Taking on the Kennedys

Directed by Joshua Seftel

What would it be like to run against one of the most powerful political families in America? Enter the backrooms of American politics as a doctor named Kevin Vigilante takes on the Kennedys. In his first race for public office, Kevin Vigilante challenges Ted Kennedy's youngest son, Patrick, and gets the political education of a lifetime. Dedicated to running a clean fight, Vigilante soon finds himself in the midst of a mud slinging contest. With negative ads about Vigilante filling the airwaves, and John F. Kennedy Jr. signing autographs outside polling stations, Vigilante realizes he has no chance of winning without slinging mud of his own, and proceeds to take off his gloves. Endemic of contemporary campaign politics, the sound byte takes precedence over the speech as issues are overshadowed by negative television advertisements. Taking on the Kennedys aired as a part of PBS' P.O.V. series.