Ted Kennedy Merch
Description: Chappaquiddick had greatly damaged Kennedy's future presidential prospects and he had declared, shortly after the incident, that he would not be a candidate in the 1972 U.S. presidential election. Nevertheless, polls in 1971 suggested he could win the nomination if he tried, and Kennedy gave some thought to running. In May of that year he decided not to, saying he needed "breathing time" to gain more experience and to take care of the children of his brothers and that in sum, "It feels wrong in my gut." Nevertheless, in November 1971, a Gallup Poll still had him in first place in the Democratic nomination race with 28 percent. Once George McGovern was near clinching the Democratic nomination in June 1972, various anti-McGovern forces tri...
