Only one family has had a member in office since 1947.

One family has shaped American history decade after decade.

That's the Kennedy family.

But who really are the Kennedys?

What's behind the beautiful faces and facades?

And why can we ever get enough of them?

January, 1961, the new president and his first lady emerged from the White House, and a new era begins in Washington, known as the Age of Camelon.

We are broadcasting this morning the announcement of Democratic Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York

that he will be a candidate for the presidency.

So who was that guy getting so much attention from the media this morning?

By George? That was John, as in John F. Kennedy, Jr.

I'm George Severus. I'm a comedian and writer, a former editor at Gawker, and the host of Stradio Lab.

And I'm Lyra Smith. I'm a podcaster, and I've worked on shows like S-Town, This American

Life, and The Dream. And we're the hosts of United States of Kennedy.

And you show all about our cultural fascination

with the Kennedy dynasty.

There was one set of rules for the Kennedys

and one set of rules for everyone else.

Carolyn, the set probably suffered

for not having Jackie around

as a sort of guide

or like an entree,

...