Watch CBS News

Keller @ Large: Is There Division In The Kennedy Family?

BOSTON (CBS) - They were all smiles back in April at the groundbreaking for the Kennedy Institute. But behind the scenes, there's trouble in Camelot.

Just the other day, Joe Kennedy lashed out publicly at the Kennedy Library for inadequately honoring the life of his late father, Robert Kennedy.

And now, there are reports of friction between Ted's widow Vicki and other family members over future use of the Hyannisport home they shared.

WBZ's Jon Keller is at large:

Peter Canellos of the Boston Globe, and editor of a popular biography of Ted Kennedy, says his death nearly two years ago has taken a toll on family unity.

Peter says, "In the wake of Sen. Kennedy's death, some of the divisions among Kennedy family members have come out into the open in a way that they wouldn't have if he was still alive."

"He was this great patriarchal unifying figure, and when there were disputes within the family, he obviously would settle them," says Canellos. "Now, there is a feeling that each branch of the family is a little bit on its own."

When Ted Kennedy was alive, he would have joint meetings, reunions periodically during the year for his nieces and nephews, for their children, for the grandchildren's generation, to give them a sense of what it means to be a Kennedy.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.