Kathleen Kennedy''' (1920-48), became Marchioness of Hartington when she married the heir to a dukedom; she died in a plane crash.  Recalled as ambassador because of his isolationism and support for Prime Minister [[Joseph Chamberlain]]’s [[appeasement]] of Germany, Joe nevertheless endorsed FDR in the critical 1940 election.  Unlike [[Al Smith]] and other prominent Catholics, he refused to attack Roosevelt and thereby preserved presidential options for his sons. Joe was increasingly isolated after 1941, keeping his distance from the clubhouse politicians who clustered around Honey Fitz, as well as Yankee businessmen he thought had denied him entry into the most elite Harvard circles. His business enterprises flourished.

In 1914 Fitzgerald's daughter '''Rose Kennedy''' (1890-1995) married '''[[Joseph P. Kennedy]]''' (1888-1969), the Harvard-educated son of wealthy liquor dealer.  Joe built the family fortune with brilliant forays into banking, shipbuilding, motion pictures, real estate and (just before prohibition ended), a heavy investment in upscale imported liquor.  He moved the family base from Boston to New York in 1927, where it remained until his son [[John F. Kennedy]] (1917–63) returned to Boston in 1946.  Joe was noted for his fierce devotion to promoting his children, his notorious love affairs, his ruthless business dealings, and his major roles in the [[New Deal]].  He was a strong supporter of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] who named Kennedy in 1934 to head the new [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], and turn it into a powerful watchdog of Wall Street.  Joe reached the pinnacle of esteem as Ambassador to the Court of St. James (ambassador to Britain) in 1938-40, cruising elegantly in the highest circles of London society, in contrast to his maligned reputation in American high society. Daughter '''Kathleen Kennedy''' (1920–48), became Marchioness of Hartington when she married the heir to a dukedom; she died in a plane crash.  Recalled as ambassador because of his isolationism and support for Prime Minister [[Joseph Chamberlain]]’s [[appeasement]] of Germany, Joe nevertheless endorsed FDR in the critical 1940 election.  Unlike [[Al Smith]] and other prominent Catholics, he refused to attack Roosevelt and thereby preserved presidential options for his sons. Joe was increasingly isolated after 1941, keeping his distance from the clubhouse politicians who clustered around Honey Fitz, as well as Yankee businessmen he thought had denied him entry into the most elite Harvard circles. His business enterprises flourished.

==Chicago==

==Chicago==

Realizing his leadership status as one of the half dozen most powerful Irishmen in America, Joe played up his ties with [[Francis Cardinal Spellman]] of New York, and with the nation’s most prominent Irish Republican, Senator [[Joseph McCarthy]], even encouraging the bachelor senator to date his daughters.   

Realizing his leadership status as one of the half dozen most powerful Irishmen in America, Joe played up his ties with [[Francis Cardinal Spellman]] of New York, and with the nation’s most prominent Irish Republican, Senator [[Joseph McCarthy]], even encouraging the bachelor senator to date his daughters.   

Joe and Rose instilled remarkably high levels of solidarity and competitiveness in their four sons and five daughters.  '''Rosemary Kennedy''' (1918-2005) was mentally retarded and institutionalized, which led to family involvement the Special Olympics.  Of the sons, only '''[[Robert Kennedy]]''' (1925-68) followed his mother in becoming a devout Catholic with high moral standards regarding sexual behavior; he fathered 11 children.  Joe never ran for office himself but devoted his political ambitions to putting '''Joseph Kennedy Jr.''' (1915-1944) in the White House.  The latter died when his Navy bomber exploded on a combat mission in Europe in 1944, the first of many Kennedys to die violently.

Joe and Rose instilled remarkably high levels of solidarity and competitiveness in their four sons and five daughters.  '''Rosemary Kennedy''' (1918-2005) was mentally retarded and institutionalized, which led to family involvement the Special Olympics.  Of the sons, only '''[[Robert Kennedy]]''' (1925–68) followed his mother in becoming a devout Catholic with high moral standards regarding sexual behavior; he fathered 11 children.  Joe never ran for office himself but devoted his political ambitions to putting '''Joseph Kennedy Jr.''' (1915-1944) in the White House.  The latter died when his Navy bomber exploded on a combat mission in Europe in 1944, the first of many Kennedys to die violently.

==JFK==

==JFK==

'''[[Ted Kennedy|Edward (Ted) Kennedy]]''' (1932-2009) became the head of the family and, to the surprise of critics who saw him as shallow and indecisive, emerged as the most successful politician in the family’s history.  Entering the Senate in 1962, Ted succeeded because of his ability to build coalitions inside the Democratic party and, on occasion, with Republicans.  As a tireless campaigner and powerful orator, he used the family reputation to solidify his position as the strongest figure on the left of the Democratic party.  His own presidential aspirations collapsed in 1969 when he drove an automobile off a bridge, watching helplessly as his lady companion drowned.  When he finally did seek the nomination in 1980, he was badly outmaneuvered by incumbent Democratic president [[Jimmy Carter]].  The old city machines were long gone, the Irish were divided politically, and they no longer acknowledged a Kennedy as automatically entitled to a presidential nomination.   

'''[[Ted Kennedy|Edward (Ted) Kennedy]]''' (1932-2009) became the head of the family and, to the surprise of critics who saw him as shallow and indecisive, emerged as the most successful politician in the family’s history.  Entering the Senate in 1962, Ted succeeded because of his ability to build coalitions inside the Democratic party and, on occasion, with Republicans.  As a tireless campaigner and powerful orator, he used the family reputation to solidify his position as the strongest figure on the left of the Democratic party.  His own presidential aspirations collapsed in 1969 when he drove an automobile off a bridge, watching helplessly as his lady companion drowned.  When he finally did seek the nomination in 1980, he was badly outmaneuvered by incumbent Democratic president [[Jimmy Carter]].  The old city machines were long gone, the Irish were divided politically, and they no longer acknowledged a Kennedy as automatically entitled to a presidential nomination.   

==Scandals==

==Scandals==

Scandals and tragedy tarnished the third generation, comprising Joe’s grandchildren.  Two died in violent accidents, another of a drug overdose; one was acquitted in a highly publicized rape trial; an in-law was convicted of murder.  Worst of all the younger generation did poorly at politics; none could move higher than the federal House of Representatives.  The first woman in the family to run for high office,  '''Kathleen Kennedy Townsend''' (1951- ) lost the traditional Democratic stronghold of Maryland when she ran for governor in 2002.  Fresh blood was needed and although the family had never promoted its in-laws, they were astonished to watch the Republican husband of '''Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger''' (1951- ) seize the governorship of California in 2003 and emerge as the dominant politician on the West Coast.

Scandals and tragedy tarnished the third generation, comprising Joe’s grandchildren.  Two died in violent accidents, another of a drug overdose; one was acquitted in a highly publicized rape trial; an in-law was convicted of murder.  Worst of all the younger generation did poorly at politics; none could move higher than the federal House of Representatives.  The first woman in the family to run for high office,  '''Kathleen Kennedy Townsend''' (born 1951) lost the traditional Democratic stronghold of Maryland when she ran for governor in 2002.  Fresh blood was needed and although the family had never promoted its in-laws, they were astonished to watch the Republican husband of '''Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger''' (born 1951) seize the governorship of California in 2003 and emerge as the dominant politician on the West Coast.

==Money==

==Money==

The Kennedys were on the Forbes 400 list of richest families until 1993, and no longer are in that very top rank.

The Kennedys were on the Forbes 400 list of richest families until 1993, and no longer are in that very top rank.

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]

[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]

[[Category: Kennedy Family]]

[[Category:Kennedy Family]]

[[Category:Irish-Americans]]

[[Category:Irish-Americans]]