Kennedy's Oldsmobile Delmont 88 being dragged out of the tidal channel
Over the next few days and weeks, much will be written and spoken about Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy and his legislative contributions to this country. Also mentioned will be the drive that he and his brothers shared to attain the presidency of the United States. One achieved that goal and another came close, both to be stopped by assassins' bullets. Ted Kennedy's presidential aspirations were most likely ended by a tragic car accident combined with some questionable decisions he made at the time.
Kennedy was driving his mother's 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88 with Mary Jo Kopechne as his passenger after a reunion party for campaign workers on July 18, 1969. Kennedy drove off Dike Bridge into the channel between Chappaquiddick and Martha's Vineyard islands. Kennedy swam to safety, but Kopechne died in the car. Kennedy claimed he tried to swim down to reach her several times, then rested on the bank for several minutes before returning on foot to where the party had occurred. Kennedy was criticized for failing to save Kopechne, for failing to summon help immediately, and for contacting his lawyer first and not the police.
Kennedy pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a sentence of two months in jail, which was suspended. The incident became a national scandal and mostly likely heavily influenced Kennedy's decision not to run for President in 1972, and may well have damaged his chances again in 1980.
The Delmont 88 was introduced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors (GM) in 1967 and was in production for just two years. It was available in both two- and four-door body styles. Its body styling was influenced by Oldsmobile's front-wheel-drive flagship model, the Toronado. A 330 CID V-8 engine was standard and a 425 CID V-8 engine was an option. Other options available for the 1967 Delmont 88 included front disc brakes and a stereo 8-track tape player. It is not known which options were in the Kennedy car.
Should you want to drive a 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88, or cast one in a feature film or television production, a pristine example (image above) is available for rental from the Avonhill Group in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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