It’s no secret at this point that For All Mankind is bending history to its liberal desires. Whether it’s portraying NASA and its astronauts as sexist or elevating Ted Kennedy to feminist president, the sky's the limit for the Apple TV series. However, this time may be the most shameful alteration of the show so far. It’s clear now that nothing is above leftist revision.
The November 29 episode “Hi Bob” explores some controversies surrounding the astronauts in 1975. The crew aboard the newly-established NASA moon base begins suffering from cabin fever. Astronaut wife Karen Baldwin (Shantel VanSanten) faces obstacles in raising her rebellious adolescent son without her husband. Finally, female astronaut recruit Ellen Waverly (Jodi Balfur) faces scrutiny from NASA for hiding her homosexual relationship because, as we know, NASA is sexist and homophobic.
The most stinging controversy, however, comes straight from the top. Local news reports new allegations that President Ted Kennedy is having an extramarital affair with none other than Mary Jo Kopechne. Considering Ted Kennedy never went to Chappaquiddick in this reality, Mary Jo Kopechne was never left to drown and continued to work with him in the White House. Moreover, paparazzi caught photos of the two of them alone together in Palm Beach. Needless to say, this news quickly rocks the administration.
Reporter: And back in Washington, accusations of an extramarital affair between President Ted Kennedy and a White House staffer named Mary Jo Kopechne continue to roil the White House today. This follows last week’s publication of photographs which appears to show the president and Miss Kopechne in Palm Beach, Florida, last winter…
Ellen: Maybe the FBI should be looking into his sex life.
It’s bad enough the show wants to give us the President Ted Kennedy that Democrats never got. Now the show wants to drag Mary Jo Kopechne down to his level. In this alternative reality, she goes from innocent victim of his negligence to willing participant in ruining his marriage. Considering it took several decades for mainstream media to acknowledge her death in the first place, this doesn’t come as too much of a surprise.
What makes this exponentially worse is how For All Mankind blatantly disregards the real Mary Jo Kopechne. Rumors about Ted Kennedy having an affair with her have swirled for decades, but they appeared to be just as wrong then as they are now. Friends and family of Kopechne have defended her background as a devout Roman Catholic remarking, “She would grimace if anyone said anything that was dirty or tasteless.” Ted Kennedy himself has denied several times that they had ever been involved sexually, yet the myth persists, regardless of what Mary Jo’s family or friends say.
For All Mankind has always been clearly political, but now it’s crossed the border into shameless. Mary Jo Kopechne deserves better, and so do we.
