Changes

Joe established his daughter '''Eunice Kennedy Schriver''' (1921-2009) in Chicago, where her husband  [[Sargent Shriver]] (1915-  ) operated the family’s giant office building, the Merchandise Mart.  Although Shriver led the antipoverty programs in Lyndon Johnson’s [[Great Society]], and was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1972, as an in-law he never broke into the inner circle.  The Chicago ties paid off handsomely when Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]], boss of the city’s powerful Democratic machine, enthusiastically supported the Kennedys’ national political campaigns.  Eunice herself gained national acclaim for her charities, especially the Special Olympics for athletes with disabilities, sponsored by the Kennedy family.

Joe established his daughter '''Eunice Kennedy Schriver''' (1921-2009) in Chicago, where her husband  [[Sargent Shriver]] (1915-  ) operated the family’s giant office building, the Merchandise Mart.  Although Shriver led the antipoverty programs in Lyndon Johnson’s [[Great Society]], and was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1972, as an in-law he never broke into the inner circle.  The Chicago ties paid off handsomely when Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]], boss of the city’s powerful Democratic machine, enthusiastically supported the Kennedys’ national political campaigns.  Eunice herself gained national acclaim for her charities, especially the Special Olympics for athletes with disabilities, sponsored by the Kennedy family.

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==

John Kennedy became heir apparent, returning to Boston to take a seat in Congress in 1946 and defeating the prototypical Yankee, Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.]], in 1952.  Robert entered politics as an aide to Republican Senator [[Joe McCarthy]], then at the peak of his anti-Communist career.  Robert built his reputation as an aide to his brother Senator Kennedy in highly publicized investigations into racketeering in the [[Teamsters Union]], the largest labor union and one that had broken with the Democratic phalanx of the AFL-CIO unions.  John Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1960 was a family affair, funded by the father and orchestrated by Robert.  John preferred Ivy League policy advisors; but unlike his father he enjoyed the give and take of Massachusetts politics and built a largely Irish team of campaigners, headed by Larry O’Brien and Kenneth O’Donnell.  The new president shook off nepotism charges and appointed his brother Attorney General in 1961.   

John Kennedy became heir apparent, returning to Boston to take a seat in Congress in 1946 and defeating the prototypical Yankee, Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.]], in 1952.  Robert entered politics as an aide to Republican Senator [[Joe McCarthy]], then at the peak of his anti-Communist career.  Robert built his reputation as an aide to his brother Senator Kennedy in highly publicized investigations into racketeering in the [[Teamsters Union]], the largest labor union and one that had broken with the Democratic phalanx of the AFL-CIO unions.  John Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960 was a family affair, funded by the father and orchestrated by Robert.  John preferred Ivy League policy advisors; but unlike his father he enjoyed the give and take of Massachusetts politics and built a largely Irish team of campaigners, headed by Larry O’Brien and Kenneth O’Donnell.  The new president shook off nepotism charges and appointed his brother Attorney General in 1961.   

The First Lady '''[[Jacqueline Kennedy|Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy]]''' (1929-1994) added fresh glamor to the family, even as she disdained the roughhousing of her in-laws.  Kennedy’s 1963 assassination turned JFK into a martyr and, indeed, a saint in the Catholic community.  It also shifted the glare of publicity away from Joe (who had suffered an incapacitating stroke) and the surviving children, and onto widow Jacqueline.  She remarried and, became in her own right a celebrity who overshadowed her in-laws.

The First Lady '''[[Jacqueline Kennedy|Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy]]''' (1929-1994) added fresh glamor to the family, even as she disdained the roughhousing of her in-laws.  Kennedy's 1963 assassination turned JFK into a martyr and, indeed, a saint in the Catholic community.  It also shifted the glare of publicity away from Joe (who had suffered an incapacitating stroke) and the surviving children, and onto widow Jacqueline.  She remarried and, became in her own right a celebrity who overshadowed her in-laws.

==Robert==

==Robert==

==Ted==

==Ted==

'''[[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''' (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.

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.