American Experience 5x2

The Kennedys (2): The Sons, 1961-80

No family has had such a powerful hold on the American imagination. A saga of ambition, wealth, family loyalty and personal tragedy, the Kennedy story is unlike any other. From Joseph Kennedy’s rise on Wall Street and frustrations in politics, through John Kennedy’s march to the presidency — orchestrated by his father – -to Edward Kennedy’s withdrawal from the 1980 presidential race following the scandal of Chappaquidick, the family has left a legacy that continues to influence politics today.