Backward reels the mind. One of Teddy's journalistic buddies tells public radio a heart-warming tale of Kennedy's wit and humor, including the fact that TK liked to hear the latest Chappaquidick jokes.

I don’t know if you know this or not, but one of his favorite topics of humor was indeed Chappaquiddick itself. And he would ask people, “have you heard any new jokes about Chappaquiddick?” That is just the most amazing thing. It’s not that he didn’t feel remorse about the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, but that he still always saw the other side of everything and the ridiculous side of things, too.

My jaw drops...

First at the story that Teddy thought this was funny...

Second, that Newsweek's Ed kKein seems to think that yukking it up about a dead girl somehow shows Kennedy in a good light.

Comments Ed Morrissey:

If nothing else, it puts to rest the notion that Kennedy’s remorse balances out the undeniable cowardice of his actions at Chappaquiddick.  Even allowing for the best possible spin on his actions that day, what kind of person jokes about an incident that left a young woman dead in the back of his own car?  Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) got high marks from some for joking about his arrest for indecency and acknowledging his public humiliation, but the only thing that died in the X-rated theater was Reubens’ television show.

It does set free Kennedy’s critics to talk at length about Chappaquiddick and its proportion to Kennedy’s public life.  After all, if Kennedy thought it was a topic for humor in private, then it certainly is a valid topic for serious analysis of his life as well.

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