Dan Hannan has some gracious things to say about Senator Kennedy’s commitment to parliamentary process.

Funnily enough, the torrent of material appearing on the BBC and elsewhere seems to have little if anything to say about the time Kennedy secretly talked to the KGB to try to thwart the election of Ronald Reagan.

NB This is, of course, not to speak ill of the dead – as a good progressive he just had to do everything possible to keep that Wheel of History moving in the right (ie Left) direction.

As for Mary Jo Kopechne…

Oops. Wrong narrative.

Nonetheless, an interesting question of principle. How far can true greatness ever be built – and fairly agreed to be built – upon a foundation of starkly revealed cowardice and opportunism?

What volume of later good deeds are needed to cancel out past misdeeds to achieve a firmly positive balance? Do moments of terrible selfish weakness invariably define a whole life? What does a weak man need to do to make up for those moments?  

Maybe this is where the Catholic Church’s tradition of confession might help.

What contrition did he truly feel and show?

Update: The Anchoress helps give some gentle but perceptive answers.