Joan Sadow of Fort Lee recalls the news when Senator Ted Kennedy, drove his car off Massachusetts’ Dike Bridge which connects Chappaquiddick Island with Martha’s Vineyard. His aid Mary Joe Kopechne was in the car and died. News accounts questioned what happened.

 

“I remember hearing about it as I drove home from a summer job. I immediately felt sympathetic towards Mary Jo and her family, partially because of her being female and only about nine years older than myself. I also had knowledge of the Kennedy family and some of their indiscretions and immediately was questioning why this incident happened.”

 

Audio: https://drive.google.com/a/ramapo.edu/file/d/0B-TiHp_sCE0HS0xBR1BPSnFCcWc/view?usp=sharing

Dominic: Please tell me a little about yourself.

Joan: My name is Joan Sadow, I’m sixty-seven years old, I have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and I grew up in Fort Lee New Jersey.

 

Dominic: What do you remember about the Chappaquiddick incident?

 

Joan: I remember hearing about it as I drove home from a summer job. I immediately felt sympathetic towards Mary Jo and her family, partially because of her being female and only about nine years older than myself. I also had knowledge of the Kennedy family and some of their indiscretions and immediately was questioning why this incident happened.

 

Dominic: What did you think of the media at the time?

 

Joan: I thought the media was heavily biased in Kennedy’s favor that they kowtowed to a politician as they would also to celebrities, and that they didn’t delve very deeply into it. I wasn’t really satisfied with the coverage. I got my coverage in those days both from television, the radio, and newspapers.

 

Dominic: How do you think the media has changed and where do you now get your news?

 

Joan: I think the media has greatly improved over the years. I think that the investigative reporting that became a mainstay of the news media is very important and really helps dig out the truth and facts. I do trust the media, and think that they are truly trying to help uncover the truth.

 

Dominic: Alright awesome! Thank you for your time.