Robert F Kennedy Essay Example

and race. As a politically astute figure, Kennedy also expressed gradual but measured reservations about the war in Vietnam. It was evident that his public addresses underwent noticeable shifts in both tone and focus.

At the beginning of his career, Kennedy was preoccupied with issues such as corruption, the loss of traditional values, and a sense of betrayal. His personality, influenced by resentment towards his older brother, maintaining animosity towards Boston Irish, and a contentious nature, allowed him to empathize with underdogs in a genuine way. During his time as attorney general, he was more enthusiastic than his brother in using federal government power to combat racial segregation. Following the assassination of his brother, Robert Kennedy shifted the Kennedy political network towards a more idealistic philosophy focused on human needs, universal solutions, and instant remedies.

The Kennedy family's political philosophy underwent a transformation, shifting from a nationalistic discourse centered on the Cold War and boasting Churchillian influences of bravery and conflict, to a plea for reason, reform, and even kindness. The passionate ambition of Joseph P. Kennedy's sons and heirs was replaced by a distinguished stewardship that integrated idealistic and exhilarating approaches to shaping the Kennedy political fortune. Following Robert Kennedy's assassination, this latter rhetoric solidified into what Theodore Sorensen, a close associate of the family, dubbed "the Kennedy legacy," while Jacqueline Kennedy reflected on it thoughtfully and christened it "Camelot." (Navasky Victor, 1971) During Robert Kennedy's first political campaign in 1964, this newly evolved philosophy was already in effect.

S. Senate seat from New York garnered large crowds, as attendees had the opportunity to hear from Robert Frost and potentially see a future presidential candidate. Despite a

sense of tragedy and mythical connection to the past, Kennedy's speaking abilities remained lacking.

Kennedy's voice had a tendency to be high pitched, sometimes even shrill, and his pronunciation, with its long "a" and added "r" to ending vowels, sounded peculiar outside of Boston. There were times when Kennedy seemed to recognize that his presence alone, with its strong echoes of his late brother's appearance, was the main statement he was making. During the New York Senate race, for example, Kennedy repeatedly stated without embellishment that he supported Democrat Lyndon Johnson over conservative Republican nominee Senator Barry Goldwater. A year afterward, when he was advocating for the Democratic candidate for mayor, Abraham Beame, Kennedy's stump speeches were so lackluster that the Beame camp openly criticized one notably dreary performance.

Although not renowned for his oratory abilities, Kennedy's celebrity status made him a significant drawcard. Nevertheless, his political tenure was not without contention due to his changing viewpoints and positions. To gain a thorough comprehension of his intricate journey, examining his speeches throughout the years is recommended. While Kennedy's stances have altered over time, he stressed the significance of tenacity in politics early on; this was evident in his initial support for Senator Joseph McCarthy's crusade against communist and leftist sympathizers.

Despite McCarthy's censure in 1954, Kennedy maintained a friendly relationship with the senator and described him as a multifaceted character who desired to be liked. Kennedy's credentials as chief counsel for the Senate rackets committee, investigating allegations of corruption in organized labor, were rooted in his background and expertise. Utilizing an assertive approach while interrogating notable figureheads from the Teamsters, he ultimately criticized those taking advantage of

the Fifth Amendment to guard against self-incrimination. Once in the role of attorney general, Kennedy pursued Hoffa's impeachment tenaciously, causing many of his acquaintances to deem it more of a personal vendetta than an unbiased investigation into malpractice or corruption. In the mid-1960s, Kennedy aligned himself with facets of the counterculture movement and delivered a significant speech at the University of California in Berkeley on October 22nd, 1966, promoting constitutional defense and the right to dissent. Civil rights was another substantial area where Kennedy demonstrated significant change.

Although initially prioritizing the protection of his brother from a civil rights controversy, Robert Kennedy soon recognized the ethical importance of supporting the "Second Reconstruction" movement through the Justice Department and federal government. In Carrollton, Georgia on May 26, 1964, he highlighted the hypocrisy of a segregated society that expected men of all races to serve in its armed forces. This echoed an argument made by John F. Kennedy during his 1960 election campaign to highlight injustice despite race being a major issue at that time. However, it was ultimately the Vietnam War that consumed many activists who supported Kennedy and even affected him personally as senator.

Following his success in winning a Senate seat in New York and distancing himself from President Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy utilized his political power to gradually create separation between himself and Johnson's Vietnam policies. Despite previously backing America's involvement in Vietnam, Kennedy's opponents were swift to point out this change of opinion.

While his brother was in office, military personnel were sent to South Vietnam. In 1962, during a visit to the country, Kennedy announced that the United States would remain in Vietnam until victory

was achieved. However, by 1965 he began to question the war and advocated for deescalation. On February 19th, 1966 he delivered a significant speech before the Senate supporting political dissent against the president's war strategies and urging a negotiated political settlement. A year later on March 2nd, 1967, he criticized failed peace negotiations and condemned Johnson's bombing campaign in North Vietnam during another Senate speech. This rare show of opposition to mainstream U.S. politicians demonstrated Kennedy's growing discontent with the war.

Schlesinger Arthur M (1978) described a politician from the United States who had not yet directly confronted President Johnson in his pursuit of the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. However, after Senator Eugene McCarthy performed well in the New Hampshire primary, this same politician announced on March 16th that they too would seek the nomination, risking accusations of opportunism.

In the Democratic primaries of 1968, Robert Kennedy was seen as both the next expected leader and representative of the Left within his party. Kennedy's oratory skills reflected both his own legacy and that of his elegant and stylized brother, serving as a reminder of their unfulfilled dreams and adventurous spirit which he believed could once again unite the country. However, it was his moving and artful speech at the 1964 Democratic National Convention that was his most notable performance. During a poignant memorial for the assassinated President Kennedy, Robert spoke for twenty-two minutes while tears welled up in his eyes as the crowd cheered him on with frenzied applause.

During his 1968 campaign, Robert Kennedy's political landscape differed greatly from that of his brother's in 1960 or 1964. He targeted the prominent antiwar, reformist, and

civil rights factions that supported the more proactive volunteer sectors of the Democratic Party. While campaigning in Indiana on April 4, Kennedy received news of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. In front of a furious audience in a black ghetto in Indianapolis, he reminisced about his brother's demise and multifaceted emotions during that time, concluding with an appeal for racial harmony.

Urging his audience to recall the sagacity of the ancient Greeks, he implored them to devote themselves to the written words of the Greeks: "to curb the brutality in humanity and cultivate a harmonious existence in the world." Tragically, two months later, Robert Kennedy was assassinated during his win celebration in the California Democratic primary. (Newfield Jack, 1969)