Ted Kennedy’s Move

Ted Kennedy’s Move

By Arthur W. Arundel

Publisher Still making a strong showing in the polls. Senator Edward M. Kennedy may appear destined to be elected 40th President of this country a year from now. A great deal will, of course, impact on political events between now and then. But with some of the best political operatives in the business gearing up to orchestrate the Kennedy charisma the odds appear at least realistic, unhappy as some will be about it, that this third Kennedy could be literally swept into office. Many of Ted Kennedy’s friends say he would lead this country more boldly, more bravely, more humanely, and with more inspiration and skill, than Jimmy Carter or anyone else in the field. But there will be something more to this election than the nostalgia of Camelot for this hard stretched nation in the different time of the 1980’s.

OPINION

The writer. Arthur W. Arundel, served in the campaign of President John F. Kennedy, was Virginia Campaign Manager for the star-crossed Presidential bid of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and is a long time Kennedy family friend.

It presents a puzzling dilemma for some Kennedy friends and supporters, both on grounds of issues and this Kennedy’s character qualification for the office.

On defense policy, Kennedy declares that the nation’s future depends on “maintaining our military strength.” Still he is troubled with and has opposed the expenditures needed to match Russia's rise in power. Ted Kennedy sees inflation as the “central test” of our times. Yet he offers no alternative to President Carter’s Wage and Price Guidelines, and possesses a consistent record of supporting programs beyond anything close to a balanced budget by which inflation could be reversed in this country.

As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he has staked himself for many years on approval of a national health insurance program, and yet he has made no progress during eight years of trying to clear this or in fact any other significant legislative action through Congress.

Old Liberalism There is a great deal in Ted Kennedy’s political record and positions to agree with, but there is also more with which to disagree. And I suspect that the testing ground of the campaign ahead will erode his support as people become more aware of his bygope liberal positions. He has, at least until announcing for President, supported a liberal dogma tried, tested and proven unable to solve contemporary economic and social problems essentially by throwing money at them. But more important, why is this third Kennedy running at all? Here is a man who gets up and puts his pants on every morning and has home and family responsibilities the same as all the rest of us—different only in being rich enough to afford life’s conveniences without that effort.

Family Responsibility But more than any of the rest of us, Ted Kennedy has a first responsibility for 16 youngsters of his own and his two slain brothers to look after. They are in the midstream of youth, all highly charged Kennedys who have become all but impossible for their mothers to handle.

When one of these 16 unguided Kennedy rockets gets into a scrape with a school headmaster, or the New York police, or on a mountain in Kenya, things in fact happening with regularity, the authority in charge does not want to talk to a maid or a secretary or even the mother. Women’s liberation or not, he wants to talk to the man in charge of that child—the father figure. Senator Kennedy. Then there are parents meetings at these children’s far flung schools. There is no dodging this sort of family responsibility for any of us, if one’s values are in order.

Those who are truly successful in life and who have the largest demands on their time, put everything they do up to a very simple yardstick—First, is it right for my family? Second, is it right by my friends? Third, it is right by my country and religion? And fourth, and do I have enough money to pay the bills for the above.

A Matter of Timing?

Why then at this time in the lives of his j^imily would Ted Kennedy decide to run for President. The response' must be, as Kennedy has said of the former Shah of Iran, for his own personal best interest. There is nothing beyond a political dance step in the approval of Ted Kennedy’s aged mother and troubled, estranged wife, of his becoming a Presidential candidate.

If in his own thoughts Ted Kennedy believes that by becoming President he can more quickly wipe away such words as Chappaquiddick from his name in history, it is the wrong time at least to do it. It is truly sad to hear this burdened man say now. “The fun of campaigning went by with my two brothers. There is no joy in it for me.”

The bottom line very plainly is that if Ted Kennedy is not man enough to know that his first responsibility in these years is to his family and those 16 youngsters, then he is not man enough to become our next President. He has for them, as well as for his own reputation in history, made a grave mistake by entering this presidential campaign.