Ted Kennedy, Chappaquiddick and the Democrats

From The New York Post

The opening night of next month's Demo cratic convention in Boston is set to feature an emotional party tribute to hometown hero Ted Kennedy, who has served in office longer than every other senator but one.

Guess no one at the Democratic National Committee took a close look at the calendar: That July 26 salute to Teddy just happens to coincide with . . . the 35th anniversary of Chappaquiddick.

[...]

You won't hear the C-word during the Democrats' Teddy lovefest, of course. Yet the events at Chappaquiddick gave birth to a Democratic mantra that would be sounded over and over in the years to come: Character doesn't count.

[...]

As Peggy Noonan wrote, a president doesn't have to be brilliant or clever — you can hire speechwriters and policy wonks to take care of that. But "you can't rent a strong moral sense," she added. "A president must bring those things with him."

Americans can debate whether John Kerry's Vietnam experience provided that sense of purpose and determination; certainly, President Bush has shown courage and strength when it comes to recognizing the need to undertake the battle against terrorism.

Because, in fact, character does count — and it counts for everything. For, as Noonan wrote, "A vision is worth little if a president doesn't have the character — the courage and heart — to see it through."

One thing is clear: Ted Kennedy's behavior at Chappaquiddick betrayed a fatal character flaw that forever rendered him unfit for the presidency — and, to be honest, for a national leadership role in American political life. That he has enjoyed the latter nonetheless betrays the Democratic Party's own character flaw.
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