Edward M. Kennedy- -Chappaquiddick-.doc

演讲稿 edward m. kennedy: chappaquiddick edwardm.kennedy:chappaquiddickmyfellowcitizens:ihaverequestedthisopportunitytotalktothepeopleofmassachusettsaboutthetragedywhichhappenedlastfridayevening.thismorningienteredapleaofguiltytothechargeofleavingthesceneofanaccident.priortomyappearanceincourtitwouldhavebeenimproperformetomentonthesematters.buttonightiamfreetotellyouwhathappenedandtosaywhatitmeanstome.ontheweekendofjuly18,iwasonmarthasvineyardislandparticipatingwithmynephew,joekennedy-asforthirtyyearsmyfamilyhasparticipated-intheannualedgartownsailingregatta.onlyreasonsofhealthpreventedmywifefromacpanyingme.onchappaquiddickisland,offmarthasvineyard,iattended,onfridayevening,july18,acook-out,ihadencouragedandhelpedsponsorfordevotedgroupofkennedycampaignsecretaries.whenilefttheparty,around11:15p.m.,iwasacpaniedbyoneofthesegirls,missmaryjokopechne.maryjwasoneofthemostdevotedmembersofthestaffofsenatorrobertkennedy.sheworkedforhimforfouryearsandwasbrokenupoverhisdeath.forthisreason,andbecauseshewassuchagentle,kind,andidealisticperson,allofustriedtohelpherfeelthatshestillhadahomewiththekennedyfamily.maryjokopechnethereisnottruth,nottruthwhatever,tothewidelycirculatedsuspicionsofimmoralconductthathavebeenleveledatmybehaviorandhersregardingthatevening.therehasneverbeenaprivaterelationshipbetweenusofanykind.iknowofnothinginmaryjosconductonthatornayotheroccasion-thesameistrueoftheothergirlsatthatparty-thatwouldlendanysubstancetosuchuglyspeculationabouttheircharacter.norwasidrivingundertheinfluenceofliquor.littleoveronemileaway,thecarthatiwasdrivingontheunlitroadwentofanarrowbridgewhichhadnoguardrailsandwasbuiltonaleftangletotheroad.thecaroverturnedinadeeppondandimmediatelyfilledwithwater.irememberthinkingasthecoldwaterrushedinaroundmyheadthatiwasforcertaindrowning.thenwaterenteredmylungsandiactualfeltthesensationofdrowning.butsomehowistruggledtothesurfacealive.imadeimmediateandrepeatedeffortstosavemaryjobedivingintostrongandmurkycurrent,butsucceededonlyinincreasingmystateofutterexhaustionandalarm.myconductandconversationsduringthenextseveralhours,totheextentthaticanrememberthem,makenosensetomeatall.althoughmydoctorsinformedmethatisufferedacerebralconcussion,aswellasshock,idonotseektoescaperesponsibilityformyactionsbyplacingtheblameeitherinthephysical,emotionaltraumabroughtonbytheaccident,oronanyoneelse.iregardasindefensiblethefactthatididnotreporttheaccidenttothepolicyimmediately.insteadoflookingdirectlyforatelephoneafterlyingexhaustedinthegrassforanundeterminedtime,iwalkedbacktothecottagewherethepartywasbeingheldandrequestedthehelpoftwofriends,mycousin,josephgarganandphilmarkham,anddirectedthemtoreturnimmediatelytothescenewithme-thiswassometimeaftermidnight-inordertoundertakeanewefforttodivedownandlocatemisskopechne.theirstrenuousefforts,undertakenatsomerisktotheirownlivesalsoprovedfutile.allkindsofscrambledthoughts-allofthemconfused,someofthemirrational,manyofthemwhichicannotrecall,andsomeofwhichiwouldnothaveseriouslyentertainedundernormalcircumstances-wentthroughmymindduringthisperiod.theywerereflectedinthevariousinexplicable,inconsistent,andinconclusivethingsisaidanddid,includingsuchquestionsaswhetherthegirlmightstillbealivesomewhereoutofthatimmediatearea,whethersomeawfulcursedidactuallyhangoverallthekennedys,whethertherewassomejustifiablereasonformetodoubtwhathashappenedandtodelaymyreport,whethersomehowtheawfulweightofthisincredibleincidentmight,insomeway,passfrommyshoulders.iwasovere,imfranktosay,byajumbleofemotions,grief,fear,doubt,exhaustion,panic,confusionandshock.instructinggarganandmarkhamnottoalarmmaryjosfriendsthatnight,ihadthemtakemetotheferrycrossing.theferryhavingshutdownforthenight,isuddenlyjumpedintothewaterandimpulsivelyswamacross,nearlydrowningonceagainintheeffort,andreturnedtomyhotelabout2a.m.andcollapsedinmyroom.iremembergoingoutatonepointandsayingsomethingtotheroomclerk.inthemorning,withmymindsomewhatmorelucid,imadeanefforttocallafamilylegaladvisor,burkemarshall,fromapublictelephoneonthechappaquiddicksideoftheferryandbelatedlyreportedtheaccidenttothemarthasvineyardpolice.today,asimentioned,ifeltmorallyobligatedtopleadguiltytothechargeofleavingthesceneofanaccident.nowordsonmypartcanpossiblyexpresstheterriblepainandsufferingifeeloverthistragicincident.thislastweekhasbeenanagonizingoneformeandforthemembersofmyfamily,andthegriefwefeeloverthelossofawonderfulfriendwillremainwithustherestofourlives.theseevents,thepublicity,innuendo,andwhisperswhichhavesurroundedthemandmyadmissionofguiltthismorningraisesthequestioninmymindofwhethermystandingamongthepeopleofmystatehasbeensoimpairedthatishouldresignmyseatintheunitedstatessenate.ifatanytimethecitizensofmassachusettsshouldlackconfidenceintheirsenatorscharacterorhisability,withorwithoutjustification,hecouldnotinmyopinionadequatelyperformhisdutyandshouldnotcontinueinoffice.thepeopleofthisstate,thestatewhichsentjohnquincyadams,anddanielwebster,andcharlessumner,andhenrycabotlodge,andjohnkennedytotheunitedstatessenateareentitledtorepresentationinthatbodybymenwhoinspiretheirutmostconfidence.forthisreason,iwouldunderstandfullwellwhysomemightthinkitrightformetoresign.formethiswillbeadifficultdecisiontomake.ithasbeensevenyearssincemyfirstelectiontothesenate.youandisharemanymemories-someofthemhavebeenglorious,somehavebeenverysad.theopportunitytoworkwithyouandservemassachusettshasmademylifeworthwhile.andsoiaskyoutonight,thepeopleofmassachusetts,tothinkthisthroughwithme.infacingthisdecision,iseekyouradviceandopinion.inmakingit,iseekyourprayers-forthisisadecisionthatiwillhavefinallytomakeonmyown.ithasbeenwrittenamandoeswhathemustinspiteofpersonalcons