Chappaquiddick Page #23

---

ESTHER (CONT’D)

You were up there a long time.

TED:

I was just lost in my thoughts.

Ted turns away, but Esther steps back up next to him.

114.

ESTHER:

How’s your wife?

TED:

She’s okay.

ESTHER:

No, really. I’m curious.

TED:

Well, tragedy has a way of definingpeople.

ESTHER:

How’s that?

TED:

It can split them in two. On the onehand, you got someone likeJackie...she goes out and practicallybecomes an ambassador...keeping thefamily legacy handed down to heralive. And on the other hand, atragedy like this cripples somepeople. Reduces them until they curlup in a ball, afraid or incapable ofdealing with their feelings.

(beat)

Joany’s more the latter.

ESTHER:

And which one are you, Senator?

TED:

I think I’ve run out of feelings atthis point.

ESTHER:

Well...I believe there’s a third

kind of person. The kind of personwho defines their own legacy in theface of tragedy.

TED:

My chance to define my own legacydied with Mary Jo.

ESTHER:

Ted. Look at Mr. and Mrs. Kopechne.

Ted looks over at the Kopechnes. Mrs. Kopechne dabs a fewtears from behind her dark sunglasses.

ESTHER (CONT’D)

They don’t blame you. Why shouldAmerica?

115.

Ted lets this sink in.

EXT. HYANNIS AIRPORT - DAY

Ted climbs down the stairs of his private jet inside a smallhanger. Reporters flood the entrance, ready to pounce withquestions.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - DAY

A New York Times newspaper comes flopping down in the centerof the coffee table.

The date reads:
"WEDNESDAY, JULY 23RD, 1969".

The front page headlines read:

-“ASTRONAUTS COASTING HOMEWARD”

-“3 KENNEDYS ATTEND FUNERAL FOR DROWNED SECRETARY”

EXT. HYANNIS AIRPORT - DAY

Ted pushes through a sea of microphones and cameras.

Reporters jockey for position as they lob questions at him.

REPORTERS:

What was this party? / Was therealcohol? / How many girls werethere? / What about these rumorsthat Ms. Kopechne was pregnant? /

Do you think there really is aKennedy curse?

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Sorensen throws another paper on top of the other. The braintrust all huddle around the coffee table.

SORENSEN:

(reading)

“Kennedy walked around with an opencollar, showing off a previously

unseen neck brace...”

EXT. HYANNIS AIRPORT - DAY

Ted scowls as he stomps the last few steps to his car. Thereporters questions starting to get to him.

A particularly plucky female reporter, LIZ TROTTA, 32, breaksto the front of the pack.

116.

LIZ TROTTA:

What effect do you think this willhave on your political career?

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - DAY

The stack of papers sits three high. Suddenly, another landson top with a THUD.

SORENSEN:

(reading)

“For a man wearing a neck brace,

Kennedy seemed to have no troublecraning around to see who wasbehind him at the funeral...”

EXT. HYANNIS AIRPORT - DAY

Ted steps into the back seat of his car. He stops midway withhis face inches from Liz Trotta’s face. He fumes.

TED:

I’ll make a statement at the

appropriate time!

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Another paper plops down on the growing stack in front ofTed, who stares daggers back up at Sorensen.

SORENSEN:

That’s from the Boston Globe. Did youwanna hear from the New York Times?

TED:

That’s enough. I get it.

Ted stands up and tamps his rage down to a simmer.

TED (CONT’D)

The neck brace was a mistake. I see

that now.

(beat)

But this country has a deepconnection to the Kennedy name. Andthat’s a valuable f***ing thing.

You can’t let that just go towaste. We need to remind the

American people what this familyhas been through and how much morewe have left to achieve.

Gargan stands in the corner clutching a twisted newspaper. Hefurrows his brow with scorn.

117.

MCNAMARA:

How do you plan on doing that,

Teddy?

TED:

A nationally televised statement.

All three networks. Prime time.

SARGENT SHRIVER:

Is that all? Why not have Ted fillin for Carson on The Tonight Show?

SORENSEN:

It’s actually not a bad idea. Thenetworks will donate the time if it’s

part of their news coverage. We canframe the national conversation the

way we want it framed.

SARGENT SHRIVER:

And how do we do that? He’s got tolook sympathetic.

STEPHEN SMITH:

It’d be easier to get him to fillin for Carson...

TED:

We’re going to tell the truth. Orat least our version of it.

(beat)

It ends with an appeal. To thevoters. The people who elected me.

We’re going to remind them thatthis family perseveres.

Ted paces back and forth like a general.

TED (CONT’D)

We don’t back down from a fight. Wedon’t get backed into a corner. Wehave a true compass, and we followit.

The men of the brain trust start to nod, impressed by Ted’scommand. Gargan twists the newspaper tighter.

TED (CONT’D)

I followed mine the best I could

that night. And me and Paul andJoey did everything we could to

save that girl and prove there

wasn’t a curse hanging over all theKennedys.

Sargent Shriver and Stephen Smith get up on their feet,

roused. McNamara pats Ted on the back.

118.

MCNAMARA:

We’ve got a winner there. Sorensencan dress that speech up, and youcome out of this thing unscathed.

Hell, he might even be able to make

you more electable.

Gargan seethes. He pushes past Smith and Shriver. He throwsthe newspaper onto the top of the stack at the center of theroom. It unfurls revealing the headlines:

-“TEDDY ESCAPES, BLONDE DROWNS”

-“JERSEY GIRL CRASH VICTIM”

The front of the paper is dominated by a full page photo ofMary Jo, which stares back up at Ted.

GARGAN:

Should we really have Ted play thevictim?

(beat)

Should we really have him pretend tobe a fallen hero? When we all know

damn well how this mess got startedin the first place.

SORENSEN:

This strategy is the only thingwe’ve come up with that has achance of saving Ted. We need toall get behind it.

GARGAN:

These theatrics aren’t going tohold up in a court of law.

MCNAMARA:

He’s right. We need to make surethis case is closed before talkingto the press.

Gargan stares at McNamara sideways, confused at this suddenturn of the conversation.

STEPHEN SMITH:

The hearing’s not til Monday.

SORENSEN:

We need that moved up A-S-A-P.

We’ll never survive the weekend.

STEPHEN SMITH:

I’ll contact Steele and see to it.

Gargan can’t keep listening to this. He marches towards thedoor, glaring at Ted as he passes in front of him.

119.

MCNAMARA:

Make sure we’ve got a solid pleadeal in place first.

Gargan shuts the door behind him.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - ENTRYWAY - DAY

Gargan starts up the staircase. The door to the war roomCREAKS as it opens. Ted stands there.

TED:

Joey. Wait.

Gargan turns back around to Ted, who pulls the door closed.

TED (CONT’D)

Joey. I meant it before. I need youwith me on this.

Gargan looks down at Ted.

GARGAN:

I meant what I said before too. I

can’t go any further. I’m packing mybags. I’ll be gone tomorrow.

TED:

Joey. This is your family too.

Start acting like it.

Rate this script:4.3 / 3 votes