Pod Insights American Scandal Chappaquiddick | The Kennedy Curse | 1 About this episode The young Ted Kennedy follows in the footsteps of his older brothers and enters the world of politics. But he struggles to cope with the burden of his family’s ambition and with the grief of losing his older siblings in tragic circumstances.
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0:00 Lindsay Graham? Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. American Scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research. It's the morning of July 19, 1969, in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Gwen Kopecky, a 51-year-old homemaker, is in her kitchen cleaning up after breakfast while her husband is off at the hardware store.
0:43 Lindsay Graham? Kopecky takes a pair of dirty plates from the kitchen table and dunks them in the soapy water in the sink. As she begins to scrub, Kopecky's mind wanders to her 28-year-old daughter, Mary Jo. Mary Jo is spending the weekend on Martha's Vineyard, attending a party for staffers for Robert Kennedy's presidential run last year. She's there with half a dozen other women who worked on the campaign, but Kopecky won't feel totally at ease until she hears from her daughter. The phone rings. Kopecky thinks it must be Mary Jo calling, so eager to hear how the weekend is going, Kopecky dries her hands on her apron and hurries to lift the receiver off the wall. Hello, Kopecky residence? Uh, yes, hello, is Mr. Kopecky available?
1:27 Lindsay Graham? Kopecky sighs, it's a man. It must be one of her husband's colleagues. I'm sorry, he stepped out for a bit, but I can take a message. May I ask who's calling? Yes, this is Senator Ted Kennedy. Kopecky feels a jolt in her chest. Her daughter has worked with the Kennedys for several years, but this is the first time any one of them has called the House. Oh, Senator, hello, I'm sorry, I should have recognized your voice. They were just replaying your Vietnam speech on TV last night. I want you to know, we're in your corner 100%. We really hope you run for president in '72. I think you're just what the country needs. Uh, well, thank you, ma'am, that's very kind of you to say. Will your husband be back soon? I do really need to speak with him.
2:11 Lindsay Graham? Now Kupackny picks up the uneasiness in Kennedy's voice. Well, Joe's at the store. He'll be home in about an hour. Is everything okay, sir? Are you on the vineyard with Mary Jo and the other girls still? Yeah, I'm still here. I'm actually in Edgar Town at the police station and that's why I'm calling. Kupackny feels a twist of dread in her stomach. Police station? What's happened? Is Mary Jo there with you? Well, you see, there was a car accident. I wanted to speak with your family before you heard anything from the press because Mary Jo was in the car. What are you saying? I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Kupackny. Mary Jo passed away. Kupackny's body freezes.
2:56 Lindsay Graham? She barely even hears Kennedy as he continues talking. I'm sending someone to New Jersey to help with the arrangements and anything else. I am so terribly sorry.
3:09 Lindsay Graham? After she hangs up the phone, Gwen Kupackny stands in her kitchen and stares into space. Thoughts rush through her mind. Her only child is dead at the age of 28. Mary Jo's bright future has been extinguished. Her promising career over. She'll never be married or have children. It's unfathomable, impossible. Then the initial shock gives way to overwhelming grief and Kupackny puts her head in her hands and begins to wail.
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5:01 Lindsay Graham? From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scandal.
5:25 Lindsay Graham? Ted Kennedy was a uniquely fascinating figure in American politics. One of the longest-serving senators in the history of Congress, he became known as the liberal lion for championing hundreds of progressive causes all the way to his death in 2009 at the age of 77. But his life wasn't just defined by political service. Ted Kennedy enjoyed immense privilege, and he suffered unthinkable tragedies. Kennedy was born into a powerful and glamorous family, determined to win the highest political office in the country. But after the deaths of his three older brothers, by 1969, he was the only one left who could achieve those ambitions. Kennedy had a charming personality and a famous family name.
6:08 Lindsay Graham? But he was also deeply scarred by his siblings' deaths, and that trauma fed increasingly self-destructive habits, including womanizing and heavy drinking. Eventually, that reckless behavior would result in yet another tragedy. The mysterious incident on Chappaquiddick Island would leave a young woman dead and cost Ted Kennedy his shot at the White House. But though he would never be president, Kennedy would still be protected from the real consequences of what he did by his wealth, his power, and his refusal to explain what really happened on that summer night in 1969. This is episode one, "The Kennedy Curse."
6:48 Lindsay Graham? It's the summer of 1940 at the idyllic Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, a tiny beachfront village on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Ten-year-old Joe Gargan sits on a blanket on the back lawn enjoying a picnic lunch. He takes a bite of his peanut butter sandwich and looks out over the Atlantic. He loves being here, the sunshine, the ocean breeze, the sound of waves lapping on the shore, but it's the Kennedys he loves most of all. Gargan is the nephew of Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the family. His own home life isn't easy. His mother died four years ago, and his dad travels a lot for work, so he spends as much time as he can with his wealthy relatives.
7:29 Lindsay Graham? Rose and her husband Joseph have nine children, but they seem happy to have Gargan around too. Still, Gargan is aware that he isn't actually a Kennedy, and even though he's only 10, he's figured out that being in this special place comes with a prize attached. Gargan's role here is to look after Teddy, the youngest of the Kennedy children. With his siblings and their teens and twenties, eight-year-old Teddy is very much the baby of the family, a chubby kid who struggles in school and is often picked on by his accomplished older brothers Joe Jr., John, and Bobby. So as the picnic is wrapping up, Gargan watches the older boys race to the garage to grab their bikes and head out for a ride along the beachfront.
8:11 Lindsay Graham? Not wanting to be left behind, Teddy follows on their heels, and that's Gargan's cue. He runs along and catches up with Teddy. When they reach the garage, Gargan sees the others are already on their 10 speeds, pushing their way out onto the driveway. Gargan picks a beat-up old bike off the ground for himself, but when he looks over at Teddy, he can see something's wrong. Teddy's bike has a flat front tire. Gargan's surprised, the tire was just fine yesterday. So he begins to wonder if one of the brothers has poked a hole in it as a joke. That would be typical of the way they treat the runt of the family. And as Teddy presses down on the mushy tire, he begins to cry softly, then looks at Gargan. Gargan can see Teddy clearly has no idea how to fix it.
8:55 Lindsay Graham? So as usual, it's up to Gargan to clean up the situation. He tells Teddy to grab the bike pump and the patch kit from the workbench. Then Gargan sets the bike on its side, gets down on his knees and removes the deflated tube from the rim. He runs his hand along the inside where he finds a small nail piercing the tire. He tosses the culprit aside. And when Teddy returns with a small black rubber patch, Gargan quickly applies it and wraps the tube back around the rim. Gargan then tries to show Teddy how to attach the pump to the tire's nozzle to inflate it. It's a simple enough task that his cousin really should learn for himself. But Teddy is growing impatient. He obviously just wants to catch up with his brothers. So Gargan handles the pump himself, and within a few seconds, the tire's inflated.
9:41 Lindsay Graham? Teddy then smiles, wipes a tear from his eye, and gives Gargan a quick hug. A few minutes later, the two boys are on their bikes, pedaling hard down the driveway and onto the beachfront road. Gargan takes a big breath of salty ocean air, feels a cool breeze on his face. He grins to himself. If taking care of Teddy is what it takes to stay here with his family, then it's a price worth paying.
10:07 Lindsay Graham? The source of the wealth and prestige Joe Gargan is so attracted to can be traced back to the early 20th century and to Joseph Kennedy Senior. The son of a successful businessman from Boston, Joe Senior was a young man with big ambitions. After graduating from Harvard in 1912, he made his way to Wall Street. There, he proved to be a prodigy in trading stocks and commodities, and he quickly amassed a sizable fortune of his own. In 1914, he married Rose Fitzgerald, and just over a decade later, they moved west to Hollywood. There, Joe ran a series of film studios and carried on an extramarital affair with legendary actress Gloria Swanson. Then in the 1930s, with the repeal of prohibition, Joe branched out into the lucrative business of importing liquor.
10:53 Lindsay Graham? By the mid 30s, he had become one of the richest businessmen in the United States, but by that stage, he was also a powerful figure in the Democratic Party. In 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Joe as the first head of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Then in 1938, he was given the prestigious post of Ambassador to the United Kingdom. This all means that young Ted Kennedy has enjoyed a privileged life so far, though it's not always been an easy one. His father, Joe Senior, has high expectations of all his children, and the boys especially are expected to excel both academically and on the sports field. It all seems to come naturally to his older brothers, but Ted isn't the best student, and his task is made even harder by constant disruption to his school life.
11:38 Lindsay Graham? His father, Joe's varied career, has led the family from East Coast to West and back again, and across the Atlantic to England. Ted has been dragged along in his wake, moving from school to school. A more permanent return to the United States, though, is soon in the cards. Joe Senior has long faced criticism for suggesting that Europe should appease Adolf Hitler and the US should stay out of World War II. But in late 1940, President Roosevelt steps up his public support for Great Britain, and Joe Kennedy's position as ambassador in the country becomes untenable. He resigns and returns to the United States shortly after, with his political standing permanently damaged. Joe Senior had dreamt of becoming the first Irish Catholic president, but now he accepts
12:22 Lindsay Graham? it will have to be one of his sons who will achieve that goal instead. This professional setback is quickly followed by a personal one. The eldest Kennedy daughter, 23-year-old Rosemary, has had developmental problems since she was a baby. But when she begins suffering convulsions and flying into rages, Joe Senior is advised by Rosemary's doctors that she should undergo a radical medical procedure. He agrees without consulting his wife, but the lobotomy goes wrong and causes Rosemary catastrophic brain damage.
12:54 Lindsay Graham? Unable to walk or speak, she's taken away to an institution and is rarely seen by her family again. It's a traumatic experience for young Ted, who is especially close to Rosemary. But losing his sister will prove to be just the first of many tragedies in Ted's life. Almost three years later, in August 1944, Ted is eating dinner inside the Kennedy home in Hyannis Port. The whole family's there, except Rosemary, of course, and the oldest brother Joe Junior, who is often Europe, serving as a Navy pilot in the war. As Ted digs into the butter-soaked lobster on his plate, he hears a knock at the front door, and a moment later, a pair of Catholic priests has shown into the room. To Ted, there is nothing unusual about this.
13:38 Lindsay Graham? His parents often have clergy over for dinner, and even host private masses in their home. But when Ted sees the looks on the men's faces, he starts to think this may not be the usual kind of visit. The room quiets down, and one of the priests steps up to the table and explains he has some terrible news. Earlier this afternoon, Joe Junior's plane exploded while flying a mission near the English coast. Joe and his co-pilot were killed. Ted's mother lets out a shriek as the priests try to comfort her. His father rises from his chair and begins pacing the room. He mutters what a waste it is. Joe Junior was going to be president. Twelve-year-old Ted is in shock, not sure what to say or do.
14:21 Lindsay Graham? He looks over at his brother John, who's seated next to him. At 27 years old, John is now the oldest surviving Kennedy brother. And as Ted watches, Joe Senior stops pacing and stands behind him. He puts a hand firmly on John's shoulder. He doesn't say a word, but the message is clear: It's John's turn now. Ted watches as John takes a deep breath, then stands up, clears his throat, and addresses the room. John explains that Joe Junior wouldn't want them to sit around and cry. Life goes on, and Kennedys don't feel sorry for themselves. With that, John announces that the boys are all going sailing. It's what Joe Junior would have wanted. But Ted is in a daze.
15:03 Lindsay Graham? He rises from the table and numbly follows John and his older brother Bobby out the door, trying to make sense of it all. First, Rosemary was taken away, and now Joe Jr. It's almost too much for Ted to comprehend. But one thing is clear: Ted has learned that when tragedy strikes, the family must keep marching forward. And when one Kennedy brother goes down, it's the next man up. In the years that follow, John Kennedy begins to make good on the family's political ambitions. In 1946, he is elected to the US House of Representatives. Young, handsome, and charming, there's soon talk in the press that JFK could be president one day. But in 1948, tragedy strikes the Kennedys again.
15:45 Lindsay Graham? Ted's 28-year-old sister Kathleen dies in a plane crash while on vacation in France. With now two Kennedy children dead and a third institutionalized, the public starts to whisper about the family being cursed. The Kennedys, though, as always, keep marching forward. In 1950, Ted enrolls in Harvard, following in the footsteps of his father and three brothers. And although he's a mediocre student, his family connections have been enough to get him in. But they're not enough to keep him out of trouble. Ted spends most of his freshman year at Harvard neglecting his studies, focusing instead on playing football and chasing girls. But as finals approach in the spring of 1951, he becomes worried about maintaining the grades he needs to stay on the football team.
16:30 Lindsay Graham? So he arranges for a friend to take his Spanish exams on his behalf. The scheme goes horribly wrong. His friend is caught in the act, and Kennedy now fears what the consequences will be. In his dorm room, he paces the floor, waiting for a call from his Spanish professor. Ted is terrified at being kicked off the football team, or worse, being expelled from Harvard. So as he paces, he rehearses in his mind what he's going to say to the professor, hoping to summon up enough of that famous Kennedy charm to escape mine.
17:05 Lindsay Graham? When the phone rings, Kennedy takes a deep breath and picks it up. Hello, this is Ted Kennedy. Well, you've made a hell of a mess this time. Kennedy goes pale. The voice on the line isn't his professor, it's his father. Oh, hi Dad. I suppose you heard about the exam? Look, it's not as bad as it sounds. I can find a way to smooth it over. All the hell you can. I just got off the phone with the dean. You're being expelled. This is the news Kennedy was dreading. He slumps onto the bed as his father continues laying into him. Your mother's in the next room crying her eyes out, Ted. After all she's been through these past few years. Dad, please. You know I had to pull strings and put the family name on the line just to get you in. And this is how you repay me?
17:48 Lindsay Graham? I'll find a way to make it right. I don't know, appeal or something. Nah, there's no use. They've got your dead rights on this one. Teddy, what were you thinking? I don't know, I'm sorry. Well, I'll tell you exactly how this is gonna go. You'll tell no one about what's happened and leave campus quietly next week when exams are over. Student records are sealed, so no one else needs to know what happened. Won't people wonder why I'm gone next fall? Yes, and we'll need a story for why you've left. So pack your bags, young man. You're joining the military. Military? Well, say you were inspired to follow in your brother's footsteps. You'll serve your country and keep your nose clean. Then in a few years, I'll dangle a big donation and we'll beg for Harvard to let you back in. You think you can handle that? Yes, sir.
18:33 Lindsay Graham? Good. And next time, Teddy, by God, don't get caught.
18:40 Lindsay Graham? Ted Kennedy does not want to be a soldier, but he doesn't have much choice. He knows his father is right. Joining up is the only way to save himself and his family from public embarrassment. Luckily, Kennedy is still a young man with plenty of time to turn things around. And if he shapes up, he can still achieve whatever he wants in life. After all, with the family name and fortune, there's nothing that can really stop a Kennedy.
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20:33 Lindsay Graham? In 1951, Ted Kennedy ships off for the Army. The Korean War is in full swing, but Kennedy's family connections ensure he never gets close to combat. Instead, he's stationed in Europe and assigned mostly administrative tasks. Kennedy serves a little under two years. Then, with his father's help, he's accepted back into Harvard on academic probation. Kennedy quickly returns to the university football team, excelling so much that he's even approached by the Green Bay Packers about playing in the NFL. But he also improves at his studies, and with a B average, he has the grades to leave football behind and go on to law school at the University of Virginia. But many of the faculty members there oppose his application when they learn of his earlier cheating scandal.
21:18 Lindsay Graham? Still, it's hard to say no to the Kennedys, and he's eventually accepted. While he's at Virginia, Kennedy meets and marries Joan Bennett, a law student and former model. Now in his mid twenties, Kennedy finally appears to have his life on the right track, but despite being a lawyer and a married man, his reckless behavior persists. One night in 1958, Kennedy is driving his automobile convertible in Virginia when he blows through a red light. He's spotted by a police officer who tries to pull him over, but Kennedy then turns off his lights and speeds away through the darkness, hoping to evade the cop. Eventually, the officer catches up though, and finds Kennedy's car parked in the driveway.
22:00 Lindsay Graham? When the cop approaches, he finds Kennedy lying down in the front seat, hiding. The officer cites him for reckless driving, racing to avoid pursuit, and driving on an expired license. But Kennedy leans on his family's lawyers to argue that his lights suffered from a malfunction. He's ultimately let off with a $35 fine. But he doesn't learn his lesson, and within the next year, Kennedy is cited multiple times for new traffic violations, including speeding, running another red light, and driving without a license. But while Ted Kennedy is getting himself in trouble in Virginia, a few miles north in Washington DC, his brother John is rising fast. Just as his father expected, he's launched a bid for the White House, and at the 1960
22:44 Lindsay Graham? general election, he defeats sitting Vice President Richard Nixon to become the youngest man to occupy the Oval Office in the history of the United States. John names his brother Bobby as Attorney General, but there's no formal role for Ted in the new administration. Still, his brother's rise to the top opens a door for him. In 1962, at the age of just 30, Ted stands for election in JFK's old senate seat in Massachusetts. The Harvard cheating scandal becomes an issue in the race, but he still coasts to victory on the back of his public speaking skills, and of course, his family name. So now, all three living Kennedy brothers now hold prominent positions on the national political stage.
23:27 Lindsay Graham? And although their father is not the force he once was after suffering a stroke, the Kennedys are still by far the most influential family in the country. But privilege and power can't protect them from everything. On the afternoon of November 22nd, 1963, Ted Kennedy is in Washington DC, standing on the dais overlooking the floor of the US Senate. It's a big day for him. He's taking part in the tradition where first-term senators preside over the chamber and direct proceedings, and he likes the feeling of power.
24:01 Lindsay Graham? He bangs the gavel and nods to a colleague. The senator from Missouri is recognized. You have the floor, sir. But just as Kennedy is starting to get the hang of it, he sees a pale-faced senate clerk walking quickly down the aisle. He stops beneath the dais. Excuse me, Senator Kennedy? Kennedy leans over. Yeah, what is it? It's about the President, sir. What's happened? They're saying he's been hurt in Dallas, that he's been shot. What? I-is he okay? I don't know, sir. It's just come over the wire. Kennedy glances around the chamber, and a low swell of concerned whispers is sweeping across the room. The other senators are hearing the same news. Kennedy steps down from the dais and grabs the clerk by the arm. All right, come with me.
24:44 Lindsay Graham? Kennedy moves quickly across the senate floor with the clerk in tow. He flings open the large double doors and strides into the lobby outside. By the far wall, dozens of people have gathered around a row of teletype machines to spit out the latest news. Kennedy tries to push his way through to get a better look. Excuse me, excuse me. Move aside, please. When the crowd doesn't part, Kennedy grows more frustrated. I said move aside, damn it! It's my brother! That gets the crowd's attention, and realizing who he is, people look to the floor and step aside. Kennedy stands over the Associated Press machine, reading the latest update. It just says he's been shot. It doesn't say whether he's alive. The clerk remains at his side, standing over an adjacent machine.
25:27 Lindsay Graham? Reuters says he's been taken to a hospital. God damn it, someone must know something. I need to talk to Bobby. The DOJ has people in Dallas. I'll call him from my office. You-you stay here, and come find me if there are any updates.
25:41 Lindsay Graham? Ted Kennedy jogs across the lobby and out into the sun. He hurries down the steps of the Capitol Building, heading to his office across the street. He's already lost two siblings to tragic deaths, and he hopes to God he hasn't just lost a third. But when Kennedy makes it to his office, he finds the phone lines are jammed. Still in the dark about whether his brother is alive or dead, he races home, where he's finally able to get a hold of Bobby. And that's when Kennedy learns the devastating news that their brother John, the President, is dead. JFK was just two years into his first term, and had instilled a new sense of optimism in many Americans. Now, that feeling of hope for the future is replaced with horror and dread.
26:25 Lindsay Graham? Ted feels it too acutely, and the grief is soon channeled into more reckless behavior. A year after losing his brother John in June 1964, Kennedy is campaigning for reelection to the Senate. He plans to fly to the Massachusetts State Party Convention in Springfield, along with an aide and fellow Senator Birch By and By's wife. But the pilot of the Kennedy family's private plane refuses to take off. "The weather in Springfield is bad," he says, "and it's just too dangerous to fly." But Kennedy won't take no for an answer, so he charters a different plane with another pilot for the trip. But he should have listened. In thick fog, the aircraft crashes into an orchard just three miles from its destination in Springfield.
27:09 Lindsay Graham? The pilot and Kennedy's aide are killed. The other passengers are hurt as well, but Senator By manages to gather enough strength to pull Kennedy's limp body from the wreckage. The crash leaves Kennedy with broken ribs, a shattered back, and a punctured lung. He spends five months in the hospital, unable to campaign in person, and he even sees in election night in bed. But still, he coasts a victory with more than 70% of the vote. That same night, Ted's brother Bobby is elected to the US Senate in New York. And as he sets up his new office in Washington, he recruits a team of secretaries and aides. Among them is 24-year-old Mary Jo Kopecky.
27:50 Lindsay Graham? As a younger woman, she was inspired to work in government by John Kennedy's iconic inauguration speech, the one that urged Americans to ask what you can do for your country. Now she's answering that call, and her tireless enthusiasm and intelligence quickly make Kopecky one of Bobby Kennedy's most trusted aides. And late one evening in March 1968, she's summoned into her boss's office. Stepping inside, she finds RFK at his desk with Kennedy family aide and speechwriter Ted Sorensen hovering nearby. To Kopecky, this is thrilling. Sorensen is the man who wrote the very speech that inspired her to enter government service. But if she's intimidated, she doesn't show it. Bobby asks Kopecky to take a seat at the typewriter in the corner. They need her to take some dictation.
28:36 Lindsay Graham? Then Bobby begins to speak, with Sorensen occasionally interrupting to offer adjustments to the language. And as the men go back and forth, Kopecky types furiously, trying to keep up. She doesn't have much chance to absorb what they're saying at first, just hoping to get their words cleanly onto the paper. But after a few paragraphs, Kopecky realizes what's happening. This isn't a letter to a colleague or another speech for the Senate floor. This is Bobby Kennedy's announcement that he's running for president. Ever since the assassination of JFK, it's been rumored that Bobby would try to take his place, and now it's really happening. Kopecky's heart beats faster. This is history, and she's right in the middle of it. The words she's typing will be remembered forever, so Kopecky tries to stay calm and
29:20 Lindsay Graham? focus on the task at hand. But a moment later, Bobby and Sorensen grow quiet, unsure of how to continue the speech. Then, to Kopecky's surprise, the men ask her opinion. They want to know how best to appeal to the young voters, whose turnout will be crucial in the election. Kepkney speaks from the heart. She explains that she's scared and angry seeing the boys from her hometown shipped off to fight in Vietnam. If Bobby can capture that feeling, he's sure to connect with young people. Bobby likes the sound of that and has her type out her words verbatim as a first draft. It's a surreal moment for Kepkney. She's just a 27-year-old from a humble family in New Jersey. Now she's a junior speechwriter for the next president of the United States.
30:04 Lindsay Graham? With the Kennedys, it seems anything is possible, and her wildest dreams might be coming true.
30:15 Speaker 05 Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent her life exposing powerful people. Then, in 2017, she was killed in a car bombing. I'm Stephen Gray, and for the past nine years, I've been trying to find out who wanted her dead. That search took me to Malta through secret companies, organized crime, and eventually to one of the island's richest and most powerful men. Now, after years of waiting, this trial has finally happened. But when the verdict came in, the case took a turn that almost no one had expected. In a brand-new update to the multi-award-winning podcast Who Killed Daphne?, I'm returning to Malta to find out how we got there and where the search for the truth goes next. Listen to the new episode of Who Killed Daphne? wherever you get your podcasts, and you
31:00 Speaker 05 can hear the full six-part investigation from the beginning, ad-free with Audible. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app and by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
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31:55 Lindsay Graham? In the spring of 1968, Robert Kennedy's run for the White House kicks into high gear. He taps his cousin Joe Gargan as campaign chairman. By this time, Gargan is far more than Ted Kennedy's childhood protector. He's been at the heart of several winning campaigns for the Kennedy family, including John's Senate and presidential victories, along with the Senate wins for Ted and Bobby. So Gargan quickly puts together a team, and at the nerve center of the campaign's Washington headquarters are the Boiler Room Girls. Named for the hot, windowless room where they work, it's a tight-knit crew of six, led by RFK's young aide Mary Jo Kopecky. Together, they collate crucial information about battleground states, opponents, and convention delegates.
32:39 Lindsay Graham? But they know they face an uphill battle, because despite the famous Kennedy name, Bobby's campaign seems like a long shot at first. The favorite for the Democratic nomination is the incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey. But in the early primary contests of 1968, momentum seems to shift in Bobby's favor. There are victories in Indiana, Washington DC, and Nebraska, which are quickly followed by a dramatic triumph in the winner-takes-all primary in California on June 4th. Suddenly, the prospect of another Kennedy in the White House is a real one, but the moment of celebration and hope for Bobby's supporters is all too brief. Shortly after giving his victory speech at a hotel in Los Angeles, Bobby is assassinated.
33:22 Lindsay Graham? His death is devastating for all the Boiler Room Girls, but especially for Kopecky. She worked closely with Bobby for years and considered him like family. Joe Gargan is also heartbroken. Bobby was not only his boss, but his cousin and his friend. But the most shaken of all is Ted Kennedy. Now, all three of his older brothers have died tragically young, one in a wartime plane crash and two by assassins' bullets. At Bobby's funeral, he delivers a moving eulogy, saying, "My brother need not be idealized or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life, to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw
34:04 Lindsay Graham? suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it." But it's not just the now horribly familiar grief that Kennedy has to shoulder. Now the family's dreams of retaking the White House rest entirely on him, and it's a heavy burden. So in the days following the funeral, Joe Gargan tries to lift Ted's spirits with the Kennedy family's favorite pastime, sailing around Cape Cod. The two men haven't had much time alone together since Bobby's death, and Gargan is worried about Kennedy's state of mind. So he takes this opportunity out on the water for a heart-to-heart talk. Well, Ted, sure is a beautiful day. Yeah? Kennedy is at the helm, one hand on the wheel and a glass of rum and coke on the
34:49 Lindsay Graham? other. Gargan sits nearby. Somehow, I think this is exactly what Bobby would have wanted. You and me out here, enjoying the ocean. Well, what Bobby wanted was to be president. Oh, we all did, for sure. How you been holding up? I'm trying not to feel. This helps. Kennedy lifts up his glass. Yeah, I understand. I've seen two brothers shot dead, Joe, killed in their prime. Now I've got a dozen nieces and nephews without fathers. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to tell them? Yeah, it's unfathomable. There's this sickness in this country. Where does it end? I wish I knew, but nobody does. You ask me how I'm holding up? Well, I feel scared. The party is already pushing me to run for president. For Christ sakes, I'm only 36.
35:34 Lindsay Graham? Even if I was ready for the job, how do you think it would go? When is some madman gonna take a shot at me? Well, for what it's worth, Teddy, I'll do everything in my power to stop that. I've been looking out for you since I was 10 years old, and that's never gonna end. The pained expression flits across Kennedy's face, downs his drink. And what I really need from you right now is another one of these. Well, that I can do. Gargan stands up and takes the empty glass from Kennedy's hand. And as Gargan mixes a fresh rum and coke, he thinks there's been enough morbid talk for one afternoon, so directs the conversation to something lighter. You know, I was thinking about throwing a little get-together this summer on the vineyard, something for Bobby's campaign staff. You know, those boiler room girls put their heart and soul into the campaign.
36:17 Lindsay Graham? Gargan hands the drink off to Kennedy, who lifts it in a brief toast. Well, that sounds like a great idea. I want 'em to know they're appreciated, you know? That they'll always have a place in the family. We'll just name the day, and I'll be there. You know, I love a party.
36:33 Lindsay Graham? In the end, Ted Kennedy doesn't make it to the staffers' party that summer. But it's such a success that Joe Gargan decides to turn it into an annual tradition. And the next time, Kennedy makes sure he's there. The get-together is held on Martha's Vineyard on the weekend of the annual Egger Town Yacht Club Regatta. The regatta is a good-natured boat race between a few dozen well-to-do locals, and Kennedy enters the contest with his yacht Victura. And on the afternoon of Friday, July 18th, Kennedy finishes ninth in the competition. And afterward, he boards the winning ship to join its team for a celebration. Kennedy puts back a number of his signature rum and cokes, and then around sundown, he heads off to Chappaquiddick Island. Gargan has rented a two-bedroom cottage there for the boiler room party.
37:17 Lindsay Graham? The small, sparsely populated island is separated from Egger Town by a narrow channel just a few hundred feet wide, so Kennedy and his chauffeur, Jack Crimmens, use a car ferry to cross. And soon after Kennedy arrives, the cottage fills with people and the party gets started. There are 12 of them in all: Kennedy, Gargan, the chauffeur Crimmens, three other Kennedy confidants, and the six boiler room girls, including Mary Jo Kopecky. For several hours, they eat, drink, and share old campaign stories. Then around 11:00 PM, Gargan heads to the kitchen to make hors d'oeuvres for the partygoers. It's been a long, hot, and boozy evening. Gargan himself is laying off the drinks due to an upset stomach, but he still managed to lose track of time.
38:00 Lindsay Graham? It's only as he removes the pan of sausages from the oven that he notices how late it is. At that moment, the driver Crimmens walks into the kitchen to grab another beer. Gargan reminds him that they all have hotel rooms back in Egger Town, but the last ferry runs at midnight. It's time to start winding things down and head home. They don't want to be stuck here for the night with 12 people in a clammy two-bedroom cottage. But as soon as Crimmens answers, Gargan can smell the alcohol in his breath and hear him slurring his words. He's clearly drunk and shouldn't be driving Kennedy or anyone else home tonight. So Gargan decides he ought to talk it over with Kennedy. He sticks his head into the living room and calls out for him. But Kennedy's nowhere to be found. Then Crimmens speaks up, telling Gargan that Kennedy just left the cottage with Mary Jo Kopecky.
38:45 Lindsay Graham? Gargan sighs. It looks like Kennedy has driven himself and Kopecky to catch the last ferry home. Gargan's not exactly surprised. Over the years, he's grown used to Kennedy acting on his own whims and leaving it to Gargan to smooth things over. But now there's only one car left for the rest of them. With ten people still at the cottage, there's no way he'll get everyone to the ferry in time. He'll have to stay the night. But as Gargan walks back to the oven, another more troubling realization hits him. He saw both Kennedy and Kopecky down a number of drinks in the last few hours, and Kennedy's a notoriously reckless driver even when he's sober. Gargan's already lost too many people he loved to senseless tragedies. He knows he won't be able to relax until he hears from Kennedy
39:30 Lindsay Graham? again. So all he can do in the meantime is hope that he and Kopecky make it back to the hotel in one piece.
39:40 Lindsay Graham? From Audible Originals and Airship, this is Episode One of Chappaquiddick for American Scandal. In our next episode, Joe Gargan's fears come true when he learns what's happened to Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopecky, and soon he's scrambling to clean up the mess.
40:01 Lindsay Graham? American Scandal is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode. Be sure to follow American Scandal on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. And Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to historyishuman.com. That's historyishuman.com.
40:35 Lindsay Graham? If you'd like to learn more about Chappaquiddick, we recommend the books Chappaquiddick: Power, Privileged, and the Ted Kennedy Cover-Up by Leo De Moore, and Ted Kennedy: A Life by James A. Farrell. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham, for Airship. This episode is written and researched by Corey Metcalf, senior producer Andy Beckerman, managing producer Emily Burke, fact checking by Alyssa Jung Perry, audio editing by Mohammed Shazi, music by Throm, sound design by Gabriel Gould. Executive producer for Airship is William Simpson.
41:18 Lindsay Graham? Executive producer for Audible is Jenny Lauer Beckman, head of creative development at Audible Kate Maven, head of Audible Originals North America Marshall Louis, and chief content officer Rachel Giannetta. Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC. Sound recording copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC.
41:43 Speaker 07 Ghosts aren't real. At least, that's what journalist Tristan Redmond always believed. Sure, odd things happen in his childhood bedroom, but ultimately, he shrugged them off. Until he discovered that he wasn't alone, that everyone who lived thereafter him also had bizarre experiences they couldn't explain. And it gets even weirder. It just so happens that his wife's great-grandmother was murdered in the house next door. Is this ghost somehow connected to her murder? He decides to go where no son-in-law should, digging up a cold case and asking questions that nobody wants answered. Like, could his wife's great-grandfather have gotten away with the perfect crime? This is a podcast about family secrets, overwhelming coincidence, and the things that come back
42:28 Speaker 07 to haunt us. For the best bingeable series like Ghost Story, listen to the Audible True Crime Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can get all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
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