European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 07, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse F. Kennedy 1925-1968 lied crime and racketeering cation labor legislation 2 of the poor pardons sic concentration Juve risque nay and Federal jul istrian Arthur Schlesinger an admitted Kennedy Enthus it called him the Best at Nev general this country has for a he Drew criticism was roundly criticized the Fri banged on doors the Middle of the night to Ion persons about a steel increase in 1962 which was withdrawn under pressure president was chastised in the South enforcement of civil rights at the same time was critic by some negroes for sup buy proceeding too slowly in dancing racial Equality. Although the Justice depart tent was his primary responsibility he had a hand in Pratti Illy every phase of govern ient., an aide estimated that he de voted 80 per cent of his working Day to Justice department Busi Ness 5 per cent to meetings with members of the press 5 per cent to political activities and 10 per cent to foreign policy and other government affairs. I a White House aide said a familiar order from the president was Call Bobby get together with him and come Back Withan idea on the attorney general played an important part in advising on appointments. He reportedly was influential in the Choice of in a. Mccone As director of the Central intelligence Agency. The president turned to him after the ill fated cuban inva Sion in april 1961, appointing him to head an inquiry into the Central intelligence Agency. When the dominican Republic dictator Generalissimo Rafae Leonidas Trujillo Melina was assassinated in May 1961, the president was in Paris. Mem Fere of a special task Force me that night at the state depart ment to study the situation. The attorney general participated Wing Mas one member of the Force said for his brother. In 1962 the president sent his Orother on a round the world rip As his representative. During the 1962 cuban missiles is with the soviet Union the Torney general led the oppose zj.80v? councils to an air strike without action As an i l Harbor and urge the policy that was Tum a restrained Ultima 5miti,he soviet uni n to remove the missiles. He he psf i d not always Mother s advice. As goes the National be to discuss f e n e r a 1 has x can feel a the assassination plunged Kennedy into deep melancholy. He had lost the brother he so intensely admired. Neca led each opinion and re was hot voiced is general l n e " he called x citin8 in Ghana s be bad influence of nor Mah on that Kameon the rest of Africa. The president decided in Favoron Aid. The attorney general was lunching at his Mclean va., Home on nov. 22, 1963 when relearned of his brother s assassination. He was at the Airport when the presidential plan landed in Washington with the late president s body his blood smeared widow and the newly sworn in president Lyn Don b. Johnson and mrs. John son. He never left his sister in Law s Side during the Public rites which preceded the Funer Al. He and his brother . Sen Ator Edward m. Ted Kennedy walked on either Side of her As the funeral procession followed the casket on foot from the White House to the Cathe dral of St. Matthews. At Arling ton cemetery both brother helped her Light the eternal flame Over the grave. The assassination plunge Kennedy into deep melancholy. He had lost the brother he so in tensely admired his place in government was obscure and reportedly he and president Johnson were strained wit each other. At Johnson s request he flew to the far East in january 1964 to Confer with leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia Over Indonesia s refusal to accept the newly created country of Malaysia. In june he travelled to Westerlin for the first anniversary of his brother s visit to Westerlin. From there he and his wife visited Poland where the were mobbed at every appear june 19, a few Days before he left for West Berlin tragedy almost struck the Kennedy fam ily brother Ted who was elected to fill a portion of Joh Kennedy s unexpired Senate term was injured in a plan crash while in route to the Massachusetts democratic Conven Tion where he was to Bonomi rated for re election to a full six year term. The attorney general rushed to his brother s bedside. Doctors reported the Young senator suffered a broken Back but his re covery was by that report and encouraged by an apparent improvement in his relationship with president Johnson through Mutual concern about Trou bled Southeast Asia and the possibility of violence in Mississippi Over civil rights he made his european , the Domestic political pot boiled. Kennedy was very much in the Center of it. There was talk of him becom ing Johnson s vice presidential running mate in the approach ing presidential election. Politi Cal leaders endorsed the showed him a favorite. At the same time there were suggestions from new York state democratic leaders that he should run for the . Sen ate in new York state although he resided in Virginia and voted in Massachusetts. The vice presidential office obviously was More attractive to Kennedy and he announce Don june 23, 1964 i will not be a candidate for the United state Senate for new six weeks later Johnson in effect put him Back in the Newyork Senate race by eliminating Kennedy and All other Cabinet members from consideration ashis running mate. In the Days that followed Ken Nedy won the endorsement of mayor Robert f. Wagner of new York City the state s most potent democratic Leader he resigned As a Massachusetts Delegate to the democratic National convention leased a Home at Glen Cove Long is land formally announced his candidacy for the democratic senatorial nomination and won the nomination at the state convention against Only Token opposition. With that Kennedy resigned As attorney general. In accept ing the resignation Johnson wrote Kennedy that under his administration the department of Justice has achieved new standards of excellence and has come to symbolize the govern ment s insistence on the Vigo Rous and impartial Assurance of equal Justice to All Kennedy s opponent for the Senate seat was the incumbent Republican senator Kenneth who sought a second term. The White haired 64-Yearold senator sent Kennedy a new York state guide upon his Nomi nation in an obvious dig at Ken Nedy s supposed unfamiliarity with new York state. Kennedy faced the Carpetbagger charge head on. In t the Basic question who can Best represent the state of new York " he the question Why he was running for the Senate Kenned replied i like to be involved in poli tics. I like to be involved in government. I be been in politics ally life. I would like to remain in government. I Don t thin that s so Kennedy Defeated Keating by More than 800,000 plurality. When he joined his brother Ted in the Senate it marked the first time in history three Brothers had become Kennedy was born in Brookline mass., nov. 20, 1925,the seventh of nine children of Joseph p. And Rose Fitzger Ald Kennedy. His father was a multimillionaire and a former ambassador to great Britain. He was almost overshadowed by his older Brothers and Sisters but he compensated for this plus his physical lightness and Lack of academic brilliance Bya grim determination to succeed. A classmate at Milton facade my where he prepared for har Vard said it was much tougher in school for him than the others socially in football with world War ii interrupted his Harvard studies. He was a har Vard Sophomore when his oldest brother Joseph jr., was killed on a naval flying Mission Over the English Channel in 1944. Some months later the Nav named a destroyer after Joseph jr., and Robert went to Washington to ask Secretary of the Navy Forrestal to release him from officer training and assign him to the ship As a Seaman. Twas done before the family knew anything about it. His naval career was spent inthe Caribbean with no sign of the enemy. I led a rather relaxed life he admitted upon his return to Harvard. There his driving Energy and tenacity won him a place on the football team although he was Only 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed Only 160 pounds. He was graduated in 1948. Virginia la school and marriage to Ethel Skakel of Greenwich conn., Fol Lowed. Kennedy s restless Energy an will to work was recognized by the late president Herbert Hoo ver a Republican whom Ken Nedy greatly admired. After a period of work with the Hoover commission Kennedy resigned and received this letter from Hoover i am sorry to hear you Are leaving us. I realize however that there is Little to do until the task forces have reported and a restless soul like yours wants to work. I do wish to express my appreciation for your work Withus and to wish you his father also recognized his drive. He once said Jack the president works As hard Asan mortal Man can Bobby goes a Little Washington Kennedy and his wife lived in Mclean va.,with their 10 children. His wife is expecting their Lith child. Replayed Tennis and Golf loved touch football Rode horse Back and skin dived. He did not smoke and rarely drank. F � i like to be involved in politics. I like to he involved in government. I be been involved in politics All my life i would like to remain in government.9
