Biography


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November 20th 1925 a hero was born. Preferring to be called Bob, Bobby was born into a family where the best was not just expected it was demanded. Born in a 12 room house in Brookline Massachusetts he was the 7th out of 9 children. Of his siblings he proved to be the most devoted, most intense and sometimes even said to be ruthless.  His character was complex and constantly in a state of change. Incredibly religious, Bobby refused to enter a Protestant Church protesting it was against his Catholic belief. His father, Joe Kennedy, was worth millions.  His early childhood was filled with moving and attending several different schools. After Joe Jr. heroic flying  in WW2  and Jack's courageous effort to save his crew when his PT boat was destroyed Bobby ran to join the Navy after attending Choate. However, his expectations of going to the thick of it never came about and he served aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy doing regular crew work. After his tour of duty Bobby fulfilled the Kennedy family tradition and attended Harvard. He was a mediocre student. Unlike his brothers, Joe  and John , he won his Crimson H while playing in a Harvard-Yale football game with a broken leg.  He became a foreign correspondent for a short while after completing Harvard.  Following Harvard he entered Virginia Law school finishing in the middle of his class. While in law school he married Ethel Skakel. Kathleen, their first child, was born almost a year later. Bobby had several jobs but the two significant ones pre Kennedy Administration were getting John  elected to office and serving as chief council on the McClellen committee. 

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In 1960 John Kennedy was elected President and RFK would be appointed attorney general. As attorney general Bobby was an advocate for civil rights leading the fight against labor racketeering. During JFK presidency Bobby helped out on several  crisis.

In the fall of 1962 rumors began to mount that nuclear-armed Soviet missiles were being set up in Cuba. In October, U.S. aerial reconnaissance confirmed that middle-range missiles were indeed being installed. After a week of secret consultation with his advisers, on October 22 the President announced his intention of placing a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent the arrival of more missiles. He demanded that the Soviet Union dismantle and remove the missiles and bombers that had been detected. Communication between Khrushchev and President Kennedy was opened through diplomatic channels. On October 28 Khrushchev acceded to the U.S. demands; Kennedy halted the blockade and gave assurances that the United States would not invade Cuba. The Soviet retreat was considered a personal and political triumph for the president. During the Cuban Missile Crisis Bobby suggested a Naval Blockade. President Kennedy sided with his brother as history illustrates.

On November 22,1963 Bobby was at home when he learned of his brother's death. President Kennedy's death effected Bobby greatly. He became depressed and until his own death you could tell the sense of loss he had. He changed...though for the better....

 

In 1964 Bobby Kennedy decided to run for the Senate in  state of New York. He was elected at the age of 39. He was the best-well known first term senator. Kennedy never had a political agenda of his own. Senator Kennedy unleashed a "war on poverty". He introduced a legislation program that was known as the "Great Society". The legislation included provisions for Medicare, job training, urban renewal, rent subsidies, and income supplements. Robert Kennedy differed from other politicians because of the depth of his commitment. He felt that Vietnam was immoral yet he took the blame for his involvement in the war while he  served in his brother's administration. In 1968 he felt obliged to run for the Oval Office he said he could not live with himself if did not. Senator Kennedy felt that the only way to stop the policies going on was to change the men who were commanding those policies

March 16, 1968 he announced his candidacy for the Presidency in the  old Senate Caucus room.


"I am announcing today my candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. I do not run merely to oppose any man, but to propose new policies. I run because I am convinced that this country is on a perilous course and because I such strong feelings about what must be done that I am obliged to do all that I can. I run to seek new policies-policies to close the gaps between black and white, rich and poor, young and old, in this country and around the world. I run run for the Presidency because I want the Democratic Party and the United States of America to stand for hope instead of despair, for the reconciliation of men instead of the growing risk of world war."

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Robert Kennedy's Presidential campaign lasted approximately 85 days. On the 85th day while giving a victory speech for his primary win in  California he was gunned down. Senator Kennedy was dedicated;  fighting for youth rights, easing racial tension,   improving relations in the cities and the slums, promoting the alliance for progress, advocating towards the development of  a china policy and earnestly trying to end Vietnam.

 

"My brother need not be idealized or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; rather he should be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. Those of us who loved him and take him to his rest today know that what he was to us and what he wished for others will someday come to pass for all the world."


Senator Kennedy's closed casket was placed on the alter in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Thousands of people came to mourn his death and bid farewell. During the service his children served in the mass. Joe and Bobby jr. helped carry the casket and the younger children served as acolytes carrying the bread, wine and other scared vessel. Teddy, Bobby's younger brother, gave the eulogy. After the service a twenty one car train carried the Senator his family and friends 226 miles to the nation capitol. During the train journey Joe, Bob's eldest son, put on one of his father's suits and walked through the train introducing himself and thanking the people for their support. At 11:00 p.m. Bobby's casket was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

 

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