Last Space Shuttle Closes Pact with the Kennedys

On Thursday morning I appeared on Fox News to speak about the Shuttles final mission as it glided to final descent. Since I had written about how President Kennedy's vision for space had brought us to land on the moon, Fox wanted me to talk to their audience about it.

I was struck by the emotion of the momentous and somber occasion that closed this chapter on America's pioneering history. Afterwards, with reflection, I was struck by the thought that even though America had given the Kennedy family great wealth and power, the Kennedy's have given back...Greatly. It seems they struck a pact with America and honored their end of the bargain with the ultimate sacrifice.

Joe Kennedy Sr. was born in a land where intelligence, ambition and drive could make up for, a royal name, unlike his parents homeland, Ireland. America was a land of opportunity for him and he made his mark in a huge way, wildly successful and wielding great power.

During his rise to wealth and power Joe had four Sons with his wife Rose: Joe, Jack, Bobbie and Ted and five Daughters, Eunice, Jean, Rosemary, Kathleen and Pat. They were were born into wealth and wouldn't have to know what it took to struggle financially. They could have lived an idyllic lifestyle never bothering with the mundane worries of life.

Joe taught his kids to love and respect America and give back to this country that had given them so much. With that wealth and power, they could have used it to shield themselves from the same challenges that ordinary Americans had to face.

But when World War II broke out, two Kennedy young men, joined the American armed forces to fight for their country and they chose front line combat positions. Joe became a pilot in the European war theater where his aircraft exploded in mid air killing him. Jack became a commander of a PT boat in the dangerous waters near the Philippines. His boat was cut in half by an enemy destroyer. He and his crew were left to die in the middle of the ocean. They survived but Jack had excruciating back injuries that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Jack went on to become President, probably one of the most charismatic and visionary leaders we have had. A hawk, he defended America like a pit bull and stood up to the worlds bullies. Brother Bobbie became the Attorney General and during his command he waged war on the organized crime syndicates that permeated our country.

Both of these Brothers were struck down by assassins bullets while they were doing what they loved to do, giving back to the country that had given them so much.

Ted was the surviving Brother and I know the toll it took on him from the loss of his Brothers. Although I agreed with little that Ted Kennedy did politically, I do respect him very much for picking up the mantel and trying to give back to the country that their Dad adopted for them.

With the recent passing of Ted and the final Space Shuttle mission. I think the Kennedy's have closed their end of the pact with America.

I will be appearing on Fox and Friends again this Sunday, to talk about President Kennedy and the Space shuttle mission.

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