Opinion of Robert F. Kennedy

[Phony Moderate]

FF.

[pogo stick]

FF.

[Marokai Backbeat]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

FF

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

HP

I recommend Seymour Hersh "Dark Side of Camelot". JFK and RFK were much more criminal than Nixon ever was.

Ted Kennedy is only Kennedy I can respect.

[Psychic Octopus]

HP

I recommend Seymour Hersh "Dark Side of Camelot". JFK and RFK were much more criminal than Nixon ever was.

Ted Kennedy is only Kennedy I can respect.

I should rent that. The only sneaky thing I know JFK and RFK of doing is cheating on their wives.

[fezzyfestoon]

Mixed politics, interesting guy.

[Хahar 🤔]

Neither and both, really. Certainly an arrogant, devious asshole. But also something else.

I recommend the book RFK by Dick Schaap. It was published not long before his death.

[Psychic Octopus]

Neither and both, really. Certainly an arrogant, devious asshole. But also something else.

I recommend the book RFK by Dick Schaap. It was published not long before his death.

Eugene McCarthy fan, eh? Do you know a place where I can pick that book up? I lack some good political biographies.

[Хahar 🤔]

Neither and both, really. Certainly an arrogant, devious asshole. But also something else.

I recommend the book RFK by Dick Schaap. It was published not long before his death.

Eugene McCarthy fan, eh? Do you know a place where I can pick that book up? I lack some good political biographies.

You could say that.

It's a picture book, not a serious biography. But it may be available at your library. It's out of print now, I'm sure.

[JSojourner]

I would have preferred Gene McCarthy, but RFK probably would have been a close second.  Good man.

[Mechaman]

I would have much preferred Gene McCarthy (in History Class he came across as a fighter while RFK came across as a political opportunist), but still FF for being against the most illogical Vietnam War.

[Antonio the Sixth]

FF

[Scam of God]

Massive FF. I strongly believe we'd be off of oil now had he been elected President.

Was he necessarily a 'nice' guy? No. Would we have been out of Vietnam and more advanced technologically than we are today had he been elected President? Almost certainly 'yes'. I'd have happily voted for him over the crook and corporatist Nixon, no matter how much I differ from him economically.

[paul718]

Here's a post I submitted in the "1968 Democratic  Primaries" thread:

I've always been fascinated by the 1968 Democratic primaries.  It seemed to be the birth of the current Democratic coalition, with each of the three factions initially pushing their own candidates -- Humphrey (unions and blue-collar workers), McCarthy (academia and the well-educated), and Kennedy (minorities and civil libertarians).  Had RFK survived, I think he could've united the three factions better than the other two, and possibly led a movement akin to Reagan's a short while later.  I don't think I'd have agreed with much of his politics, but I think he would've made a capable President.  With the influence he had in his brother's administration, he certainly had the chops for it.

What I find especially fascinating is the transformation of Bobby Kennedy as the 1960s wore on.  While serving in his brother's cabinet, he rivaled the hawkishness of General Lemay.  Yet during his 1968 run, he was an entirely different animal.  What's the deal with that?  Some have painted him with "opportunism", but I like to think both RFKs were a product of their times and environments.  Early RFK was a Cold Warrior, working in belly of the beast when the Cold War came closest to turning hot.  Later RFK seemed to have confronted an epiphany of sorts, most likely after immersing himself in the plight of African-Americans. 

Regardless, I find him to be one of the most interesting politicians in our history, could only imagine how things would be different had he survived.

[Scam of God]

^ So would you vote for Nixon over him, knowing that Nixon would champion OSHA, EPA, price controls, the bombing of Cambodia, and so forth?

[paul718]

^ So would you vote for Nixon over him, knowing that Nixon would champion OSHA, EPA, price controls, the bombing of Cambodia, and so forth?

I think I would vote for Kennedy over Nixon.

[Scam of God]

^ So would you vote for Nixon over him, knowing that Nixon would champion OSHA, EPA, price controls, the bombing of Cambodia, and so forth?

I think I would vote for Kennedy over Nixon.

Beautiful. Maybe you're not quite so wingnutty as the rest of them.

[President Mitt]

A devious sh**thead asshole, but a devious sh**thead asshole who had the right idea on Vietnam.

[JSojourner]

Here's a post I submitted in the "1968 Democratic  Primaries" thread:

I've always been fascinated by the 1968 Democratic primaries.  It seemed to be the birth of the current Democratic coalition, with each of the three factions initially pushing their own candidates -- Humphrey (unions and blue-collar workers), McCarthy (academia and the well-educated), and Kennedy (minorities and civil libertarians).  Had RFK survived, I think he could've united the three factions better than the other two, and possibly led a movement akin to Reagan's a short while later.  I don't think I'd have agreed with much of his politics, but I think he would've made a capable President.  With the influence he had in his brother's administration, he certainly had the chops for it.

What I find especially fascinating is the transformation of Bobby Kennedy as the 1960s wore on.  While serving in his brother's cabinet, he rivaled the hawkishness of General Lemay.  Yet during his 1968 run, he was an entirely different animal.  What's the deal with that?  Some have painted him with "opportunism", but I like to think both RFKs were a product of their times and environments.  Early RFK was a Cold Warrior, working in belly of the beast when the Cold War came closest to turning hot.  Later RFK seemed to have confronted an epiphany of sorts, most likely after immersing himself in the plight of African-Americans. 

Regardless, I find him to be one of the most interesting politicians in our history, could only imagine how things would be different had he survived.

Just an aside, Paul --

This post of yours is one of the reasons you are among the Republican posters whose contributions I actually LOOK for when I sign on.  I had never thought about Kennedy being more adroit when it came to unifying the various factions.  But I suspect you are spot on. 

What a great analysis.  Have you read a particular book about 1968 that you culled some of this from or are you writing one?  Because if not, think about it.  I don't think we have quite plumbed the depths of that pivotal year in Democratic politics...anymore than Republicans have concerning 1964 or 1980.

[paul718]

Here's a post I submitted in the "1968 Democratic  Primaries" thread:

I've always been fascinated by the 1968 Democratic primaries.  It seemed to be the birth of the current Democratic coalition, with each of the three factions initially pushing their own candidates -- Humphrey (unions and blue-collar workers), McCarthy (academia and the well-educated), and Kennedy (minorities and civil libertarians).  Had RFK survived, I think he could've united the three factions better than the other two, and possibly led a movement akin to Reagan's a short while later.  I don't think I'd have agreed with much of his politics, but I think he would've made a capable President.  With the influence he had in his brother's administration, he certainly had the chops for it.

Regardless, I find him to be one of the most interesting politicians in our history, could only imagine how things would be different had he survived.

Just an aside, Paul --

This post of yours is one of the reasons you are among the Republican posters whose contributions I actually LOOK for when I sign on.

Thanks, brother!  The feeling is mutual. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

My interest was picqued after watching the movie Bobby, which is set amid RFK's presidential campaign, while I was in the middle of reading One Minute to Midnight by Michael Dobbs, which focuses on the Cuban Missile Crisis.  It was remarkable how both "stories" included Bobby Kennedy, but two completely different versions of him.

As for researching the '68 Democratic race in particular, I haven't done much more than look at the wikipedia entry.  1968 was easily one of the most interesting campaign seasons we've ever had:  the electricity of Kennedy, the sitting President drops out, a former VP and failed nominee wins the GOP nomination, an assassination, sitting VP jumps in and wins the Dem nomination...it had everything.

[Alexander Hamilton]

FF for being better than Tedward.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

A devious sh**thead asshole, but a devious sh**thead asshole who had the right idea on Vietnam.

After with his brother he started the war

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Freedom fighter, Kennedys, Johnsons and Trumans made the United Nations a world peace organization, and for that I am thankful.

[Sewer]

the United Nations a world peace organization

lol

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Back then it was looked upon more favorably, during RF's time.  It was know for defeating Nazi Germany, and that was what I was referring to more so than today's standards.