Interesting that you have such an emotional investment in something that happened so long ago, almost fifty years ago—were you even alive then?
Here are two summaries of what happened by impartial sources. There are aspects that might be reprehensible or irresponsible, but it’s a far cry from saying he chose to let her die:
The Chappaquiddick incident was a single-vehicle car accident on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 18, 1969, that was the result of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy's negligence and resulted in the death of his 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle.
According to Kennedy's own testimony, he accidentally drove his car off the one-lane bridge and into a tidal channel. He swam free, vainly tried to rescue Kopechne, left the scene, and did not report the accident to the police for ten hours. Meanwhile, Kopechne died inside the car that was submerged underwater. The next day, Kopechne's body and the car were both recovered by a diver. Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury; he later received a two-month suspended jail sentence.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappaquiddick_incidentJust after 11 p.m., Kennedy left the party with Kopechne, by his account to drive to the ferry slip where they would catch a boat back to their respective lodgings in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. While driving down the main roadway, Kennedy took a sharp turn onto the unpaved Dike Road, drove for a short distance, and then missed the ramp to a narrow wooden bridge and drove into Poucha Pond. Kennedy, a married man, claimed the Dike Road excursion was a wrong turn. However, both he and Kopechne had previously driven down the same road, which led to a secluded ocean beach just beyond the bridge. In addition, Kopechne had left both her purse and room key at the party.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/incident-on-chappaquiddick-islandBTW, just went back to follow your link, and find it quite amusing. How’s this for impartial and informed reporting, judicious, honest, balanced?
Senator Edward 'Ted' Kennedy [[b]stood for sleaze. Bloated and drunken,[/b] he used his standing in the Kennedy clan
to chase vulnerable women - which brought his dream of reaching the White House
to a shameful end. Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1209313/Ted-Kennedy-The-Senator-Sleaze-drunk-sexual-bully--left-young-woman-die.html#ixzz54VfEkXua I understand he beat little girls, kicked puppies, lied to his mother, stole from the Church poor box, and had bad breath.
Interesting that you have such an emotional invest... (