2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: In 1980, did Ted Kennedy endorse Jimmy Carter? [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)It's almost a feature of the disease. The judgment is the first to go. I don't know what Edwards was addicted to--maybe the thrill of dangerous liaisons? He certainly played that situation like Petraeus and his girlfriend--incredibly reckless and stupid (I still have to wonder what she was thinking when she named that book about him "All In?" LOL!).
TK's son and daughter staged an intervention on his behalf back in 1991--instead of realizing that his tearful adult children were desperate to get him help, he got cold and angry and dismissive with them and rejected their pleas out of hand. Patrick Kennedy (of the car crash on Ambien, the puking on AF1, and shoving the TSA agent at National airport fame--no one knows addiction better than that poor guy, except maybe some of his cousins) wrote about this in his book. TK just wasn't in the mood to hear it, to be challenged, and he wasn't going to hear it until HE was good and ready.
I've said this before but it can't be overstated that Vicki saved his life and enabled him to have a brilliant last chapter in his life. Good for her. She was rather quiet, and never got the publicity that Joan got (poor Joan, she had her troubles, too) but she was a remarkable asset to the Senator. He was lucky to have found her.