The AP Images account often posts a photo from “this day in history.” Yesterday, they chose to post an image of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s car that he drove drunk, subsequently ending in the water and killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne.
Here’s how they chose to remember that moment.
“50 years ago today, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy left a party on Chappaquiddick Island near Martha’s Vineyard with Mary Jo Kopechne, 28; some time later, Kennedy’s car went off a bridge into the water. Kennedy was able to escape, but Kopechne drowned,” the tweet stated.
50 years ago today, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy left a party on Chappaquiddick Island near Martha's Vineyard with Mary Jo Kopechne, 28; some time later, Kennedy's car went off a bridge into the water. Kennedy was able to escape, but Kopechne drowned. pic.twitter.com/X7jCFJcyJw
— AP Images (@AP_Images) July 18, 2019
No mention of how Kopechne could have been saved because she was trapped in an air bubble for several hours. If only Kennedy had gone to the police instead of trying to cover it up and pretending to have no memory of the night’s events.
Way to sanitize the events there, AP!
People suggested a few rewrites for the caption accompanying the photo.
That’s one way of looking at it, I guess. https://t.co/De58zdP01D
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) July 19, 2019
Just wow at this description. https://t.co/xt2lEObTYc
— neontaster (@neontaster) July 19, 2019
Dear God, this tweet is journalistic malpractice. https://t.co/uIeT3JcpXp
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) July 19, 2019
Kennedy got drunk, drove the car off a narrow bridge, left May Jo in the car and walked home.
He only called the police the following day after consulting with lawyers and political advisors. By that time it was long past too late — Mary Jo had drowned.
Was that what you meant? https://t.co/QR6n40KzHE— Michael Dorstewitz (@MikeDorstewitz) July 19, 2019
"50 years ago today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy was driving drunk and drove off a bridge into the water and left Mary Jo Kopechne to die."
There, fixed your headline for you. https://t.co/s6kjZGI87N
— Beth Wellington (@beth_wellington) July 19, 2019