Chappaquiddick Page #26

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TED:

You have flaws, Joey. We all do.

You said so yourself.

(beat)

Moses had a temper. Peter betrayedJesus. I have Chappaquiddick.

GARGAN:

Moses having a temper never madehim leave a girl at the bottom ofthe Red Sea.

FLOOR PRODUCER:

We still don’t have anyone to holdthe cue cards!

Ted shoots up.

TED:

Ole Joey’ll fix it! He’d be a greatcue card holder. Wouldn’t cha Joey?

Ted deftly grabs the resignation speech and stuffs it backinto Gargan’s sport coat.

Gargan seethes.

FLOOR PRODUCER:

And we’re live in 10, 9...

The Floor Producer drags Gargan away from Ted.

FLOOR PRODUCER (CONT’D)

8, 7, 6...

He sets Gargan below the main camera and shoves the cue cardsinto his arms. Gargan stoops down and scowls back up at Ted.

FLOOR PRODUCER (CONT’D)

5, 4...

The producer holds up three fingers, finishes the countdown.

Ted looks down at Gargan. He straightens up the papers ofSorensen’s speech. He’s won. He’s ready to begin.

131.

TED’S BROADCAST IMAGE FILLS THE SCREEN

Ted holds a stack of papers in his hands and looks directlyin the camera.

TED:

My fellow citizens: I have

requested this opportunity to talk

to the people of Massachusetts

about the tragedy which happened

last Friday evening. Prior to my

appearance in court it would have

been improper for me to comment on

these matters. But tonight I am

free to tell you what happened and

to say what it means to me.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

McNamara, Sorensen, and the brain trust crowd around the TV.

Ted turns to Camera Two. The close up.

TED (V.O.)

On Chappaquiddick Island, I attended

a cook-out I had helped sponsor for

a devoted group of Kennedy campaign

secretaries. When I left the party,

I was accompanied by one of these

girls, Miss Mary Jo Kopechne.

They watch with the same intensity that they would rootingfor the Boston Red Sox.

INT. KOPECHNE HOME - CONTINUOUS

The Kopechnes sit in their matching recliners facing the TV.

TED (V.O.)

Mary Jo was one of the most devoted

members of the staff of Senator

Robert Kennedy. She worked for him

for four years and was broken up over

his death. For this reason, and

because she was such a gentle, kind,

and idealistic person, all of us

tried to help her feel that she still

had a home with the Kennedy family.

The Kopechnes share the first smile they’ve had in a week.

INT. POLICE CAR - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

Chief Arena drives his police cruiser down a desolate mainstreet of Edgartown. Ted’s speech plays through the radio.

132.

TED (V.O.)

There is no truth, no truth

whatever, to the widely circulated

suspicions of immoral conduct that

have been leveled at my behavior

and hers regarding that evening.

Nor was I driving under the

influence of liquor.

He turns a corner and passes the Shiretown Inn. The windowsall glow in unison with the same flicker of the TV screens.

INT. SENATE CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Dick Drayne is glued to the TV. He sits on pins and needlesthrough each and every one of Ted’s words.

TED (V.O.)

I made immediate and repeated

efforts to save Mary Jo by diving

into the strong and murky current,

but succeeded only in increasing my

state of utter exhaustion and

alarm. Although my doctors informed

me that I suffered a cerebral

concussion, as well as shock, I do

not seek to escape responsibility

for my actions after lying

exhausted in the grass for an

undetermined time...

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Markham stands in the back corner of the war room. He looks

down at his glass of whiskey.

TED (V.O.)

...I walked back to the cottage

where the party was being held and

requested the help of two friends,

my cousin, Joseph Gargan, and Paul

Markham. Their strenuous efforts,

undertaken at some risk to their

own lives, also proved futile. All

kinds of scrambled thoughts were

reflected in the various

inexplicable, inconsistent, and

inconclusive things I said and did,

including such questions as whether

some awful curse did actually hang

over all the Kennedys, whether

there was some justifiable reason

for me to doubt what had happened

and to delay my report.

Markham takes a slug from his drink. Walks out of the room.

133.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - DEN - CONTINUOUS

The Kennedy family packs around the TV. The children spreadout across the floor. At the center sits Teddy Jr.

TED (V.O.)

This last week has been an

agonizing one for me and for the

members of my family. And the grief

we feel over the loss of a

wonderful friend will remain with

us the rest of our lives.

ON TV:

Ted turns back to Camera One. The camera cuts to the new wide

angle as Ted puts down his papers and “speaks from the heart”

as he looks directly into camera.

TED:

These events, the publicity,

innuendo, and whispers which have

surrounded them and my admission of

guilt this morning raises the

question in my mind of whether my

standing among the people of my

State has been so impaired that I

should resign my seat in the United

States Senate.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - JOSEPH KENNEDY'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Joseph Kennedy stares back at his son on the TV screen.

TED (V.O.)

If at any time the citizens of

Massachusetts should lack confidence

in their Senator's character, or his

ability...with or without

justification...he could not in my

opinion adequately perform his

duties and should not continue in

office.

(beat)

The people of this State, the State

which sent John Quincy Adams, Henry

Cabot Lodge, and John Kennedy to the

United States Senate are entitled to

representation in that body by men

who inspire their utmost confidence.

He beams with pride and joy.

134.

INT. KENNEDY COMPOUND - STUDY - CONTINUOUS

Gargan stares daggers straight through Ted as he flips to thenext cue card.

TED (O.S.)

For this reason, I would understandfull well why some might think itright for me to resign.

Gargan turns away in disgust.

TED’S BROADCAST IMAGE FILLS THE SCREEN

Ted looks directly into the camera. His eyes staring straightback at you.

TED (CONT’D)

And so I ask you tonight, thepeople of Massachusetts, to thinkthis through with me. In facingthis decision, I seek your adviceand opinion. In making it, I seekyour prayers -- for this is adecision that I will have finallyto make on my own. Thank you andgood night.

FADE OUT.

Over black:

Ted Kennedy went on to serve forty more years as Senatorafter a massive outpouring of support. Known as “The Lion ofthe Senate,” he became the fourth longest serving Senator in

U.S. history.

Joseph Kennedy suffered from the last in a series of strokeson November 18, 1969. He died in his Hyannis Port home...justfour months after Chappaquiddick. Ted Kennedy felt hisactions may have shortened his father’s life.

Joseph Gargan became estranged from the Kennedy family. Hehas retired into private life.

In 1980, Ted sought to defeat incumbent President Carter forthe Democratic Presidential Nomination...

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