American Experience (1988) s21e10 Episode Script

The Kennedys Part 1
(theme song playing)
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Crowd:
WE WANT TED! WE WANT TED!
Narrator:
THEY WERE LIKE NO POLITICAL
FAMILY AMERICA HAD EVER SEEN.
TO SOME,
THEY WERE AMERICA'S ROYALTY.
TO OTHERS, THEY WERE A TRIBE
THAT LIVED BY ITS OWN RULES--
CRUDE, OPPORTUNISTIC, ARROGANT.
Woman:
THEY WERE LIKE A WARRIOR FORCE
COMBINING IN ALL THEIR PERSONS
ONE PERSON'S GOALS.
I AM TODAY ANNOUNCING
MY CANDIDACY
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
I AM ANNOUNCING TODAY
MY CANDIDACY
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
TODAY I FORMALLY ANNOUNCE
THAT I AM A CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
( applause )
Narrator:
BEHIND ALL THE KENNEDY BROTHERS
BURNED THE UNRELENTING AMBITION
OF THEIR FATHER,
JOSEPH P. KENNEDY--
PUSHING, PRODDING, OPENING DOORS
WITH HIS VAST INFLUENCE
AND HIS GREAT FORTUNE.
Edward Kennedy:
HE WAS THIS EXTRAORDINARY FIGURE
THAT WAS TRYING
TO KEEP THE BLOWTORCH ON YOU
IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN KIND OF
ABILITIES;
AND WAS QUITE WILLING
TO POINT OUT YOUR DEFICIENCIES;
CHALLENGE YOU TO DO BETTER.
Man:
HE COULD GET ALMOST ANYTHING
DONE THAT HE WANTED TO GET DONE.
HE COULD REACH ALMOST ANYBODY
HE WANTED TO REACH.
IT WAS ALWAYS POUNDED
INTO HIS HEAD THAT--
THEY'RE ALL AGAINST US;
IT'S US AGAINST THE REST.
AND HE TAUGHT THIS TO HIS KIDS:
DON'T TRUST ANYBODY.
Narrator:
NO FAMILY CAPTURED
THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION
AS DID THE KENNEDYS--
NOT ONLY FOR WHAT THEY DID,
BUT FOR WHAT THEY SEEMED TO BE.
( cheering and applause )
( cheering and applause )
( cheering and applause )
Man:
YOU'D HAVE TO SAY THEY'VE BEEN
A REMARKABLE FAMILY
BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S
ANYTHING ROYAL ABOUT THE FAMILY.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN HIGHLY
SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL OPERATORS.
LIKE THEM OR NOT, THEY CAS
A LONG AND INTERESTING SHADOW
ACROSS THE POLITICAL LIFE
OF THIS COUNTRY.
Narrator:
NOVEMBER 1960.
HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS.
JOHN F. KENNEDY APPEARS
IN PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE WINNING THE PRESIDENCY.
HIS VICTORY IS NOT HIS ALONE
BUT THE MAN WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE
HIS FATHER, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY
HAS FORCED HIMSELF
TO STAY IN THE SHADOWS.
20 YEARS EARLIER, JOSEPH KENNEDY
HAD BEEN THE MAN OF THE HOUR.
AT THE AGE OF 49
HE WAS AMERICAN AMBASSADOR
TO GREAT BRITAIN--
THE RICHEST IRISH AMERICAN
ON EARTH.
THE PRESIDENCY HAD SEEMED
WITHIN HIS REACH THEN;
IF NOT FOR HIMSELF, THEN FOR
HIS FIRSTBORN SON, JOE, JR.
THE SAME AMBITION THAT FUELED
HIS RELENTLESS RISE
WOULD RUIN HIS CAREER,
THEN DRIVE HIS SONS ON
TO HEIGHTS HE COULD
NEVER REACH HIMSELF.
THAT AMBITION WAS BORN
IN EAST BOSTON IN 1888.
JOSEPH KENNEDY WAS THE SON
OF A LIQUOR DEALER AND WARD BOSS
WHO HAD RISEN AS HIGH
AS AN IRISH AMERICAN
COULD EXPECT TO RISE.
JOE KENNEDY WAS BRIGHT,
EAGER, SELF-CONFIDENT.
HE TRIUMPHED AT THE BOSTON LATIN
SCHOOL, THEN WENT ON TO HARVARD
WHERE HE WAS BEST REMEMBERED
FOR THE FIERCE COMPETITIVENESS
HE WOULD ONE DAY TEACH HIS SONS.
BUT HE WAS IRISH AND CATHOLIC,
AND THEREFORE NOT IN THE RUNNING
FOR THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS
SOCIAL CLUBS.
IT WAS THE FIRST DEFEAT IN HIS
LIFE, AND HE NEVER FORGOT IT.
HE NEVER FELT HIMSELF
"FULLY ACCEPTED"
WHEN HE WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE
AT HARVARD.
I DON'T THINK HE EVER QUITE
GOT OVER THE FEELING
THAT THESE WERE NOT HIS PEOPLE
AND HE LIKED TO PUT THEM DOWN
WHENEVER HE COULD.
Narrator:
"YOU CAN GO TO HARVARD, AND
IT DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN THING"
KENNEDY TOLD A FRIEND.
"THE ONLY THING THESE PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND IS MONEY."
AT 25, HE TOOK OVER A SMALL BANK
BILLED HIMSELF AS THE YOUNGES
BANK PRESIDENT IN THE WORLD
AND SET OUT TO CAPTURE
THE MOST GLITTERING PRIZE
IN IRISH BOSTON--
ROSE FITZGERALD,
DAUGHTER OF THE MAYOR.
Woman:
I THINK THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT JOE KENNEDY, YOUNG
JOE KENNEDY, SAW ROSE
AS THE CATCH OF BOSTON
MAYBE EVEN OF AMERICA
AT THAT TIME.
SHE JUST HAD THAT CONFIDENCE,
THAT AURA OF LIMITLESSNESS.
HE WAS A PRETTY COCKY
FELLOW HIMSELF
BUT I THINK IN THOSE DAYS
ROSE EVEN BESTED HIM
IN TERMS OF CONFIDENCE.
Narrator:
ROSE'S FLAMBOYANT FATHER,
JOHN "HONEY FITZ" FITZGERALD
WAS SOMETHING OF A NOISY
EMBARRASSMENT TO JOE KENNEDY
BUT HE LEFT A POLITICAL LEGACY
HIS GRANDSONS
WOULD ONE DAY EXPLOIT.
Edward Kennedy:
HE KNEW EVERYONE
IN BOSTON AND MASSACHUSETTS
AND QUITE FRANKLY, PEOPLE WONDER
WHY THE KENNEDYS HAVE
A STRONG BASE BACK IN
MASSACHUSETTS AND IN BOSTON
AND I THINK ALL OF US
UNDERSTAND THE TWO REASONS:
ONE IS MY MOTHER
AND TWO IS
GRANDPA FITZGERALD.
Narrator:
WHEN ROSE FITZGERALD
AND JOE KENNEDY WERE MARRIED
KENNEDY WAS QUICK
TO CARRY HIS BRIDE
OUTSIDE HER FATHER'S ORBIT--
TO A PROTESTANT SUBURB.
SHE WOULD KEEP HOUSE
IN BROOKLINE;
HE WOULD MAKE MONEY--
IN NEW YORK.
THE UNREGULATED STOCK MARKE
OF THE 1920s
WAS MADE FOR JOSEPH KENNEDY.
WITH NERVE AND INTELLIGENCE
HE RUTHLESSLY MANIPULATED
THE MARKE
USING ACCOMPLICES
AND PLIANT JOURNALISTS
TO BOOST A STOCK ARTIFICIALLY.
THEN, AT ITS PEAK,
HE UNLOADED THE STOCK
AND REAPED THE BENEFIT.
KENNEDY TOLD FRIENDS HE NEEDED
TO MAKE THIS EASY MONEY FAST--
"BEFORE THEY PASS
A LAW AGAINST IT."
ALL THROUGH THE PROHIBITION
YEARS, THERE WERE STORIES
THAT HE MADE STILL MORE MONEY
IMPORTING ILLEGAL LIQUOR--
BOOTLEGGING--
AND HE FORGED ALLIANCES WITH
THE UNDERWORLD THAT WOULD ENDURE
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
BACK IN BROOKLINE,
ROSE BARELY KNEW
WHAT HER HUSBAND DID
FOR A LIVING.
HE HAD BEGUN TO LIVE HIS LIFE
IN COMPARTMENTS
KEEPING HIS WIFE AND
GROWING FAMILY WALLED OFF
FROM THE PREDATORY WORLD
IN WHICH HE WAS BUILDING
HIS FORTUNE.
HE HAD NAMED HIS FIRSTBORN SON
FOR HIMSELF.
"JOE, JR.," HONEY FITZ
TOLD THE PRESS
"IS GOING TO BE PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES."
JOHN, FRAIL AND SICK,
WAS NAMED FOR HIS GRANDFATHER.
ROSEMARY, BORN IN 1918,
WAS SOON DIAGNOSED RETARDED.
THEN CAME KATHLEEN,
AND EUNICE--
FIVE CHILDREN IN SIX YEARS.
IN 1926, LEAVING ROSE TO COPE
WITH THE STRAINS
OF THE HOUSEHOLD
KENNEDY MOVED ON--
WEST, TO HOLLYWOOD.
"THIS PLACE IS A GOLD MINE,"
KENNEDY TOLD A FRIEND.
HE MADE ANOTHER FORTUNE
TURNING OUT LOW-BUDGET MOVIES
WITH RECYCLED STARS
AND LOTS OF GAUDY PUBLICITY.
OFF-SCREEN,
KENNEDY SET HIS SIGHTS
ON THE MOST SEDUCTIVE HOLLYWOOD
STAR OF ALL: GLORIA SWANSON.
SWANSON ASKED KENNEDY
TO MANAGE HER AFFAIRS.
SOON, THEY WERE LOVERS.
Kearns Goodwin:
GLORIA SWANSON MUST HAVE BEEN
AN EXTRAORDINARY THING
FOR JOE TO HAVE IN HIS LIFE.
SHE WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM ROSE.
HERE'S A WOMAN SEXUALLY
LIBERATED, SEVERAL HUSBANDS
DIVORCED, FULL OF HUMOR,
FULL OF FANCY CLOTHES
THE MOST CELEBRATED ACTRESS
IN THE 1920s.
AND FOR JOE TO WIN HER WAS ONE
PART OF THAT CONQUERING GAME.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN
A GREAT FEELING FOR HIM.
Narrator:
KENNEDY'S INFATUATION WITH
SWANSON GOT THE BETTER OF HIM.
HE AGREED TO MAKE
A BIG PICTURE FOR HER.
HIS FILMS HAD BEEN
FRUGAL AND SAFE
BUT QUEEN KELLY
WAS LAVISH AND LURID.
IT COULD NEVER PASS THE CENSORS.
Man:
HE LATER TOLD ME THA
A CERTAIN DAME IN HOLLYWOOD--
HE SAID, "WHOM YOU KNOW ABOUT"
AND I KNEW HE MEAN
GLORIA SWANSON--
HE SAID, "WRECKED MY BUSINESS
WRECKED MY HEALTH,
AND DAMN NEAR WRECKED MY LIFE."
Kearns Goodwin:
I HAVE NO DOUBT THA
ROSE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON
BUT IN MY JUDGMEN
SHE WILLED THAT KNOWLEDGE
OUT OF HER MIND.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE
HER MARRIAGE, HER HUSBAND
THAT FAMILY
THAT SHE HAD CREATED
AND I THINK UNDERNEATH, JOE
DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE IT EITHER.
Narrator:
JOE KENNEDY PURSUED WOMEN
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE--
CONSUMED THEM LIKE FOOD,
A FRIEND SAID.
BUT HE ALWAYS RETURNED
TO HIS FAMILY
NOW SAFELY SHELTERED
ON A SUMMER ESTATE
IN THE SEASIDE TOWN
OF HYANNISPORT.
DESPITE JOE KENNEDY'S WEALTH
THE FAMILY WAS STILL
NOT SOCIALLY ACCEPTED.
BUT HERE WAS A WORLD WHERE
THEY COULD MAKE THEIR OWN RULES
AND WHERE, OVER THE YEARS
A HOST OF NURSES,
TUTORS AND COACHES
TAUGHT THE CHILDREN TO SWIM,
SAIL AND PLAY TOUCH FOOTBALL.
BY 1928,
THERE WERE EIGHT CHILDREN
INCLUDING PATRICIA,
ROBERT AND JEAN.
THE CHILDREN RARELY SAW THEIR
MOTHER AND FATHER TOGETHER.
WHEN JOE WAS IN HYANNISPORT,
ROSE OFTEN LEFT FOR EUROPE.
BUT EVEN WHEN THEY
WERE BOTH AT HOME
THE ELDER KENNEDYS LED
LARGELY SEPARATE LIVES.
( church bell tolling )
EARLY IN 1929,
KENNEDY SENSED SOMETHING WRONG
WITH THE STOCK MARKET.
WHILE OTHERS WERE STILL
BUYING STOCKS, HE BEGAN TO SELL.
"ONLY A FOOL HOLDS OU
FOR THE TOP DOLLAR," HE SAID.
WHEN THE MARKET CRASHED
IN OCTOBER
AND THOUSANDS OF INVESTORS
LOST EVERYTHING
KENNEDY HAD MADE FRESH MILLIONS.
HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THA
THE CRASH OF 1929 SIGNALED
A CHANGE IN AMERICA.
POWER WAS SHIFTING
FROM WALL STREET TO WASHINGTON.
"IN THE NEXT GENERATION,"
HE TOLD A FRIEND
"THE PEOPLE WHO RUN
THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE
THE BIGGEST PEOPLE IN AMERICA."
( band playing
"Happy Days Are Here Again" )
Narrator:
IN 1932, JOE KENNEDY JUMPED
ON THE POLITICAL BANDWAGON
AND ACQUIRED A POWERFUL PATRON:
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT.
KENNEDY DID EVERYTHING HE COULD
TO GET ROOSEVELT ELECTED.
HE RAISED $200,000
FOR THE CAMPAIGN
AND BEGAN ANGLING
FOR A CABINET POST.
JOE KENNEDY WANTED
POLITICAL POWER
AND THOUGHT THA
THE BEST WAY TO GET I
WAS TO MAKE BROAD USE
OF HIS CONTACTS WITH FATHER.
AND HE PROCEEDED
TO DO JUST THAT.
Narrator:
ROOSEVELT SEEMED JUST THE SOR
OF LANGUID PATRICIAN
OF WHOM KENNEDY HAD ALWAYS
BEEN CONTEMPTUOUS
BUT F.D.R.'S AFFABLE MANNER
MASKED COLD POLITICAL JUDGMENT.
HE WOULD USE KENNEDY,
BUT HE WOULD NEVER TRUST HIM.
Kearns Goodwin:
F.D.R. WAS THE POLITICAL MASTER
AND JOE KENNEDY WAS A BABE
IN THE WOODS POLITICALLY.
F.D.R. JUST KNEW
THAT WORLD OF POLITICS--
HOW TO CONTROL PEOPLE,
HOW TO LEAD THEM ON.
JOE WAS NOT AS SKILLED THAT WAY.
THERE'S PROBABLY NO ONE
IN THE WORLD
THAT JOE KENNEDY WAS
CONTROLLED BY MORE THAN F.D.R.
Narrator:
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, KENNEDY
WAITED FOR THE CABINET POS
HE THOUGHT HE DESERVED.
HIS FAMILY HAD GROWN
TO NINE CHILDREN
WITH THE BIRTH OF TEDDY IN 1932.
FINALLY ROOSEVELT GAVE HIM
WHAT SEEMED THE MOS
UNLIKELY JOB IMAGINABLE--
RIDING HERD ON WALL STREE
AS CHAIRMAN
OF THE BRAND-NEW SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
IT SEEMED TO MANY
THAT ROOSEVELT HAD PUT THE FOX
IN CHARGE OF THE CHICKEN COOP.
"THE APPOINTMENT IS APPALLING,"
SAID ONE EDITOR.
KENNEDY IS "THAT WORS
OF ECONOMIC PARASITES--
A WALL STREET OPERATOR."
HE KNEW ALL THE WAYS THA
THESE JOKERS WORKED, YOU SEE.
HE'D BEEN THERE,
AND, OF COURSE, HE HAD.
SO HE WAS GOING
TO STRAIGHTEN THEM UP.
AND HE DID.
Narrator:
KENNEDY BROUGHT ABOU
SOLID, INTELLIGENT REFORM.
WHEN HE STEPPED DOWN
AFTER 14 MONTHS
THE WASHINGTON POST CONCEDED
"KENNEDY HAS DONE
ONE OF THE BEST JOBS
OF ANYONE CONNECTED
WITH THE NEW DEAL."
IN 1936, WHEN F.D.R. RAN
FOR REELECTION
KENNEDY PUBLISHED A BOOK,
I'M FOR ROOSEVELT.
IN IT, HE DECLARED
HIMSELF UNINTERESTED
IN A POLITICAL CAREER
BUT PRIVATELY, HE NOW YEARNED TO
BE THE FIRST CATHOLIC PRESIDEN
AND ROOSEVELT SENSED IT.
AGAIN, THERE WAS
NO CABINET POST.
INSTEAD, KENNEDY WAS AWARDED
A JOB IN THE SECOND RANK
MARITIME COMMISSIONER,
BUT HE MADE THE MOST OF I
ORCHESTRATING NATIONAL PUBLICITY
FOR HIMSELF.
Radio announcer:
TO CHAIRMAN THE
MARITIME COMMISSION
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT PICKED
HIS HARD-BOILED TROUBLESHOOTER
BIG BUSINESSMAN
JOSEPH PATRICK KENNEDY.
TACKLING A PROBLEM UNSOLVED
BY THE LAST SIX CONGRESSES
JOE KENNEDY BEGAN WORK
BY ASKING QUESTIONS.
BEFORE WE CAN DO
ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE MANY FACTS.
FIRST, WHAT DO WE NEED?
SECOND, HOW ARE
WE GOING TO GET IT?
Klemmer:
JOE KENNEDY WAS A GENIUS
AT PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND ALTHOUGH I HAD HAD SOME
EXPERIENCE IN THAT FIELD
I WASN'T IN THE SAME CLASS.
HE HAD THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAITING
FOR THE ECONOMIC SURVEY,
LITERALLY.
HE BUILT UP THE SUSPENSE
UNTIL YOU'D THINK IT WAS
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
Announcer:
CALLING WASHINGTON'S
CORRESPONDENTS TO HIS OFFICE
JOE KENNEDY REVEALS
HIS LONG-AWAITED FINDINGS.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO SOUND REASONS
WHY THE UNITED STATES SHOULD
HAVE A MERCHANT MARINE.
Kearns Goodwin:
JOE UNDERSTOOD EARLY ON
THAT JUST BEING SUCCESSFUL
WASN'T ENOUGH;
THAT YOU HAD TO CREATE AN IMAGE
THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD CONNECT TO
SO EVERY ARTICLE ABOUT HIM
IN THE '20s AND THEN THE '30s
WOULD ALWAYS SHOW THIS PERSON
WHO WORKED HARD
WHO CAME FROM POVERTY-- MORE
THAN HE ACTUALLY CAME FROM--
AND WHO SOMEHOW HAD
THESE INCREDIBLE KIDS
AND SPENT SO MUCH TIME
WITH THE FAMILY.
HE KNEW WHAT AMERICANS
CARED ABOU
AND MADE SURE HE WAS PRESENTED
THAT WAY.
Narrator:
WHEN KENNEDY READ PROOFS
OF A FORTUNE MAGAZINE ARTICLE
THAT PORTRAYED HIM
AS A RECKLESS PROFITEER
HE DEMANDED IT BE REWRITTEN.
IT WAS.
THE NEW ARTICLE PICTURED HIM
AS A HEALTHY, HEARTY,
GOOD-NATURED IRISH FAMILY MAN.
"YOU MUST REMEMBER,"
HE ONCE TOLD HIS CHILDREN
"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU ARE
THAT COUNTS
BUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE."
BUT HIS LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN
WAS GENUINE AND UNAFFECTED.
Kearns Goodwin:
WHEN THE KIDS WOULD COME HOME,
HE WOULD BE THE ONE
TO PICK THEM UP, KISS THEM.
WHEN SOMETHING WENT WRONG
HE WOULD FORGIVE THEM
AND HUG THEM.
HE WAS VERY PHYSICAL,
ROSE MUCH LESS SO
AND I THINK IN SOME WAYS, HE
WAS THE ONE THEY REALLY LOVED.
Narrator:
YET FOR ALL THE KENNEDYS'
WEALTH AND CELEBRITY
THE OLD MONEY AND OLDER FAMILIES
OF CAPE COD
STILL LOOKED DOWN ON THEM.
Man:
ONE TIME I WAS
DOWN AT HYANNISPOR
AND I RODE IN THE BACK
OF THE LIMOUSINE WITH ROSE
AND SHE TURNED TO ME
AND SHE SAID--
THINKING I WAS A BRAHMIN,
WHICH I WAS NOT--
SHE SAID, "TELL ME, MR. CLARK
"WHEN DO YOU THINK
THE NICE PEOPLE OF BOSTON
WILL ACCEPT US CATHOLICS
SOCIALLY?"
NOBODY IN HYANNISPOR
AT THAT TIME
HAD ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THE KENNEDYS.
THEY WEREN'T A PAR
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND JOE KENNEDY LOVED I
THAT WAY.
HE DIDN'T LIKE
THESE PEOPLE DOWN HERE.
Narrator:
JOE KENNEDY GAVE HIS SONS
EVERY ADVANTAGE
TO COMPETE IN THE BRAHMIN WORLD
SENDING THEM
TO EXCLUSIVE PREP SCHOOLS
AND ON TO HARVARD
TO STUDY LAW AND GOVERNMENT.
NONE OF THEM WOULD NEED
TO GO INTO BUSINESS.
TRUST FUNDS WOULD ALLOW THEM
TO FOLLOW THEIR FATHER
INTO PUBLIC LIFE.
THE SON WHO SEEMED MOST LIKELY
TO SUCCEED WAS JOE, JR.
Man:
HE WAS EVERYBODY'S
FAVORITE STUDENT.
HE WAS HARD-WORKING, CONCERNED
WITH PUBLIC ISSUES, IMAGINATIVE
VERY MUCH A FIGURE
AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATES.
JACK KENNEDY, BY CONTRAST,
WAS KNOWN TO HAVE
A LARGE SOCIAL AGENDA
TO BE MUCH MORE CONCERNED
WITH ENSURING
THAT HE ENJOYED LIFE.
Narrator:
JOSEPH KENNEDY WORRIED
ABOUT HIS SECOND SON.
HE KNEW JACK WAS WITTY
AND WELL-READ
BUT AT BOARDING SCHOOL, HE
INSISTED ON ACTING THE CLOWN.
"THE HAPPY-GO-LUCKY MANNER,"
HIS FATHER WROTE HIS HEADMASTER
"DOES NOT PORTEND WELL
FOR HIS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT."
Man:
HIS PROBLEM IS, HE CAN'T SHINE.
HIS BROTHER IS THE ONE
WHO'S BEING RESPONSIBLE
TAKING ALL THE TROPHIES,
AND SO FORTH
AND SO HE BECOMES
VERY MUCH, AT SCHOOL
AN ARCHETYPAL REBEL,
WHICH LEADS EVENTUALLY
TO HIS EXPULSION
FROM CHOATE SCHOOL
ALTHOUGH HE IS REINSTATED
AFTERWARDS.
HOW WOULD HE EVER SUCCEED
IN LIFE--
AND HE OBVIOUSLY WISHED TO
SUCCEED UNDERNEATH THIS FACADE--
IF HE HAD CAST HIMSELF
AS THE CLOWN OF THE FAMILY
THE ONE WHO NEVER
GETS ANYTHING DONE?
Narrator:
ILLNESS ALSO PLAGUED JACK.
HE CAUGHT EVERY
CHILDHOOD DISEASE;
NEARLY DIED FROM SCARLET FEVER.
HE HAD BEEN BORN WITH ONE LEG
SLIGHTLY SHORTER THAN THE OTHER
GIVING HIM THE BAD BACK
THAT WOULD BE A LIFELONG CURSE.
HE STRUGGLED CONSTANTLY TO
KEEP UP WITH HIS OLDER BROTHER
WHOM HE KNEW
WAS HIS PARENTS' FAVORITE.
BY 1938, JOSEPH KENNEDY'S
CEASELESS SELF-PROMOTION
HAD BEGUN TO PAY OFF.
A NATIONAL POLL PLACED HIM FIFTH
AMONG LIKELY CANDIDATES
TO SUCCEED ROOSEVELT.
NOW HE THOUGHT HE SAW A WAY
TO IMPROVE HIS PROSPECTS
STILL FURTHER
AND PUT HIS FAMILY
IN THE SOCIAL REGISTER.
KENNEDY LOBBIED F.D.R.
TO APPOINT HIM AMBASSADOR
TO GREAT BRITAIN.
THE PRESIDENT KNEW THA
KENNEDY'S LOYALTY TO HIM
WAS DWARFED BY HIS AMBITIONS
FOR HIMSELF
BUT SENDING HIM TO LONDON
WOULD PAY OFF POLITICAL DEBTS
PLEASE IRISH-AMERICAN VOTERS,
AND GET KENNEDY OUT OF THE WAY.
JOSEPH KENNEDY SAVORED
HIS PRIZE.
HE WAS THE FIRST IRISH CATHOLIC
EVER APPOINTED
TO THE COURT OF ST. JAMES.
BUT A FRIEND SENT HIM
A WORD OF WARNING:
"THE JOB OF AMBASSADOR TO LONDON
NEEDS SKILL
"BROUGHT BY YEARS OF TRAINING
"AND THAT, JOE,
YOU SIMPLY DON'T POSSESS.
"IF YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT SOON
ENOUGH, YOU'RE GOING TO BE HUR
AS YOU WERE NEVER HUR
IN YOUR LIFE."
( band playing march )
Newsreel announcer:
AMERICA'S NEW AMBASSADOR
TO BRITAIN, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY
IS WELCOMED BY THE LORD MAYOR
ON HIS ARRIVAL IN PLYMOUTH.
AND WHAT IS ALL ENGLAND
INTERESTED IN?
YOU GUESSED IT--
HIS NINE CHILDREN
SO MUCH SO THAT IN LONDON,
MR. KENNEDY HAS TO ISSUE
A PUBLIC EXPLANATION.
NOT WISHING TO ADD TO
THE HOUSING PROBLEM OF ENGLAND
AND MAKE IT ANY WORSE THAN IT IS
I'M BRINGING THEM OVER
IN INSTALLMENTS--
FIVE, TWO AND TWO.
Announcer:
HERE'S THE FIRST INSTALLMEN
SAILING--
CHARMING MRS. KENNEDY,
AND FIVE OF THE CHILDREN
RANGING FROM 18
TO SIX YEARS OF AGE.
EXCITED?
WHY, EDWARD IS SPEECHLESS
SO MOTHER LETS OLDER
BROTHER ROBERT DO THE TALKING.
Rose:
DON'T GET HIM
EXCITED.
THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE,
AND I WAS VERY EXCITED.
I COULDN'T EVEN SLEEP
LAST NIGHT.
BYE, ROSIE.
BYE, JACK.
Narrator:
THE JOB OF AN AMBASSADOR IS
TO REPRESENT THE PRESIDENT.
JOE KENNEDY REPRESENTED HIMSELF.
HE MADE SURE HE AND HIS FAMILY
STAYED IN THE HEADLINES.
BY JULY 4, 1938, AS
THE AMBASSADOR PLAYED HOS
TO LONDON'S SMARTEST SOCIETY
HE FELT HE HAD ASSUAGED
EVERY SOCIAL SLIGH
HIS FAMILY HAD SUFFERED
AS HE SAW HIS OLDER CHILDREN
ACQUIRE THE POLISH
THAT WOULD OPEN EVERY DOOR.
JACK, JOE AND THEIR FAVORITE
SISTER KATHLEEN, KNOWN AS "KICK"
WERE "THE PICK OF THE LITTER,"
SAID A FAMILY FRIEND
THE ONES THEIR FATHER THOUGH
WOULD WRITE THE STORY
OF THE NEXT GENERATION.
Man:
THEY REALLY TOOK LONDON BY STORM
PARTICULARLY JACK, JOE AND KICK.
THEY'D ALL GOT THIS
TREMENDOUS VITALITY.
I THINK THEY LIKED
LONDON SOCIETY
AND LONDON SOCIETY
CERTAINLY LIKED THEM.
KICK WAS SO MUCH MORE ALIVE
THAN MOST OF US
AND I THINK ALL THE MEN WERE
HALF IN LOVE WITH HER, REALLY.
Narrator:
THE KENNEDYS WERE A SENSATION
BUT JOE KENNEDY
HAD ENTERED A WORLD
IN WHICH EVEN REAL
DIPLOMATIC SKILL
COULD NOT HAVE AVERTED
CATASTROPHE.
BY THE END OF THAT SUMMER
ADOLF HITLER
HAD ABSORBED AUSTRIA
SWALLOWED PAR
OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
IT WAS JOE KENNEDY'S RESPONSE
TO HITLER
THAT WOULD RUIN
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
UND HINTER UNS
KOMMT DEUTSCHLAND.
Narrator:
AWED BY THE STRENGTH
OF THE NAZI MILITARY MACHINE
KENNEDY WANTED BRITAIN
AND AMERICA TO KEEP OUT OF WAR.
LIKE MOST AMERICANS IN 1938
HE BELIEVED THE DEMOCRACIES
HAD TO COEXIST WITH THE NAZIS.
HE RECOMMENDED APPEASEMENT.
THE HORNS OF THE DILEMMA
ARE ECONOMIC CHAOS AND WAR
AND ANY STEP TO PREVENT EITHER
OF THESE IS WORTHWHILE TAKING.
Narrator:
KENNEDY SEEMED UNABLE TO SEE THE
MORAL CASE AGAINST THE NAZIS.
HE TOLD THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR
THAT HE UNDERSTOOD
THEIR JEWISH POLICY COMPLETELY
AND DOWNPLAYED REPORTS
FROM HIS STAFF
OF WHAT THEY SAW HAPPENING
IN GERMANY.
Klemmer:
WHEN I CAME BACK
FROM GERMANY ONCE
I TOLD HIM THAT THEY
WERE HARASSING JEWS IN GERMANY
AND HE SAID, "WELL, THEY
ONLY HAVE THEMSELVES TO BLAME.
THEY BROUGHT IT ON THEMSELVES."
I HASTEN TO ADD, HOWEVER,
THAT WE HAD NO IDEA
OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING
IN GERMANY AT THAT TIME.
Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1939,
THE POLICY OF APPEASEMEN
KENNEDY HAD CHAMPIONED
COLLAPSED.
HITLER INVADED POLAND,
AND WORLD WAR II BEGAN.
ENGLAND WOULD STAND AND FIGHT.
KENNEDY'S GOLDEN TRIO,
JOE, KATHLEEN AND JACK
JOINED THEIR FATHER TO WITNESS
BRITAIN'S DECLARATION OF WAR.
THE AMBASSADOR HIMSELF HAD
PHONED ROOSEVELT WITH THE NEWS
CHOKED WITH EMOTION
AND FOREBODING.
BUT EVEN IN HIS WORST FEARS
KENNEDY COULD NOT IMAGINE
THE TOLL THE WAR WOULD EXAC
ON HIS CHILDREN AND HIS DREAMS.
Newsreel announcer:
THE BRITISH CUNARD AQUITANIA
ARRIVES IN NEW YORK HARBOR
WITH TWO CANVAS-COVERED
12-POUNDERS IN PLAIN SIGHT.
AMONG RETURNING NOTABLES
ARE MRS. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY
AND THREE OF HER NINE CHILDREN,
BOBBY, EUNICE AND KATHLEEN.
Narrator:
KENNEDY SENT HIS FAMILY HOME,
OUT OF HARM'S WAY.
HE REMAINED ALONE IN LONDON
INCREASINGLY CUT OFF,
EVEN FROM ROOSEVEL
WHO NOW FEARED AMERICA
WOULD HAVE TO ENTER THE WAR.
KENNEDY, WHO STILL THOUGH
AMERICAN INTERVENTION
WOULD ONLY BRING DISASTER
WAS NOW BYPASSED BY F.D.R.
IN FAVOR OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION
WITH A NEW POWER IN THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT, WINSTON CHURCHILL.
Man:
CHURCHILL HATED JOSEPH KENNEDY.
CHURCHILL SAW KENNEDY
AS THE GREATEST IMPEDIMEN
TO HIS AIM OF GETTING
THE UNITED STATES
TO HELP BRITAIN IN ITS STRUGGLE
AGAINST NAZI GERMANY.
HE THOUGHT THAT KENNEDY
WAS A DEFEATIST, AN APPEASER
PERHAPS PRO-HITLER.
HE FELT THAT KENNEDY
SHOULD BE DISCREDITED.
OLD JOE TOOK THE FIRM LINE THA
BRITAIN COULD NOT WIN THE WAR;
THAT HITLER WOULD WIN THE WAR;
THAT HITLER HAD THE POWER
AND THE STRENGTH AND THE WILL.
HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THE BRITISH-- BRITISH STEEL.
( siren blares )
Klemmer:
THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE BLITZ,
WE WALKED DOWN PICCADILLY
AND HE SAID, "I'LL BET YOU
FIVE TO ONE, ANY SUM
THAT HITLER WILL BE IN
BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN TWO WEEKS."
Narrator:
WHILE LONDONERS ENDURED
THE GERMAN ASSAUL
KENNEDY SPENT THE NIGHTS
AT A RENTED COUNTRY HOUSE.
THE GOODWILL HE HAD
COURTED VANISHED.
THE BRITISH PEOPLE
SENSED HIS DEFEATISM
AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMEN
TAPPED HIS TELEPHONE
AND OPENED HIS MAIL
IN AN EFFORT TO DISCREDIT HIM.
EVEN IN THE DARKEST DAYS
OF THE WAR
KENNEDY WAS USING HIS POSITION
TO ENRICH HIMSELF
HE DIRECTED HIS AIDE,
HARVEY KLEMMER
TO REQUISITION
PRECIOUS CARGO SPACE
TO SHIP 200,000 CASES OF WHISKEY
FOR HIS OWN IMPORTING COMPANY.
Klemmer:
AND IT GOT SO BAD THAT FINALLY
A FRIEND CAME TO SEE ME AND SAID
"YOU BETTER GO EASY ON SHIPPING
THE AMBASSADOR'S WHISKEY
"BECAUSE ONE OF HIS COMPETITORS
IS THREATENING
"TO HAVE A QUESTION RAISED
IN PARLIAMEN
"THAT HE IS USING THE INFLUENCE
OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY
TO PREEMPT SHIPPING SPACE
WHICH WE CAN'T GET."
SO WE KIND OF TAPERED OFF
A LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT.
Narrator:
KENNEDY WOULD SOON BE LAMPOONED
AS A COWARD AND A DEFEATIS
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC.
JOE JOE KENNEDY KENNEDY
WENT TO THE COURT OF ST. JAMES
WHERE HE WAS FREQUENTLY SEEN
WITH THE KING AND THE QUEEN
AT CRICKET AND OTHER GAMES.
SAID JOE JOE KENNEDY KENNEDY
BEFORE ENGLAND WENT TO WAR
"SWAPPING STORIES WITH DUCAL
TORIES IS WHAT GOD MADE ME FOR."
BUT WHEN THE BOMBS BEGAN TO FALL
ALL OVER LONDON TOWN
SAID JOE JOE, "I MUST GO,
ENGLAND HAS LET ME DOWN."
Narrator:
IN OCTOBER 1940,
KENNEDY RETURNED HOME
CONVINCED THE PRESIDEN
WAS SECRETLY PLOTTING
TO GET AMERICA INTO THE WAR.
HE WAS DETERMINED
TO WARN THE COUNTRY.
BUT ON ARRIVAL, HE WAS DISCREET.
NOTHING TO SAY
UNTIL I'VE SEEN THE PRESIDENT.
Narrator:
THAT NIGHT ROOSEVELT HAD KENNEDY
WHISKED TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
IN THE MIDS
OF ANOTHER REELECTION CAMPAIGN
F.D.R. WORRIED
THAT KENNEDY MIGHT TURN ON HIM.
THE PRESIDENT GAVE HIM AND ROSE
THE FULL TREATMENT OVER DINNER--
FLATTERY, SYMPATHY,
HINTS OF FAVORS
IN EXCHANGE FOR ENDORSEMENT.
IT WORKED.
I HAVE A GREAT STAKE
IN THIS COUNTRY.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE GIVEN
NINE HOSTAGES TO FORTUNE.
OUR CHILDREN AND YOUR CHILDREN
ARE MORE IMPORTAN
THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD.
THE KIND OF AMERICA THAT THEY
AND THEIR CHILDREN WILL INHERI
IS OF GRAVE CONCERN TO US ALL.
IN THE LIGH
OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS
I BELIEVE
THAT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVEL
SHOULD BE REELECTED
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
BUT ONE WEEK LATER, KENNEDY
REVEALED HIS TRUE PESSIMISM.
IN A SENSATIONAL INTERVIEW
HE THOUGHT WAS LARGELY
OFF THE RECORD
HE PREDICTED THAT DEMOCRACY
WAS FINISHED IN BRITAIN;
PERHAPS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE INTERVIEW ENDED JOSEPH
KENNEDY'S POLITICAL CAREER.
EVEN IN AN AMERICA
RELUCTANT TO GO TO WAR
HIS DEFEATISM SET OFF
A STORM OF CONTROVERSY
THAT WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
IN FEBRUARY 1941
KENNEDY SUBMITTED
HIS FORMAL RESIGNATION.
HE WAS 52 YEARS OLD.
HE TOLD HIS DAUGHTER KATHLEEN
HE THOUGHT HIS LIFE WAS OVER.
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES--
AND THE KENNEDY SONS--
WOULD BE DRAWN INTO THE WAR.
BUT FOR THE MOMEN
THEY REVELED IN
EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
Man:
THE KENNEDY LIVELINESS
AND ENERGY WAS SHATTERING.
ENDLESSLY MOVING,
NEVER IDLE FOR A MOMEN
FIERCELY COMPETITIVE,
HARDLY EVEN A VENEER OVER I
JUST REALLY, "I'VE GO
TO WIN THIS GAME."
Narrator:
"WE DON'T WANT ANY LOSERS
AROUND HERE"
JOE HAD ALWAYS TOLD
HIS CHILDREN.
"KENNEDYS DON'T CRY."
JOE'S ROLE IN THE FAMILY
WAS SO MUCH MORE
THAN THE CONVENTIONAL FATHER.
HE WAS HOME MORE
THAN THEY EXPECTED.
HE RAN THE HOUSE.
HE HIRED THE SERVANTS.
HE OFTEN PLANNED THE MEALS.
MRS. KENNEDY WAS OFTEN AWAY.
HE HAD A FAR GREATER ROLE
IN HIS CHILDREN'S LIVES
THAN THEIR MOTHER DID.
Narrator:
HIS OWN PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS
IN RUINS
JOE KENNEDY NOW HAD EXTRAVAGAN
HOPES FOR HIS ELDEST SON.
"I FIND MYSELF
MUCH MORE INTERESTED
"IN WHAT YOUNG JOE
IS GOING TO DO
THAN WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE,"
HE WROTE A FRIEND.
HE WAS CONVINCED
THAT NOW JOE, JR., WOULD BE
THE FIRST CATHOLIC PRESIDEN
AND HE WOULD DO ALL HE COULD
TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
JACK KENNEDY,
FRESH OUT OF HARVARD
CONTINUED HIS ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE
BUT HE HAD BEGUN TO SHOW
AN INTEREST IN FOREIGN POLICY
AND HIS FATHER SAW
AN OPPORTUNITY
IN JACK'S UNDERGRADUATE THESIS,
WHY ENGLAND SLEPT.
JOE KENNEDY ARRANGED FOR
A FRIEND TO DO EXTENSIVE EDITING
AND PROMOTED IT HARD.
Man:
JACK WAS SENDING
THESE BOOKS OUT SIGNED.
AND I SAID,
"HOW ARE THEY GOING?"
HE SAID,
"OH, THEY'RE GOING GREAT.
DAD'S TAKING CARE OF THAT."
Narrator:
AROUND THIS TIME
JOSEPH KENNEDY MADE A DECISION
ABOUT ONE OF HIS CHILDREN
THAT WOULD HAUNT HIM
THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
THE RETARDED ROSEMARY HAD BEGUN
TO BEHAVE UNPREDICTABLY
OUT OF CONTROL.
Kearns Goodwin:
UNTIL SHE REACHED ABOUT 19 OR 20
I THINK THE FAMILY THOUGH
SHE COULD STAY IN THE FAMILY
AND SIMPLY BE
A SLOWER, MORE QUIET KENNEDY.
Rose Kennedy:
SOMETIMES SHE'D GO
TO THE POST OFFICE
AND DECIDE SHE DIDN'
WANT TO COME HOME.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGH
WITH AN ORDINARY CHILD
BUT WITH HER YOU COULDN'T TELL
IN WHICH DIRECTION
SHE MIGHT WANDER OFF
OR WHETHER SHE'D BE PICKED UP
IN A CAR BY SOMEONE.
Kearns Goodwin:
AS I UNDERSTAND I
AS HER HORMONES KICKED IN,
PERHAPS A LATE SEXUALITY
SHE BEGAN TO FIGH
AGAINST HER RETARDATION
AND FEEL THE LIMITATIONS
AND IT CAME OU
IN THE FORM OF ANGER.
JOE FOUND OUT ABOUT A NEWFANGLED
OPERATION CALLED A LOBOTOMY
WHICH PROMISED THAT IF YOU COULD
TAKE AWAY THE PART OF THE BRAIN
THAT CONTROLS WHERE YOU
ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE AND WORRY
THAT YOU COULD MAKE A PERSON
HAPPY LIVING DAY TO DAY.
SO IF THEY COULD TAKE AWAY
THAT SENSE OF HER LIMITATIONS
THAT SHE WASN'T MEASURING UP
SHE COULD JUST BE HAPPY
BEING ROSEMARY.
Narrator:
KENNEDY ORDERED
THE RISKY OPERATION PERFORMED.
IT WENT BADLY.
ROSEMARY EMERGED
MORE SERIOUSLY RETARDED
AND WAS SENT TO LIVE IN A
NURSING CONVENT IN THE MIDWEST.
DURING JOSEPH KENNEDY'S LIFETIME
NO HINT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED
TO HIS DAUGHTER
WAS EVER MADE PUBLIC.
THE WORLD JOSEPH KENNEDY
HAD CAREFULLY BUIL
TO SHELTER HIS CHILDREN WAS
BLOWN APART ON DECEMBER 7, 1941
WHEN WAR CAME TO AMERICA.
JOE AND JACK HAD ENLISTED
IN THE NAVY.
JOE BECAME A FLYER.
"WOULDN'T YOU KNOW,"
SAID HIS FATHER
"NAVAL AVIATION-- THE MOS
DANGEROUS THING THERE IS."
JACK'S POOR HEALTH FORCED HIM
TO SETTLE FOR A DESK JOB
IN WASHINGTON
WHERE HE BEGAN AN AFFAIR
WITH AN OLDER WOMAN
A DANISH-BORN JOURNALIST,
INGA ARVAD.
THE F.B.I. FALSELY BELIEVED
ARVAD A NAZI AGEN
TAPPED HER TELEPHONE
AND DISCOVERED
HER ROMANCE WITH JACK.
HIS FATHER INSISTED
HE STOP SEEING ARVAD.
BUT HE REFUSED.
JACK KENNEDY WAS BEGINNING
A LIFELONG PATTERN
OF RISKY BEHAVIOR,
LIVING ON THE EDGE.
HE LOBBIED HARD FOR ACTIVE DUTY,
AND BY APRIL 1943
WAS IN THE PACIFIC,
COMMANDING A PATROL BOAT.
HIS VESSEL, PT 109, WAS RAMMED
BY A JAPANESE DESTROYER.
TWO CREWMEN WERE KILLED.
KENNEDY TOWED A THIRD MAN
TO SAFETY
SURVIVING 16 HOURS IN THE OCEAN
FURTHER INJURING HIS BACK.
HE SPENT THE REST OF THE WAR
STRUGGLING TO RECOVER
FROM HIS INJURIES AND MALARIA.
IN LONDON, KATHLEEN VOLUNTEERED
FOR THE RED CROSS--
AND FELL IN LOVE.
DEFYING HER STAUNCHLY
CATHOLIC MOTHER
SHE MARRIED A PROTESTANT,
ROSE CABLED KICK, "HEARTBROKEN,"
AND TOOK TO HER BED
BUT JOE, JR., STATIONED IN
ENGLAND, GAVE AWAY THE BRIDE.
AND JOE, SR., SENT A WIRE:
"YOU ARE STILL-- AND ALWAYS
WILL BE-- TOPS WITH ME."
WITHIN MONTHS, HARTINGTON
WOULD BE KILLED AT THE FRONT.
JOE'S TOUR WAS UP
BUT DETERMINED TO MATCH
HIS YOUNGER BROTHER'S EXPLOITS
HE VOLUNTEERED
FOR A SECRET MISSION.
"I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SAY WHA
IT IS," HE WROTE HIS PARENTS
"BUT IT ISN'T DANGEROUS,
SO DON'T WORRY."
BUT THE MISSION
WAS VERY DANGEROUS.
KENNEDY WAS TO PILOT A BOMBER
CRAMMED WITH EXPLOSIVES
TOWARD A GERMAN ROCKET SITE
ON THE COAST OF FRANCE
AIM THE PLANE AT THE TARGE
AND BAIL OUT.
JUST BEFORE TAKEOFF,
JOE SAID TO A FRIEND
"IF I DON'T COME BACK, TELL
MY DAD I LOVE HIM VERY MUCH."
KENNEDY'S PLANE EXPLODED
IN MIDAIR.
ON A WARM SUNDAY AFTERNOON
IN HYANNISPOR
JOSEPH KENNEDY LEARNED THA
HIS BELOVED OLDEST SON WAS DEAD.
WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER, JACK WAS
NOT SURE WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
HE TOYED WITH JOURNALISM
BUT HIS FATHER,
SLOWLY STIRRING FROM HIS GRIEF
BEGAN TO URGE
A MORE AMBITIOUS COURSE.
Kearns Goodwin:
THE CONVENTIONAL VIEW IS
THAT AFTER JOE, JR., DIED
JOE, SR., IMMEDIATELY
TURNED TO JACK AND SAID
"OKAY, YOU'RE NOW GOING TO BE
THE FIRST CATHOLIC PRESIDENT."
THE PROCESS WAS SO MUCH MORE
SUBTLE AND COMPLICATED.
HE SAW THE DEPRESSION
THAT HIS FATHER WAS SUFFERING
AND HE WANTED TO HELP,
BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW.
THERE WAS NO WAY
HE THOUGHT HE COULD BE
WHAT JOE, JR., HAD BEEN
TO HIS FATHER.
Narrator:
JOE, JR., HAD HOPED
TO RUN FOR OFFICE IN 1946.
NOW JACK WOULD TAKE JOE'S PLACE
AND RUN FOR HIS GRANDFATHER'S
OLD SEAT IN CONGRESS.
Man:
THIS PASTY-LOOKING-FACED KID
HE DIDN'T LOOK ANY MORE
LIKE A BOSTON POLITICIAN
THAT WAS GOING TO CONGRESS
THAN THE MAN ON THE MOON.
AND I JUST SMILED AND LAUGHED
BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK
JOHN KENNEDY HAD ANY CHANCE
IN THE EARLY STAGES
OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Man:
JOHN KENNEDY NEVER SAW
THAT DISTRICT BEFORE.
I DON'T THINK
HE WENT INTO THE NORTH END
WHERE HIS MOTHER WAS BORN
AND HIS GRANDFATHER, JOHN F.
HE HAD NO IDEA
WHAT THIS DISTRICT LOOKED LIKE.
Man:
I WOULD MEET HIM AT 6:00
AND START OFF
AT THE BOSTON NAVY YARD
AND HE WOULD POSITION HIMSELF
AT THE MAIN GATE
SHAKING HANDS UNTIL
THEY WERE ALL IN THERE
AND I'D BE PASSING OU
KENNEDY CAMPAIGN BUTTONS.
Sutton:
YOU HAD TO MEET THE PEOPLE.
WHETHER IT WAS A MEETING,
A COMMUNITY FUND--
HE SPOKE
IN ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
JACK KENNEDY WAS
A MESMERIZER, ACTUALLY.
WHEN HE STARTED TO TALK TO YOU,
I MEAN, YOU LISTENED.
HE WAS LIKE EVERYBODY'S SON.
THE WOMEN, THEY LOVED HIM.
THE GIRLS ALL THOUGH
THEY MIGHT MARRY HIM.
AND HE HOOKED ONTO
A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT HE HAD
THE KENNEDY CHARM.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS-- THE
ABILITY TO BE LIKED INSTANTLY.
AND HE ALWAYS ASKED,
"IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?"
AND IF IT WAS 9:30 AT NIGHT, I'D
SAY, "THERE'S ONE MORE PLACE."
AND HE'D TAKE A DEEP SIGH
AND SAY, "WELL, LET'S GO."
Narrator:
THE LONG CAMPAIGN DAYS
LEFT THE FRAIL CANDIDATE
EXHAUSTED AND IN PAIN
BUT ALL THE HARD WORK
WAS PAYING OFF.
JACK SAID, "BILLY, WOULD YOU
TAKE MOTHER TO THE AIRPORT?
SHE HAS TO BE THERE AT 12:00."
SO I SAID, "SURE," YOU KNOW.
GOING DOWN TOWARDS THE NORTH
END, SHE SAID TO THE DRIVER
"I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU HAD ANY INKLING
AS TO WHO MIGHT BE THE NEX
CONGRESSMAN FROM THIS DISTRICT."
AND HE SAID, "WELL, I THINK
I'D LIKE TO VOTE
"FOR THAT FELLOW FROM THE NORTH
END, THAT YOUNG KENNEDY FELLOW.
"HE'S IN THE NAVY,
I WAS IN THE NAVY.
AND HIS GRANDFATHER
AND HIS MOTHER CAME FROM HERE."
SHE SAID TO ME,
"THAT'S REMARKABLE, ISN'T IT?
THEY KNOW ALREADY."
SO HE'S RATHER HIP,
HE'S DRIVING, AND HE LOOKS BACK
AND HE SAID, "ARE YOU SOME
SORT OF A RELATIVE, MISS?"
SHE SAID, "MY NAME IS ROSE
KENNEDY, I'M JACK'S MOTHER."
BANG WENT THE BRAKES,
WE WENT BING-BANG.
HE SAID, "BOY,
AM I GLAD TO KNOW YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOUR SON OWES ME
$1.85 SINCE WEDNESDAY."
Narrator:
ROSE BASKED IN HER SON'S
NEW CELEBRITY.
HONEY FITZ RETURNED
TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
BUT IT WAS JOE KENNEDY
WHO RAN THE SHOW.
THE CAMPAIGNS WERE RUN
BY JOSEPH P. KENNEDY
AND I HAVE STRONG PERSONAL
KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
THERE NEVER INDEED WAS
ANY CAMPAIGN MANAGER
EXCEPT JOSEPH P. KENNEDY.
O'Neill:
MONEY WAS
THE LONG ARM OF POLITICS.
MONEY IS THE MOTHER'S MILK
OF POLITICS.
JOE KNEW THA
BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE CAME ALONG.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE A CANDIDATE
YOU CAN HAVE THE ISSUES,
YOU CAN HAVE THE ORGANIZATION
BUT MONEY DOES MIRACLES
AND MONEY DID MIRACLES
IN THAT CAMPAIGN.
JOE UNDERSTOOD THA
WHATEVER JACK'S QUALITIES--
WHICH HE WAS BEGINNING
TO RESPECT MORE AND MORE-- WERE
THAT HE HAD TO BE MARKETED, AND
HE THOUGHT HE HAD TO BE MARKETED
THE WAY ANYTHING IN BUSINESS
WAS MARKETED
AND HE MADE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE
UNDERSTOOD HE WAS A WAR HERO--
EVEN MORE OF A WAR HERO
THAN HE ACTUALLY WAS--
AND THAT HE HAD THESE KINDS
OF FAMILY QUALITIES
THAT PEOPLE WANTED
IN THEIR POLITICIANS.
THERE WERE SIX
DIFFERENT MAILINGS
MAILINGS BY
THE KENNEDY ORGANIZATION.
YOU NEVER DREAMED OF A MAILING.
A MAILING--
OTHER THAN A PENNY POSTCARD
YOU NEVER SENT A MAILING OU
ON A CAMPAIGN
BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE.
JOE KENNEDY, IN MY BOOK
HE COULD GET ALMOST ANYTHING
DONE THAT HE WANTED TO GET DONE.
HE COULD REACH ALMOST ANYBODY
HE WANTED TO REACH.
KENNEDY WAS MONEY,
KENNEDY WAS POWER.
Narrator:
BY ELECTION DAY, THE KENNEDYS
HAD LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE.
Dalton:
THERE WERE TWO JOSEPH RUSSOS
ON THE BALLOT.
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN AFRAID
THAT WITH JOSEPH RUSSO
ON THE BALLO
AND THE ONLY ITALIAN CANDIDATE
ON THE BALLO
THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THA
EVERY ITALIAN IN THE DISTRIC
WOULD VOTE FOR JOSEPH RUSSO.
SO LO AND BEHOLD
ANOTHER JOSEPH RUSSO QUALIFIED
TO GO ON THE BALLOT.
NOW, THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND
THAT JOE KENNEDY
AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM
PUT ONE OF THOSE JOSEPH RUSSOS
IN THE FIGH
AND CERTAINLY HE HAD
TO BE PAID CASH, YOU KNOW
TO ALLOW HIS NAME
TO GO ON THE BALLOT.
SO THAT WAS HOW CAMELOT BEGAN
WITH TWO JOSEPH RUSSOS
ON THE BALLOT.
Narrator:
JACK KENNEDY, ONLY 29 YEARS OLD
WON AN OVERWHELMING VICTORY.
BUT AS A CONGRESSMAN, HE SEEMED
UNSERIOUS, EASILY BORED, ADRIFT.
Man:
WELL, HE FIRST IMPRESSED ME
AS A FELLOW WHO OUGHT TO
HAVE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL.
HE WAS EMACIATED, HE WAS
WEAK-LOOKING, AND HE WAS WEAK.
Sutton:
YEAH, HE KNEW WHAT PAIN
WAS ALL ABOUT-- HAD IT.
HE WORE THIS BRACE AND
PAIN WAS ALWAYS WITH HIM;
IT WAS LIKE A FRIEND.
IT NEVER LEFT HIM, PAIN.
Narrator:
NINE MONTHS AFTER
HE ENTERED CONGRESS
WHILE VISITING HIS SISTER
KATHLEEN, HE COLLAPSED.
I CALLED UP OUR DOCTOR,
SIR DANIEL DAVIS
AND ASKED HIM TO GO ROUND
AND SEE JACK.
HE PUT HIM STRAIGH
INTO THE LONDON CLINIC.
AND HE SAID TO ME, "THAT BROTHER
OF LADY HARTINGTON'S
"HE HASN'T GOT A YEAR TO LIVE.
HE'S VERY SICK."
Narrator:
KENNEDY WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH ADDISON'S DISEASE
AN ILLNESS OF THE ADRENAL GLANDS
CAUSING CIRCULATORY FAILURE,
EVEN DEATH.
WHEN HIS CONDITION
TEMPORARILY STABILIZED
HE SEEMED MORE DETERMINED
THAN EVER TO ENJOY LIFE
BEFORE TIME RAN OUT.
White:
HE KEPT TAKING MY GIRLS
AWAY FROM ME
AS FAST AS I COULD GET THEM.
BUT THEY'D ALWAYS COME BACK
AFTER HE HAD FINISHED WITH THEM.
AND THEY NEVER
THEY NEVER FELT SORRY.
EVEN WAY BEFORE
HE WAS PRESIDEN
THEY REGARDED HIM
AS A SPECIAL EVENT--
A BIG BURSTING FORCE
WITH THIS COMPLETE HONESTY.
Sutton:
JOHN KENNEDY WAS A JUVENILE TOO.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE'D HAVE DATES WITH THESE GIRLS
AND HE HAD A FETISH FOR
ROLLER COASTERS-- I HATED THEM--
AND HE ALWAYS WOULD, YOU KNOW,
HE'D TAKE THESE RIDES.
I JUST COULDN'T HANDLE
THE ROLLER COASTER.
AND THERE WAS A GUY THERE, I
THINK HE WAS FROM TIME MAGAZINE
HE SAW HIM KEEP ON,
AND HE FINALLY SAID:
"ISN'T THAT THAT KENNEDY GUY
FROM BOSTON?"
I SAID, "NO, BUT HE LOOKS
LIKE HIM, THOUGH, DOESN'T HE?"
O'Neill:
TO BE PERFECTLY TRUTHFUL,
HE WASN'T MUCH OF A CONGRESSMAN.
HE WAS KIND OF RESENTED
BY HIS COLLEAGUES.
THERE'D BE A VERY
IMPORTANT DEBATE ON
AND HIS STAFF PEOPLE
AND HIS SPEECH WRITERS
WOULD GIVE HIM A SPEECH.
HERE WERE FELLOWS
ON THE COMMITTEES
THAT HAD WORKED FOR MONTHS
ON THE BILL
AND JACK KENNEDY WOULD GET UP
AND MAKE A SPEECH
AND THE PRESS WOULD COVER
JACK KENNEDY'S SPEECH
WHO WOULD KNOW LESS
ABOUT THE SUBJEC
THAN ANY MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE, AND THEY'D RESENT IT.
Narrator:
IN APRIL 1948
AT THE GREENBRIAR RESOR
THE KENNEDYS GATHERED
FOR A VACATION.
KICK CAME OVER FROM ENGLAND
TO TELL HER FAMILY
THAT SHE WAS IN LOVE AGAIN.
HE WAS A PROTESTANT AND MARRIED.
ROSE THREATENED
TO BREAK WITH KICK FOREVER
BUT JOE AGREED TO JOIN
HIS DAUGHTER IN EUROPE
AND MEET HER LOVER,
LORD FITZWILLIAM.
A MONTH LATER, FITZWILLIAM
AND KICK LEFT ENGLAND
FOR A WEEKEND
IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.
Harriman:
I WENT AND PUT THEM
ON THE PLANE TOGETHER
AND HE HAD CHARTERED
AN AIRCRAFT--
I THINK IT WAS A DOVE, I THINK
IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS--
AND APPARENTLY THEY GO
INTO TURBULENCE OVER THE ALPS
AND THE PLANE CRASHED.
Woman:
HOW ARE THINGS
IN GLOCKAMORRA? ♪
Narrator:
EARLY THAT MORNING,
JACK WAS AT HOME IN WASHINGTON
LISTENING TO A RECORD
HE AND HIS SISTER BOTH LOVED.
Sutton:
IT WAS FINIAN'S RAINBOW,
AND HE HAD THE RECORDS
AND THE INTERNATIONAL
NEWS SERVICE CALLED UP
AND HE KEPT LISTENING
TO THE MUSIC.
AND HE SAID, "ASK THEM
IF THIS IS CONFIRMED
AND IF IT'S CONFIRMED,
WILL THEY CALL BACK."
SO THEY SAID, "WELL, WE HAVE
NO CONFIRMATION RIGHT NOW
BUT WE'LL CALL YOU BACK."
SO HE CONTINUED TO TALK ABOU
ELLA LOGAN, WHAT A GREAT VOICE.
THEN WHEN THE NEWS CAME
THAT THE FATAL ACCIDENT HAPPENED
HIS EYES FILLED UP WITH TEARS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY
THAT THE KENNEDYS NEVER CRY
DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
THEY DO.
I SAW HIM.
HE CRIED THAT MORNING
FOR HIS SISTER KATHLEEN.
Logan:
OH, WHAT THINGS ♪
IN GLOCKAMORRA ♪
THIS FINE DAY? ♪
Narrator:
HYANNISPORT, THANKSGIVING, 1948.
OF THE NINE KENNEDY CHILDREN,
TWO WERE DEAD
AND ONE HAD VANISHED
INTO PERMANENT MEDICAL CARE.
THE SURVIVORS WERE LEARNING TO
DRAW STRENGTH FROM ONE ANOTHER.
SOON, THEY WOULD FOCUS ALL
THEIR ENERGIES ON JACK'S CAREER.
AS THE COLD WAR
WITH THE SOVIET UNION BEGAN
CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY EDGED AWAY
FROM HIS FATHER'S ISOLATIONISM.
YOUR FATHER,
OF COURSE
HAS BEEN
WIDELY KNOWN
AS A CRITIC OF
FOREIGN SPENDING.
NOW, DO YOU SHARE
YOUR FATHER'S VIEWS?
YES, ON FOREIGN SPENDING
THOUGH THERE IS SOME DIFFERENCE
ON THE AMOUNT OF COMMITMEN
THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING
TO ACCEPT ABROAD
AND THAT I WOULD BE WILLING
TO ACCEPT ABROAD.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN
STRENGTH IN EUROPE AND ASIA
TO PREVENT THE COMMUNISTS FROM
SEIZING CONTROL OF THOSE AREAS.
Narrator:
JACK KENNEDY WAS MOVING NOW
INTO THE DEMOCRATIC MAINSTREAM
PREPARING FOR
A NEW POLITICAL BATTLE.
Smathers:
ONE DAY HE CAME OVER
TO TALK TO ME
AND SAID, "YOU KNOW,
I'M GOING TO RUN FOR THE SENATE
AGAINST HENRY CABOT LODGE."
I SAID, "JACK, I DON'T THINK
YOU CAN WIN."
HE SAID, "OH, NO, I'LL WIN,
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT."
I SAID, "HE'S GO
A PRETTY GOOD RECORD
"AND YOU HAVE NOT BEEN
AN OUTSTANDING CONGRESSMAN--
NOR WAS I-- BUT, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT."
AND HE SAID, "OH, NO, I CAN
DO IT, BUT I'M GOING TO RUN."
Male singers:
WHO CAN FIGH
AND FIGHT TILL HE WINS? ♪
KENNEDY CAN, KENNEDY CAN ♪
WHO CAN DO
THE JOB HE BEGINS? ♪
KENNEDY CAN, KENNEDY CAN ♪
WHO CAN DO AMERICA PROUD ♪
Narrator:
JACK WORKED THE STREETS
AND STRUGGLED TO MASTER
A NEW MEDIUM-- TELEVISION.
Man:
OKAY, READY,
MR. KENNEDY.
ACTION.
HELLO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
YOU HAVE JUST SEEN ONE
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S
CUT IT.
AND IF ELECTED
TO THE SENATE OF THE
UNITED STATES THIS NOVEMBER
I WILL FIGHT FOR THE NEW ENGLAND
INDUSTRY WHICH IS SO
FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE
AND FOR THE FUTURE OF
OH, SH
Narrator:
BEHIND THE SCENES, JOE CONTINUED
TO CONTROL EVERYTHING
PUTTING HIS GREAT FORTUNE
TO WORK FOR HIS SON
ALL ACROSS THE STATE,
BUYING UP TELEVISION TIME
AND LOANING ONE NORMALLY
REPUBLICAN BOSTON PUBLISHER
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE PAPER ENDORSED JACK.
ROBERT, THE THIRD
OF JOSEPH KENNEDY'S SONS
WAS BROUGHT IN
AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER.
HE WAS JUST 26,
FRESH FROM LAW SCHOOL
AND RELENTLESSLY SINGLE-MINDED.
"BOBBY," HIS PROUD FATHER
BOASTED, "IS HARD AS NAILS."
O'Neill:
BOBBY WAS AN UPSTART, HE DIDN'
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POLITICS.
HE WANTED TO KNOW
THE FIGURES ON THIS
AND WHAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD
YOU HAVE IN THIS PRECINCT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE?
YOU HAVE YOUR OWN
KENNEDY ORGANIZATION.
WHO THE HELL
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
Narrator:
THE KENNEDYS WERE BUILDING
THEIR OWN POLITICAL MACHINE
SEPARATE FROM THE STATE PARTY
AND VERY MUCH
A FAMILY ENTERPRISE.
THE KENNEDY WOMEN HOSTED LAVISH
TEA PARTIES ACROSS THE STATE
PULLING IN THOUSANDS OF VOTERS.
Powers:
YOU FIGURE
THE AVERAGE HOUSEWIFE GETS
A GAS BILL OR A TELEPHONE BILL
AND HERE WOULD BE AN INVITATION
FROM MRS. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY
AND TO COME MEE
HER SON, CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY
AND AT A HOTEL AND FLOWERS AND
COFFEE AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORKS.
Male singers:
WHEN WE VOTE THIS NOVEMBER,
LET'S ALL REMEMBER ♪
LET'S VOTE FOR KENNEDY ♪
MAKE HIM YOUR SELECTION
IN THE SENATE ELECTION ♪
HE'LL DO MORE
FOR YOU AND ME ♪
Narrator:
JACK'S OPPONENT,
HENRY CABOT LODGE
HEIR TO A DISTINGUISHED
REPUBLICAN FAMILY
WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD
BY THE KENNEDY ONSLAUGHT.
BUT LODGE HAD A POTENTIAL SAVIOR
THEN AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS POWERS
REPUBLICAN SENATOR
JOSEPH McCARTHY.
IF THERE WERE ONLY ONE COMMUNIS
IN THE STATE DEPARTMEN
THAT WOULD STILL BE
ONE COMMUNIST TOO MANY.
Narrator:
McCARTHY WAS IRISH AND CATHOLIC
AND HAD A BIG FOLLOWING
IN BOSTON
BUT HE ALSO HAD CLOSE TIES
TO THE KENNEDYS
SO WHEN THE REPUBLICANS
BEGGED HIM TO CAMPAIGN FOR LODGE
HE HESITATED.
Man:
JOE McCARTHY SAID,
"IF I WERE TO DO THA
"CABOT LODGE WOULD DEFINITELY
BEAT JACK KENNEDY.
"BUT I WOULD FIND THIS
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DO
"BECAUSE IT WOULD OFFEND JACK,
WHO'S A VERY GOOD FRIEND
"AND IT WOULD OFFEND THE OLD MAN
AND THE OLD MAN GAVE $5,000
FOR MY OWN CAMPAIGN."
AND, IN FACT, IT WAS
A PRETTY CLOSE ELECTION
AND PROBABLY IF McCARTHY
HAD GONE TO BOSTON
AND CAMPAIGNED FOR CABOT LODGE
KENNEDY WOULD
HAVE BEEN DEFEATED.
AS IT WAS,
HE WON BY ONLY 70,000 VOTES.
I GUESS YOU'RE GLAD
IT'S OVER, BOBBY.
I AM, JACK.
Narrator:
JACK HAD WON IN SPITE OF
A NATIONAL REPUBLICAN LANDSLIDE
AND THE KENNEDYS HAD SETTLED
AN OLD SCORE WITH THE BRAHMINS.
KENNEDY CAN, KENNEDY CAN ♪
WHO CAN DO
THE JOB HE BEGINS? ♪
KENNEDY CAN, KENNEDY CAN ♪
WHO CAN DO AMERICA PROUD? ♪
Narrator:
NOW THEY WOULD BE JOINED
BY A NEWCOMER
WHO WOULD NOT ALWAYS PLAY
BY THEIR RULES.
WHO CAN CRACK
THE ELEPHANT'S BACK? ♪
JACK KENNEDY CAN. ♪
Narrator:
THE MARRIAGE OF JOHN KENNEDY
AND JACQUELINE BOUVIER
WAS A UNION OF TWO STARS.
( applause )
JOE KENNEDY DELIGHTED
IN HIS ELEGANT, ACCOMPLISHED
NEW DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
SHE HAD GROWN UP IN A WORLD
OF PRIVILEGE AND PEDIGREE;
WAS FLUENT IN FRENCH
AND ITALIAN.
JUST 24, SHE WAS
THE "INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER"
FOR A WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER
WHEN SHE MET JACK.
Woman:
I WAS SITTING NEXT TO HIM
AT A DINNER PARTY, AND HE SAID
"NOW, I ONLY GOT MARRIED
BECAUSE I WAS 37 YEARS OLD
"I WASN'T MARRIED, AND PEOPLE
WOULD THINK I WAS QUEER
IF I WEREN'T MARRIED."
THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
BUT THE WHOLE TIME
HE WAS TALKING TO ME
HE WAS LOOKING
ACROSS THE TABLE AT JACKIE.
HE COULDN'T TAKE
HIS EYES OFF HER.
Narrator:
JACKIE KENNEDY SOON DISCOVERED
WHAT THE FAMILY
HAD ALWAYS CONCEALED:
HER NEW HUSBAND WAS
OFTEN DESPERATELY ILL
WITH A DAMAGED BACK
AND ADDISON'S DISEASE.
Kearns Goodwin:
MY SENSE IS
THAT THE KENNEDYS FEARED THA
IF JACK'S ILLNESS WERE KNOWN
HIS POLITICAL CAREER
WOULD BE CUT SHOR
THAT IT WOULD MAKE HIM SEEM
VULNERABLE AND FRAGILE.
AND THEY HAD A PERFECT CANDIDATE
TO WORK WITH
BECAUSE JACK WANTED
TO APPEAR ROBUST AND HEALTHY.
HE APPEARS HEALTHY,
UNLESS YOU LOOK CAREFULLY
SEE THE COLOR OF HIS FACE,
SEE HOW SKINNY HE IS.
Narrator:
KENNEDY DECIDED
TO UNDERGO SPINAL SURGERY
TO REPAIR HIS BACK
AND END HIS CONSTANT PAIN
BUT ADDISON'S DISEASE REDUCED
RESISTANCE TO INFECTION
AND THAT COULD PROVE FATAL.
THE OPERATION FAILED,
AND INFECTION DID SET IN.
HE RECEIVED THE LAST RITES
OF THE CHURCH.
JOE KENNEDY TOLD A FRIEND
HIS SECOND SON WAS DYING.
JACK SLOWLY RALLIED.
WHILE RECUPERATING
HIS SENATE COLLEAGUES VOTED
TO CENSURE JOE McCARTHY
FOR THE RECKLESS WAY
HE CONDUCTED
HIS ANTI-COMMUNIST CRUSADE.
KENNEDY, ALONE AMONG
THE DEMOCRATS
CHOSE NOT TO GO ON THE RECORD
AGAINST THIS OLD FAMILY FRIEND
AND LATER SAID
HE'D BEEN TOO ILL.
McMillan:
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT HE COULD HAVE
DECLARED HIS VOTE
OR PAIRED HIS VOTE.
HE COULD HAVE DONE
ANY NUMBER OF THINGS
BUT HE DIDN'T REALLY WAN
TO WALK THE PLANK.
Narrator:
KENNEDY'S FAILURE TO VOTE
HURT HIM WITH LIBERALS
BUT MOST VOTERS' MEMORIES
WERE SHORT.
SIX MONTHS LATER,
KENNEDY RETURNED TO THE SENATE
STILL FRAIL, BUT CONVINCED NOW
THAT HE HAD A FUTURE AFTER ALL.
SUDDENLY, HE BECAME
AN ACTIVE PERSON
WITH A FUTURE
IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
"WILL YOU GO OUT TO MISSOURI
TO SPEAK FOR THE PARTY?"
"WILL YOU GO TO FLORIDA
TO SPEAK FOR THE PARTY?"
YOU CAN'T GO TO THOSE PLACES
UNLESS YOU HAVE A KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE STARTED TO DO HIS HOMEWORK.
WE WENT THROUGH THREE STAGES.
FIRST, HE WOULD CALL AND SAY,
"HOW SHOULD ONE VOTE ON THIS?"
I'D GIVE HIM MY THOUGHTS.
AT A LATER STAGE,
HE WOULD CALL AND SAY
"EXPLAIN THIS TO ME,
I WANT TO KNOW THE BACKGROUND."
AND I GAVE HIM THE BES
EXPLANATION I COULD.
THE THIRD STAGE WAS
WHEN HE DIDN'T FEEL IT NECESSARY
TO CALL AT ALL--
WHEN HE KNEW HIMSELF.
Narrator:
KENNEDY SET OUT TO MAKE HIMSELF
A NATIONAL FIGURE.
EARLY IN 1956,
HE APPEARED ON TELEVISION
PROMOTING HIS NEW BOOK,
PROFILES IN COURAGE.
John F. Kennedy:
BY POLITICAL COURAGE
YOU MEAN SOMEBODY WILLING TO
GO AGAINST HIS CONSTITUENTS
FOR THE BEST INTERESTS
OF THE COUNTRY.
Narrator:
ALTHOUGH THERE WERE RUMORS HE
HAD NOT WRITTEN THE BOOK HIMSELF
IT BECAME
AN IMMEDIATE BESTSELLER
AND AFTER HEAVY LOBBYING
BY HIS FATHER'S FRIENDS
WENT ON TO WIN A PULITZER PRIZE.
( applause )
Narrator:
THE BOOK HELPED SET HIM APAR
FROM HIS POLITICAL RIVALS.
AT THE 1956
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
KENNEDY WAS INVITED TO INTRODUCE
THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.
FELLOW DELEGATES, I GIVE YOU
THE MAN FROM LIBERTYVILLE
THE NEXT DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
AND OUR NEXT PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES
ADLAI E. STEVENSON.
Narrator:
STEVENSON THREW THE CHOICE
OF HIS VICE-PRESIDEN
OPEN TO THE CONVENTION.
KENNEDY DECIDED TO TRY FOR IT.
Smathers:
WHEN KENNEDY EVER WANTED YOU
TO DO SOMETHING
HE ALWAYS CALLED YOU "OLD PAL."
"OLD PAL, I WANT YOU
TO DO ME A FAVOR."
YOU'D SAY, "OH, MY GOD."
AT 2:00 A.M.,
HE'S PROBABLY WANTING ME
TO STOP A FIGHT OR SOMETHING.
BUT ANYWAY,
"WOULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR?"
HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO NOMINATE
ME FOR VICE-PRESIDENT."
Narrator:
JOE KENNEDY THOUGHT HIS SON WAS
MAKING A BIG MISTAKE.
"DON'T TOUCH IT," HE SAID,
"STEVENSON IS A LOSER."
BUT MANY DELEGATES SAW KENNEDY
AS AN EXCITING BALANCE
TO STEVENSON.
ON THE FIRST BALLO
THE YOUNG CATHOLIC SENATOR
SHOWED SURPRISING STRENGTH.
KENNEDY LED
ON THE SECOND BALLO
ONLY 33½ VOTES SHY
OF THE NOMINATION.
BUT AFTER THE THIRD BALLOT,
HE WAS FORCED TO CONCEDE
TO THE MORE EXPERIENCED
SENATOR ESTES KEFAUVER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
OF, UH, THIS CONVENTION
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
FIRST TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION
TO DEMOCRATS FROM
ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
NORTH AND SOUTH, EAST AND WES
WHO HAVE BEEN, UH, SO GENEROUS
AND KIND TO ME THIS AFTERNOON.
I HOPE THA
THIS CONVENTION WILL MAKE
ESTES KEFAUVER'S NOMINATION
UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU.
Narrator:
IT WAS JACK KENNEDY'S
FIRST POLITICAL DEFEA
AND IT WOULD BE HIS LAST.
Man:
HE BECAME NATIONALLY KNOWN
BECAUSE OF THOSE
TELEVISION APPEARANCES
AND THE DRAMA OF THAT RACE.
HE BECAME NATIONALLY IN DEMAND
AS A SPEAKER
AT DEMOCRATIC PARTY FUNCTIONS.
AND WHAT ALSO HELPED WAS
THE FACT THAT HE LOS
BECAUSE HAD HE BEEN NOMINATED
FOR VICE-PRESIDEN
NO DOUBT THE TICKET WOULD STILL
HAVE GONE DOWN TO DEFEA
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLAMED
ON KENNEDY'S RELIGION.
Narrator:
AT THANKSGIVING IN 1956, AFTER
A LONG TALK WITH HIS FATHER
JACK DECIDED TO MAKE A RUN
FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
JOE KENNEDY KNEW
THAT HIS OWN REPUTATION COULD
BLIGHT HIS SON'S CHANCES
BUT BEHIND THE SCENES,
HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD
TO HELP HIS SON MAKE I
TO THE TOP.
THEN SUDDENLY, JACK'S CAMPAIGN
WAS UNDER THREAT.
THE RUMORS ABOUT HIS BOOK,
PROFILES IN COURAGE
BROKE ON TELEVISION.
IT WAS SAID A KENNEDY AIDE,
TED SORENSEN, WAS THE AUTHOR
NOT JACK KENNEDY.
SENATOR KENNEDY SAID, "IT'S BEEN
VERY DISTURBING TO US."
HE SAID, "IT REFLECTS ON
MY HONESTY AND ON MY CHARACTER."
AND ABOUT THAT TIME,
THE PHONE RANG IN MY OFFICE
AND IT WAS AMBASSADOR KENNEDY,
SENATOR KENNEDY'S FATHER.
SO I PICKED UP THE PHONE
AND HE SAID, "CLARK."
AND I SAID,
"YES, MR. AMBASSADOR?"
HE SAYS, "SUE THE BASTARDS
FOR $50 MILLION."
"WELL," I SAID,
"WE'RE CONSIDERING"
HE SAYS,
"DON'T CONSIDER ANYTHING."
HE SAYS, "SUE THEM."
Narrator:
JOSEPH KENNEDY FORCED
THE NETWORK TO BACK DOWN.
ABC ISSUED A STATEMEN
THAT JOHN KENNEDY HAD
INDEED WRITTEN THE BOOK.
THE AUTHOR OF PROFILES
IN COURAGE WAS JOHN F. KENNEDY.
THE AUTHOR IS THE MAN WHO STANDS
BEHIND WHAT IS THERE
ON THE PRINTED PAGE.
IT'S HIS RESPONSIBILITY
TO PUT HIS NAME TO I
AND TO PUT IT OUT.
Narrator:
IN 1958, JACK KENNEDY WAS
REELECTED TO THE SENATE
BY A RECORD MARGIN.
HE WAS NOW A SERIOUS
PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER.
"JACK IS THE GREATES
ATTRACTION IN THE COUNTRY"
SAID HIS FATHER.
JUST AS JOSEPH HAD ONCE
ORCHESTRATED HIS OWN PUBLICITY
HE NOW HELPED SELEC
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS
TO PORTRAY HIS SON WITH HIS WIFE
AND DAUGHTER CAROLINE.
BUT THESE CAREFULLY
CRAFTED PORTRAITS
OF A CLOSE HAPPY FAMILY WERE A
ODDS WITH THE PRIVATE REALITY.
McMillan:
ONE DAY I SAID TO HIM
"JACK, WHEN YOU'RE
STRAINING EVERY GASKE
TO BE ELECTED PRESIDEN
WHY DO YOU ENDANGER YOURSELF
BY GOING OUT WITH WOMEN?"
I THINK I JUST PUT IT LIKE THAT.
AND HE SAID-- HE LOOKED AT ME
A LONG SECOND, AND HE SAID
"BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T HELP IT."
Kearns Goodwin:
ONCE YOU MARRY
THAT SORT OF FELLOW
AND THAT ROVING EYE CONTINUES,
AND AS THE STORIES ARE TOLD
HE LEAVES YOU AT A PARTY
TO GO WITH ANOTHER WOMAN
IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY HARD.
( baby cries )
McMillan:
I THOUGHT THAT JACK KENNEDY
LIVED HIS LIFE IN COMPARTMENTS;
THAT THERE WAS ONE COMPARTMEN
HAVING TO DO WITH HIS MARRIAGE
THERE WERE COMPARTMENTS
HAVING TO DO WITH HIS FAMILY.
I THOUGHT AMBITION WAS THE GLUE
THAT HELD THE COMPARTMENTS
OF HIS PERSONALITY TOGETHER.
Woman:
YOU CAN SEE I
IN A LOT OF THE FILMS.
THERE'S THIS SLIGHT LITTLE
SMILE ON HIS FACE
AND IT'S AS IF HE'S PUTTING ONE
OVER ON PEOPLE
AND VERY OFTEN HE WAS.
HE HAD A NICHE, A LITTLE NICHE
FOR EVERY SINGLE PART OF HIS
LIFE, AND THEY DIDN'T OVERLAP.
Narrator:
IN 1960, JACK BEGAN
A RELATIONSHIP
WITH JUDITH CAMPBELL.
THEY HAD BEEN INTRODUCED
IN LAS VEGAS
BY FRANK SINATRA
WHOSE CRONIES INCLUDED
KENNEDY'S BROTHER-IN-LAW
ACTOR PETER LAWFORD.
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
"THE RAT PACK"
AND JOHN KENNEDY THOROUGHLY
ENJOYED THEIR COMPANY.
JUDITH CAMPBELL WOULD
SOON BE INTRODUCED
TO ANOTHER OF
FRANK SINATRA'S FRIENDS
CHICAGO CRIME BOSS
SAM GIANCANA.
IN THIS COMPARTMENT OF HIS LIFE,
KENNEDY WAS MAKING FRIENDS
INAPPROPRIATE FOR
A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
Man:
HIS FATHER DEALT WITH GANGSTERS
ALL THROUGH HIS CAREER.
JACK NEVER HAD, AND HE WAS
CHARMED WITH THE IDEA
OF DEALING WITH THE "RAT PACKS"
AND THE SEAMIER SIDE OF LIFE.
THIS IS PART OF
HIS CURIOSITY ABOUT LIFE.
HE CANNOT SAY NO.
Narrator:
JOHN KENNEDY OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY
ON JANUARY 2, 1960.
NO ONE SO YOUNG HAD
EVER BEEN ELECTED
AND MANY PROTESTANTS
WERE FEARFUL
A CATHOLIC PRESIDENT'S FIRS
ALLEGIANCE WOULD BE TO THE POPE.
HE FACED AN UPHILL FIGHT.
TO GET THE NOMINATION
JACK WOULD HAVE TO WIN
EVERY PRIMARY HE ENTERED.
HIS CAMPAIGN WOULD BE MANAGED
BY HIS BROTHER ROBERT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SORRY THAT MY MOTHER
COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
Narrator:
ROBERT WAS SMALLER AND SHYER
THAN HIS BROTHERS
AND FELT HE HAD
THE MOST TO PROVE.
HE WAS THE MOST RELIGIOUS BOY
IN HIS CLASS
A SCHOOL FRIEND REMEMBERED,
AND THE DIRTIEST FIGHTER.
HE HAD BEEN ASSISTANT COUNSEL
TO JOE McCARTHY'S SENATE
INVESTIGATION SUBCOMMITTEE
AND CHIEF COUNSEL OF
THE SENATE RACKETS COMMITTEE
DISPLAYING A HARSH,
UNREMITTING ZEAL
THAT MADE HIM A HOST OF ENEMIES.
NOW HE WOULD BRING THAT ZEAL
TO MAKING HIS BROTHER PRESIDENT.
UTTERLY COMMITTED TO JACK,
BOBBY SPARED NO ONE
NOT EVEN THE CANDIDATE.
Man:
I WAS SITTING NEXT TO JACK,
AND BOBBY SAID
"ALL RIGHT, JACK, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN?
"WHAT SORT OF ORGANIZATION
HAVE YOU ARRANGED?
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?
I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN."
AND JACK LEANED
OVER TO ME, HE SAID
"HOW'D YOU LIKE TO HEAR
THAT RASPY VOICE IN YOUR EAR
FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS?"
Narrator:
REPORTERS JOKED,
"JACK AND BOBBY RUN THE SHOW
WHILE TED'S IN CHARGE
OF HIDING JOE."
JOE KENNEDY RARELY BROKE COVER.
HIS DEFEATISM AND ANTI-SEMITISM
HAD NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN.
BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE 12
RICHEST MEN IN THE COUNTRY
AND HIS MONEY WAS
ALWAYS VISIBLE.
"WE'LL SELL JACK LIKE
SOAP FLAKES," HE ALWAYS SAID.
WISCONSIN WAS KENNEDY'S FIRS
TEST OUTSIDE NEW ENGLAND.
HIS MAIN OPPONENT WAS
SENATOR HUBERT HUMPHREY
FROM NEIGHBORING MINNESOTA.
I FEEL LIKE
AN INDEPENDENT MERCHAN
RUNNING AGAINS
A CHAIN OPERATION
WHEN I COMPETE
WITH THE KENNEDY FAMILY.
Woman:
GOOD LUCK, SENATOR.
Kennedy:
THANK YOU.
Narrator:
AS THE KENNEDYS PLUNGED
INTO THE PRIMARIES
FILMMAKER ROBERT DREW WAS
GIVEN UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS.
I THINK HE LIKED THE IDEA
OF SOMETHING NEW
THE IDEA OF SOMETHING NEW
IN WHICH HE WOULD BE THE STAR
OR AT LEAST ONE OF TWO STARS.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO WIN,
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO LOSE.
HE SAID TO ME, "YOU KNOW,
IF I LOSE IN WISCONSIN
IT'S ALL OVER."
'CAUSE HE'S GO
WHAT ALL THE REST LACK ♪
EVERYONE WANTS TO BACK JACK ♪
JACK IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK ♪
'CAUSE HE'S GOT HIGH HOPES ♪
HE'S GOT HIGH HOPES ♪
Man:
I SAW KENNEDY CAMPAIGNING
ON THE STREETS
WALKING UP TO A PLAN
STICKING OUT HIS HAND
AND SAYING, "I'M JOHN KENNEDY"
AND THE WORKER COMING TO WORK
JUST PASSING RIGHT BY.
TV announcer:
Kennedy is a Roman Catholic
Humphrey, a Congregationalist.
Some observers think
the election has resolved
into a religious struggle.
THAT RELIGIOUS THING
Narrator:
KENNEDY CARRIED WISCONSIN
BUT HE LOS
KEY PROTESTANT DISTRICTS
AND THE NEXT CONTEST WAS
IN OVERWHELMINGLY PROTESTAN
WEST VIRGINIA.
TO WIN THERE, KENNEDY WOULD HAVE
TO CONFRONT THE RELIGIOUS ISSUE
AT EVERY PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
SENATOR KENNEDY, HOW CAN WE
STOP THE RELIGIOUS ISSUES
THAT KEEP COMING UP
TO CONFUSE THE PUBLIC?
WELL, I, UH,
THINK
( scattered catcalls )
WELL, I DON'T MIND
EXCUSE ME.
I MUST SAY THA
YOU SHOULDN'T BOO
BECAUSE I AM RUNNING
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
WHICH IS AN OFFICE GIVEN GREA
POWER UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
AND IT IS A MATTER OF CONCERN
TO MANY PEOPLE
AND THE BEST WAY TO GET I
ANSWERED, IT SEEMS TO ME
IS TO ASK THE QUESTION OPENLY
AND PERMIT ME TO SAY
I SUPPORT STRONGLY THE
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
I BELIEVE IT'S THE BES
ARRANGEMENT FOR OUR SOCIETY.
I'M ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
Narrator:
WEST VIRGINIA WAS
NOT ONLY PROTESTAN
IT WAS NOTORIOUSLY CORRUPT.
THE KENNEDYS LEFT NOTHING
TO CHANCE.
O'Neill:
I TELL A STORY ABOUT EDDIE FORD.
EDDIE FORD WENT OUT THERE,
POCKET FULL OF MONEY
AND HE'D SAY TO A SHERIFF,
"SHERIFF, I'M FROM CHICAGO.
"I'M ON MY WAY SOUTH AND
I LOVE THIS YOUNG KENNEDY BOY.
"HE CAN HELP THIS NATION.
"BY GOD, HE'S GO
THE FEELING FOR IT.
"HE'LL DO THINGS
FOR WEST VIRGINIA.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT," HE SAID,
"HERE'S 3,000 OR 5,000."
HE SAID, "YOU CARRY YOUR VILLAGE
FOR HIM, OR YOUR COUNTY FOR HIM
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE
REWARD ON MY WAY BACK."
AND THEY PASSED MONEY AROUND
LIKE IT WAS NEVER SEEN.
Narrator:
F.B.I. WIRETAPS WOULD LATER
SHOW THAT UNDERWORLD FIGURES
SAID TO HAVE OLD TIES
TO JOE KENNEDY
WERE ALSO DISTRIBUTING FUNDS ON
BEHALF OF THE KENNEDY CAMPAIGN.
KENNEDY WON WEST VIRGINIA
AND ALL OF THE PRIMARIES.
GOING INTO THE CONVENTION
HE WAS CONFIDENT OF
A FIRST-BALLOT VICTORY.
BUT SOME OF HIS RIVALS STILL
THOUGHT HE COULD BE STOPPED.
LYNDON JOHNSON,
THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
POSED THE GREATEST CHALLENGE.
HE BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE
KENNEDY BANDWAGON FALTERED
THE CONVENTION WOULD
TURN TO HIM.
JOHNSON ASKED TIP O'NEILL
TO SUPPORT HIM
ON THE SECOND BALLOT.
HE SAID, "I KNOW
YOU'RE WITH KENNEDY"--
HE DIDN'T MENTION
THE WORD KENNEDY--
"I KNOW YOU'RE WITH THE BOY,
AND I EXPECT YOU TO BE."
HE SAYS, "I LOVE LOYALTY."
AND HE SAID, "EVERYBODY
IN MASSACHUSETTS WILL BE
WITH THE BOY."
"BUT," HE SAID,
"ON THE SECOND BALLO
I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU WITH ME."
I SAID, "MR. LEADER, THERE
WON'T BE ANY SECOND BALLOT."
HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW BETTER
THAN THAT."
HE SAYS, "THE BOY
DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE."
I SAID, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE LONG ARM OF THE KENNEDYS."
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY COUNTED
AND RECOUNTED EVERY DELEGATE.
BIG CITY BOSSES, INCLUDING
MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY
WERE REMINDED OF JACK'S APPEAL
AND PAST FAVORS FROM HIS FATHER.
Chairman:
NEW MEXICO, THE LAND OF
ENCHANTMENT, CASTS 13 VOTES
FOR LYNDON B. JOHNSON
( cheering )
FOUR VOTES FOR JACK KENNEDY.
Narrator:
IT WOULD BE CLOSE
POSSIBLY COMING DOWN TO
THE LAST STATE IN THE ROLL CALL.
WYOMING HAD 15 VOTES, BUT ONLY
101/2 WERE COMMITTED TO JACK.
ROBERT KENNEDY SENT TED
TO LOCK UP THE OTHERS.
Edward Kennedy:
HE ASKED ME TO SPEAK
TO THE CHAIRMAN
AND SAID, "LOOK,
IF THE COUNT COMES DOWN
"AND THE DIFFERENCE IS
THOSE FOUR VOTES
TO PUT MY BROTHER OVER THE TOP,
WILL YOU GO FOR IT?"
AND THE CHAIRMAN SAID,
"YOU MUST BE CRAZY.
"YOU THINK IT WILL BE
IN THAT FOUR-VOTE--
WHETHER YOUR BROTHER GETS
THE NOMINATION?"
I SAID, "YES."
HE SAID, "IF IT COMES
TO THOSE FOUR, YOU'VE GOT THEM.
I'LL TAKE THEM AWAY
FROM LYNDON JOHNSON."
Chairman:
WISCONSIN CASTS 23 VOTES
FOR SENATOR KENNEDY.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY HAD BEEN
RIGHT ON TARGET.
WYOMING'S VOTE COULD
BRING VICTORY
IF THE STATE CHAIRMAN MADE GOOD
ON HIS PROMISE.
Chairman:
WYOMING
WYOMING'S VOTE WILL MAKE
THE MAJORITY
FOR SENATOR KENNEDY
( applause )
( band playing
"Happy Days Are Here Again" )
Narrator:
AS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE WALKED
TO THE PODIUM
HIS FATHER WAS
NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.
Announcer:
MR. KENNEDY IS IN LOS ANGELES,
BUT AT THE AGE OF 72
HE FELT THE EXCITEMEN
HERE WOULD BE TOO GREAT.
THAT IS THE STORY WE HAVE
RECEIVED HERE AT THE COLISEUM.
HE HAS NOT APPEARED
IN PUBLIC WITH JACK KENNEDY
HIS SON AND NOW THE CANDIDATE,
SINCE HIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN.
YOUR NOMINEE AND
THE NEXT PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES,
JOHN F. KENNEDY.
Frank Sinatra:
EVERYONE IS VOTING
FOR JACK ♪
Narrator:
THE CAMPAIGN STRESSED
KENNEDY'S YOUTH AND VIGOR.
HE HAD JACKIE'S
ENIGMATIC GLAMOUR
AND FRANK SINATRA
TO SING HIS SONG.
JACK IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK,
'CAUSE HE'S GOT HIGH HOPES ♪
HE'S GOT HIGH HOPES ♪
Narrator:
TO HELP HOLD THE SOUTH
HE SELECTED LYNDON JOHNSON
AS HIS RUNNING MATE.
KENNEDY FACED A FORMIDABLE
REPUBLICAN OPPONEN
IN VICE-PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON.
HE WAS FAR BETTER KNOWN
THAN KENNEDY
AND ADMIRED BY MANY
AS A FIERCE ANTI-COMMUNIST.
KENNEDY PURSUED AN EVEN HARDER
LINE, ATTACKING THE REPUBLICANS
FOR LETTING AMERICA
FALL BEHIND THE SOVIETS.
I HAVE HEARD ALL THE EXCUSES,
BUT I BELIEVE
NOT IN AN AMERICA
THAT IS "FIRST BUT"
"FIRST IF," "FIRST WHEN,"
BUT "FIRST PERIOD."
Narrator:
KENNEDY'S GREATEST IMPACT CAME
FROM THE MEDIUM
HE HAD NOW MASTERED.
NIXON WAS VASTLY MORE
EXPERIENCED ON TELEVISION
BUT THE CAMERAS DID NO
DO HIM JUSTICE.
KENNEDY SEEMED A NATURAL.
AT THE FIRST OF AN UNPRECEDENTED
SERIES OF DEBATES
NIXON, WHO NORMALLY HAD
EXCELLENT HEALTH
WAS IN PAIN
FROM AN INJURED KNEE.
KENNEDY, SO OFTEN ILL,
HAD NEVER BEEN BETTER
THANKS TO A NEW
DRUG TREATMENT, CORTISONE.
CORTISONE WAS PROBABLY A
CRITICAL EVENT FOR JACK KENNEDY
BECAUSE ONCE HE GO
THE CORTISONE SHOTS
HE COULD REALLY FEEL
HEALTHY AGAIN
IN A WAY HE NEVER HAD
AS A CHILD
AND IT CHANGED HIS WHOLE
APPEARANCE ALMOST SYMBOLICALLY.
SUDDENLY, HE FILLED OUT.
HE BECAME A LARGER MAN, AND
A MUCH HEALTHIER-LOOKING MAN.
PROBABLY THE HANDSOME
JACK KENNEDY THAT WE REMEMBER
IS IN PART A TRIBUTE
TO CORTISONE.
Narrator:
THE DEBATES WERE INCONCLUSIVE
BUT KENNEDY NOW SEEMED
NIXON'S EQUAL IN SUBSTANCE
AND HIS SUPERIOR IN STYLE.
Narrator:
ON ELECTION DAY,
THE RACE WAS TOO CLOSE TO CALL
AS THE KENNEDYS SECLUDED
THEMSELVES TO WATCH THE RESULTS
AT THE FAMILY COMPOUND
IN HYANNISPORT.
TV announcer:
AND WHILE WE WAI
FOR THE SUNRISE
WE MIGHT LOOK
AT OUR TOTAL BOARDS
AND SEE WHAT THE FIGURES SHOW.
ON THE TOTAL POPULAR VOTE
FOR PRESIDENT, THEY SHOW THIS.
THEY SHOW KENNEDY'S LEAD
DOWN TO JUST ABOUT 700,000
THE CLOSEST ELECTION
OF THIS GENERATION.
Narrator:
THE FAMILY WAITED
INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
IN THE END, IT ALL CAME DOWN
TO LYNDON JOHNSON'S TEXAS
AND MAYOR DALEY'S CHICAGO
WHERE CRIME BOSS SAM GIANCANA
CONTROLLED KEY WARDS.
TOGETHER, THEY HELPED
PUT KENNEDY OVER THE TOP.
IT WAS THE NARROWEST WIN
OF THE CENTURY
A MARGIN OF ONE-TENTH
OF ONE PERCENT.
JOE STILL KEPT QUIET IN PUBLIC,
BUT IN PRIVATE
AS THE PRESIDENT-ELEC
CHOSE HIS CABINE
HE MADE HIS WISHES KNOWN.
HE WANTED HIS SON ROBER
APPOINTED ATTORNEY GENERAL.
FEARING CHARGES OF DYNASTY,
JACK ASKED CLARK CLIFFORD
TO SEE IF THE OLD MAN
COULD BE TALKED OUT OF IT.
I TALKED TO HIS FATHER
AND I'D PREPARED VERY WELL.
I GAVE A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
AND THE IMPACT IT HAD HAD
ON A NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATIONS
AND I PRAISED BOBBY
FOR THE SPLENDID JOB HE HAD DONE
AS MANAGER
OF HIS BROTHER'S CAMPAIGN
AND YET SAID, "THIS WOULD BE A
SERIOUS MISTAKE, MR. AMBASSADOR
AND I WANT SO FOR THIS
ADMINISTRATION TO BE A SUCCESS."
HE LISTENED VERY POLITELY.
HE DIDN'T INTERRUPT ME
IN ANY WAY.
AND THEN, WHEN I FINISHED,
VERY PLEASANTLY HE SAID
"WELL, NOW, THANK YOU, CLARK."
HE SAID, "I'M INTERESTED
IN WHAT YOU'VE HAD TO SAY."
AND HE SAID,
"YOU'VE PRESENTED IT VERY WELL."
HE SAID, "I WANT TO LEAVE YOU
WITH JUST ONE THOUGHT:
"BOBBY KENNEDY IS GOING TO BE
ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF THE UNITED STATES."
Narrator:
A RARE WASHINGTON SNOWSTORM
ON THE EVE OF THE INAUGURAL
GAVE THE CAPITAL
AN OTHERWORLDLY GLOW.
IN YEARS TO COME,
SOME WOULD SEE I
AS AN OMEN
OF A PRESIDENCY SET APAR
BUT AT THE TIME, THE WEATHER
ONLY THREATENED THE FESTIVITIES.
THE HOLLYWOOD-STYLE GALA
HOSTED BY FRANK SINATRA
FINALLY BEGAN TWO HOURS LATE.
Announcer:
THE 1961 INAUGURAL GALA
STARRING FRANK SINATRA
HELEN TRAUBEL, ETHEL MERMAN,
JIMMY DURANTE
HARRY BELAFONTE, ELLA
FITZGERALD, JOEY BISHOP
Walton:
WE WENT DOWN THE MALL
AND IT WAS A MARVELOUS SIGH
BECAUSE STRANDED MOTORISTS AND
PEOPLE WERE ALL THE WAY ALONG
AND LOTS OF THEM HAD BUIL
BONFIRES TO KEEP WARM.
AND IT LOOKED AS THOUGH
THERE'D BEEN A REVOLUTION.
AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS
"OH, TURN ON THE LIGHTS,"
TO THE DRIVER, "INSIDE
SO THE PEOPLE CAN SEE JACKIE."
SHE LOOKED LIKE
THE SNOW QUEEN, YOU KNOW
VERY GLITTERING, MARVELOUS.
WE MADE HER SIT FORWARD
SO THAT THEY COULD SEE HER.
THAT OLD JACK MAGIC
HAS THEM IN HIS SPELL ♪
THAT OLD JACK MAGIC
THAT HE WEAVES SO WELL. ♪
THE WOMEN SWOONED ♪
AND IT SEEMED
A LOT OF MEN DID, TOO ♪
HE WORKED A LITTLE
LIKE I USED TO DO. ♪
Kearns Goodwin:
JACK KENNEDY, GROWING UP
IRISH CATHOLIC AS HE DID
HAD THIS SENSE
OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RITUAL
THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WAN
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
WHEN THEIR PRESIDENT IS
ABOUT TO BE MADE PRESIDEN
THEY WANT A SENSE
THAT HE IS KING-LIKE
AND HE PLAYED THAT TO THE HILT.
AND THEN IT SEEMED LIKE
JACK WAS ♪
Kearns Goodwin:
WHEN YOU ADD TO THAT HIS
FATHER'S EXPERIENCE IN HOLLYWOOD
WHERE MANIPULATING IMAGES IS
A PART OF WHAT IT'S ALL ABOU
THAT'S WHAT MOVIES ARE--
SO YOU HAVE SOPHISTICATED
MODERN-DAY TECHNIQUES
COMBINED WITH THIS OLD WORLD
CATHOLIC RITUALISM
AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE
COMBINATION.
Edward Kennedy:
I REMEMBER RIDING BACK
WITH MY FATHER
AND THE SNOW HAD STARTED
BY THAT TIME
AND THE CAR GOT OFF ON THE SIDE.
AND HERE WAS MY FATHER
OUT PUSHING HIS CAR
THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS SON
WAS GOING TO BE PRESIDEN
YELLING FOR ME TO PUSH HARDER,
TO PUSH HARDER.
AND THEN THE DAY, OF COURSE,
WAS SO MEMORABLE--
CLEAR, CRISP, COLD.
I, JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR
THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY
EXECUTE THE OFFICE
OF PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES
Narrator:
WATCHING IN THE COLD
JOSEPH P. KENNEDY QUIETLY
GLORIED IN HIS TRIUMPH.
HIS SECOND SON,
WHOSE COOL DETACHMEN
HAD BEEN A MYSTERY TO HIM
HAD BECOME PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
( cheering and applause )
Edward Kennedy:
MY BROTHER SPOKE A WEEK BEFORE
AT THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE
AND MADE JUST ONE OF THE REALLY
MEMORABLE SPEECHES UP THERE.
AND I REMEMBER MY
CONVERSATION MY FATHER
HAD WITH MY BROTHER
THE NIGHT AFTER WE GOT BACK
FROM PUSHING THE CAR
THE NIGHT BEFORE
THE INAUGURATION, SAYING
"I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD'VE
USED THAT SPEECH UP IN BOSTON
"BECAUSE THAT WAS A HUMDINGER.
"DO YOU REALLY HAVE SOMETHING
THAT'S GOING TO AWAKEN
AMERICA TOMORROW?"
AND MY BROTHER SAID,
"WELL, I THINK SO, DAD."
John F. Kennedy:
LET THE WORD GO FORTH
FROM THIS TIME AND PLACE
TO FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE
THAT THE TORCH HAS BEEN PASSED
TO A NEW GENERATION OF AMERICANS
BORN IN THIS CENTURY
TEMPERED BY WAR, DISCIPLINED
BY A HARD AND BITTER PEACE
PROUD OF OUR ANCIENT HERITAGE
AND UNWILLING TO WITNESS
OR PERMIT THE SLOW UNDOING
OF THOSE HUMAN RIGHTS
TO WHICH THIS NATION
HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMITTED
AND TO WHICH
WE ARE COMMITTED TODAY
AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD.
Narrator:
NOTHING KENNEDY HAD PREVIOUSLY
SAID OR DONE
HAD PREPARED HIS LISTENERS
FOR HIS ELOQUENCE.
HIS PROMISE OF A NEW ERA OF
ACTIVISM AND AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
RESONATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNG.
I WAS IN COLLEGE WHEN J.F.K.
RAN FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
THERE WAS AN EXCITEMEN
ABOUT THAT CAMPAIGN.
HE MADE YOU FEEL LIKE
THINGS WERE GOING TO CHANGE.
I REMEMBER HIS SPEECH
PROPOSING THE PEACE CORPS
SAYING TO MYSELF,
"I WANT TO DO THAT."
AND SO, MY FELLOW AMERICANS
ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY
CAN DO FOR YOU;
ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO
FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
( applause )
( band plays "Anchors Aweigh" )
Kearns Goodwin:
HE WAS PASSING BY
THE REVIEWING STAND
WHERE HIS PARENTS WERE STANDING
AND EUNICE RECALLED STANDING
BEHIND HER FATHER AT THAT MOMEN
AND SHE SAW HIM TAKE
THE TOP HAT OFF HIS HEAD
AND TIP IT IN A GESTURE
OF DEFERENCE TO HIS SON JACK
THE NOW PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS
AUTHORITY FIGURE IN THE FAMILY
HAD EVER DEFERRED
TO ONE OF THEIR GENERATION
AND IT SEEMED SO OUT OF PLACE.
JUST AS THE FATHER GO
HIS HAT OFF TO TIP TO HIS SON
JACK TOOK HIS HAT OFF
AND TIPPED IT TO HIS FATHER--
THE ONLY PERSON HE DID THAT TO
THAT ENTIRE DAY.
AND IT WAS LIKE THERE WAS
THIS MOMEN
WHERE HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT I
MEANT FOR HIS FATHER TO DO THA
AND HE WANTED HIS FATHER TO
KNOW, "YOU HELPED ME TO GET HERE
AND I WANT YOU
TO APPRECIATE THAT."
FOR MY FIRS
VISIT HERE.
THE WHITE HOUSE.
( laughter )
IT'S TOO HARD
TO TURN THESE OUT.
I FIND MYSELF WRITING,
"THE VERY BEST WISHES."
Kearns Goodwin:
THERE SEEMS TO BE
ABOUT THE KENNEDY FAMILY
THAT DAY THEY MOVED
INTO THE WHITE HOUSE
AN INCREDIBLE SENSE
THAT THEY WERE STILL CHILDREN
THAT THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS.
THEY WOULD BE TOGETHER THERE
LIKE IT'S THE NEW VACATION HOME
BUT IT'S REAL
BECAUSE IT'S THE PRESIDENCY.
Edward Kennedy:
HE FIRST WALKED
INTO THE OVAL OFFICE--
HE AND A VERY GOOD
FRIEND WERE SURE
SOMEONE WAS GOING TO COME
AROUND THE CORNER AND SAY
"WON'T YOU BOYS GET OUT OF HERE?
DON'T YOU KNOW
THAT THIS IS THE OVAL OFFICE?"
Narrator:
THE MEN KENNEDY
SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH
WERE MOSTLY YOUNG, HIGHLY
EDUCATED, EAGER TO TAKE CHARGE.
AT HOME, THE KENNEDY TEAM
PROMISED TO SUPPORT CIVIL RIGHTS
AND PUSH FOR AID TO EDUCATION,
HEALTH CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.
ABROAD, THEY WOULD MEE
THE COMMUNIST CHALLENGE
WITH THE PEACE CORPS
IN THE THIRD WORLD
WITH THE BIGGEST ARMS BUILDUP
IN PEACETIME HISTORY
EVEN IN OUTER SPACE
WHERE KENNEDY VOWED TO BEA
THE RUSSIANS TO THE MOON.
"THOSE WERE THE DAYS,"
ROBERT KENNEDY RECALLED
"WHEN WE THOUGH
WE WERE SUCCEEDING
"BECAUSE OF ALL THE STORIES ON
HOW HARD EVERYONE WAS WORKING.
EVERYTHING SEEMED POSSIBLE."
Man:
AND IT WAS GREAT FUN.
OF COURSE WE WERE ALL FILLED
WITH EXHILARATION AND EUPHORIA
AND HOPED TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
IT WAS REALLY THAT SENSE OF
YOU COULD JUST TACKLE ANY
SUBJECT, ANY KIND OF PROBLEM.
THERE WERE PLENTY
OF PEOPLE AROUND TO SAY "NO."
WE WERE THE PEOPLE
WHO SAID "YES."
Sorensen:
THERE IS A CERTAIN FEELING
OF HEADINESS
IN THE FIRST DAYS
OF A NEW ADMINISTRATION.
YOU'RE THE PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU DEFEATED THE OPPOSITION,
WHICH WAS FAVORED.
YOU HAVE THE MAGIC TOUCH.
YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES.
THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS
FEELING TO HAVE.
Narrator:
SHORTLY AFTER HIS ELECTION
KENNEDY HAD BEEN TOLD
OF A SECRET C.I.A. PLAN
TO SEND AN ARMY OF CUBAN EXILES
TO OVERTHROW FIDEL CASTRO
AND RID THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
OF ITS FIRST COMMUNIST REGIME.
TO KENNEDY, IT SEEMED
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO REGAIN THE INITIATIVE
IN THE COLD WAR.
INSTEAD, IT WOULD BRING
HIS PRESIDENCY
TO THE BRINK OF DISASTER
ONLY WEEKS AFTER IT BEGAN.
SOME ADVISORS ARGUED
THAT EVEN A SUCCESSFUL INVASION
WOULD BRAND THE UNITED STATES
AN AGGRESSOR
AND RISK SOVIET RETALIATION.
BUT THE C.I.A. AND JOINT CHIEFS
ASSURED KENNEDY
THE INVASION WOULD SUCCEED
WITHOUT REVEALING
UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION.
KENNEDY GAVE THE GO-AHEAD
FOR A LANDING
AT THE BAY OF PIGS.
Goodwin:
THEY WANTED TO DO IT SO BADLY
YOU KNOW, AND AS WE SAW ON
A MUCH GRANDER SCALE IN VIETNAM
IF YOU REALLY WAN
TO DO SOMETHING
YOU CAN TALK AND PERSUADE
YOURSELF THAT IT CAN BE DONE.
Narrator:
BUT EVERYTHING WENT WRONG.
WHEN THE LANDING FOUNDERED
KENNEDY, FEARFUL OF REVEALING
AMERICAN INVOLVEMEN
REFUSED TO PROVIDE AIR SUPPORT.
1,189 MEN WERE CAPTURED.
114 WERE KILLED.
Spalding:
THE DAY AFTERWARDS
WE WERE JUST KNOCKING GOLF BALLS
INTO A CORNFIELD AIMLESSLY
AND HE, ALL HE'D SAY WAS,
"HOW COULD I DO IT?
HOW COULD I? HOW COULD I?"
Narrator:
CRITICS DENOUNCED KENNEDY
AS INDECISIVE.
MANY NOW WONDERED
WHETHER HE WAS SIMPLY TOO YOUNG
TOO INEXPERIENCED,
TOO IMPETUOUS FOR THE JOB.
THE BAY OF PIGS HAD BEEN
A HUMILIATING FAILURE.
BEHIND THE SCENES,
KENNEDY WAS FURIOUS.
BELIEVING HE HAD BEEN MISLED
HE WOULD REPLACE
THE HEAD OF THE C.I.A.
AND COME TO RELY MORE HEAVILY
ON HIS OWN ADVISORS
THAN ON THE JOINT CHIEFS
OR THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
AND MOST IMPORTAN
FOR THE FUTURE OF HIS PRESIDENCY
HE RESOLVED TO INVOLVE
HIS BROTHER ROBER
IN ALL MAJOR DECISIONS.
"NOW I REALIZE HOW RIGHT DAD WAS
IN WANTING BOBBY
IN THE CABINET," HE SAID.
"IN A CRISIS, FAMILY MEMBERS ARE
THE ONLY ONES YOU CAN COUNT ON."
"DON'T KID ANYBODY
ABOUT WHO IS THE TOP ADVISOR"
LYNDON JOHNSON TOLD A FRIEND.
"BOBBY IS FIRST IN AND LAST OU
AND BOBBY IS THE BOY
HE LISTENS TO."
Man:
POLITICS IS A LITTLE BI
OF A NEUROTIC PROCESS
OF EGOS AND VANITIES AND
RIVALRIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT MAKES EVEN THE CLOSEST,
MOST LOYAL STAFF PEOPLE--
THEY NEED TO BE HANDLED
WITH SOME CARE
WHICH I THINK ONLY A PRESIDEN
REALLY SENSES, FINALLY.
AND BOBBY WAS THE ONE THAT
PERSON THAT HE DID
NOT HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THOSE SORT OF
NEUROTIC TENSIONS IN THE PSYCHE.
HIS BROTHER'S PRESIDENCY WAS
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IN HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
HE WAS WILLING
TO BE THE VILLAIN.
HE WAS WILLING
TO TAKE THE ATTACKS.
AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE
THAT HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN
A BOLT OF LIGHTNING FOR JACK.
Newman:
BOBBY HAD A TEMPER.
AND, YOU KNOW,
BOBBY WAS VERY DOGMATIC.
AND HE WAS, YOU KNOW,
HE WAS HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
NOBODY COULD PULL ANYTHING
IN WASHINGTON
THAT BOBBY COULDN'T HEAR ABOU
SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
BOBBY HAD AN AWFUL LO
OF RUN-INS IN WASHINGTON.
Narrator:
IT WAS ROBERT KENNEDY
WHO WOULD INCUR WHITE HOSTILITY
IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH
BY DEMANDING ACTION
ON VOTING RIGHTS;
ROBERT KENNEDY WHO DECLARED WAR
ON ORGANIZED CRIME.
NOW HIS BROTHER ASKED HIM
TO CONTINUE THE EFFOR
TO OVERTHROW CASTRO.
HE WAS PUT IN CHARGE
OF A NEW CLANDESTINE PLAN--
OPERATION MONGOOSE.
"OUSTING CASTRO
IS THE TOP PRIORITY
OF THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT," HE SAID.
HE ORDERED HIT-AND-RUN RAIDS
DESTRUCTION OF ROADS
AND BRIDGES, SABOTAGE.
AT THE SAME TIME,
THE C.I.A. WAS USING MOBSTERS
INCLUDING SAM GIANCANA
AND JOHNNY ROSSELLI
IN A PLOT TO ASSASSINATE CASTRO.
THIS STRANGE ALLIANCE HAD BEGUN
DURING THE EISENHOWER
ADMINISTRATION
AND CONTINUED UNBROKEN
THROUGH THE KENNEDY YEARS.
KENNEDY CLEARLY WANTED
THE CUBAN LEADER ELIMINATED.
"WE WERE HYSTERICAL
ABOUT CASTRO AT THE TIME"
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
ROBERT McNAMARA LATER ADMITTED.
Man:
THE WAY THESE THINGS HAPPEN
AND WHICH I SAW VERY CLEARLY
IN A DIFFERENT CASE
IN THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION
IS THAT THE PRESIDEN
VERY MUCH WANTS TO HAVE
A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL IMMOBILIZED
AND ISN'T DOESN'T CARE
TOO MUCH HOW THAT IS DONE.
Narrator:
PRECISELY HOW MUCH
THE PRESIDENT KNEW
OF THE ASSASSINATION PLOTS
OR ABOUT THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE C.I.A. AND THE MAFIA
IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE MORE
THAN 30 YEARS AFTER THE FACT.
WHEN ROBERT KENNEDY LEARNED
THE C.I.A. HAD HIRED THE MAFIA
TO KILL CASTRO
HE PROTESTED THE MEANS
BUT NOT THE ENDS.
ASSASSINATION PLOTS CONTINUED.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE PURSUED
HIS WAR ON ORGANIZED CRIME
GATHERING EVIDENCE
AGAINST GIANCANA AND ROSSELLI.
Beschloss:
KENNEDY MAY WELL HAVE KNOWN
THAT THE MAFIA
WAS TRYING TO KILL CASTRO
AT THE SAME TIME
AS HIS BROTHER WAS TRYING
TO PROSECUTE THE MAFIA.
IT REMAINS
AN HISTORICAL QUESTION.
IT MAY WELL BE THAT KENNEDY
JUST CONSIDERED HIS ABILITY
TO HOLD TWO OPPOSING IDEAS
IN HIS BRAIN
TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS
REQUIRED OF A PRESIDENT.
Narrator:
IN MAY 1961,
KENNEDY'S STUBBORN RESOLVE
TO APPEAR VIGOROUS IN PUBLIC
BETRAYED HIM.
A TREE PLANTING IN CANADA
REQUIRED ONLY
A CEREMONIAL GESTURE.
BUT KENNEDY DUG IN AND BADLY
STRAINED HIS INJURED BACK.
IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED
AT A WORSE TIME.
HE WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON MASSIVE
INJECTIONS OF PAINKILLERS
AS HE FACED SOVIET PREMIER
NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV IN VIENNA.
KENNEDY HAD HOPED
THIS SUMMIT MEETING
WOULD CHANGE THE COURSE
OF THE COLD WAR.
Beschloss:
KENNEDY THOUGHT THAT WHEN HE AND
KHRUSHCHEV SAT DOWN IN A ROOM
AND CLOSED THE DOORS
THAT THEY COULD WORK OU
SOME SORT OF POLITICAL DEAL
THAT WOULD KEEP THE SOVIET UNION
AND THE UNITED STATES
FROM BEING IN CONFRONTATION
DURING THE KENNEDY YEARS.
Narrator:
KHRUSHCHEV WOULDN'T BARGAIN.
THE BAY OF PIGS
HAD CONVINCED HIM
THAT KENNEDY, WHO WAS YOUNGER
THAN KHRUSHCHEV'S SON
COULD BE INTIMIDATED.
THE SOVIET PREMIER THREATENED
TO CUT OFF ACCESS TO WEST BERLIN
AND STEM THE TIDE OF REFUGEES
FLEEING COMMUNISM
FOR FREEDOM IN THE WEST.
KENNEDY EMERGED FROM THE MEETING
APPEARING COMPOSED
BUT HE WAS SHAKEN.
KHRUSHCHEV HAD WARNED
THE PRESIDEN
IF HE TRIED TO INTERVENE
IN BERLIN, THERE WOULD BE WAR.
Man:
I STOOD ON THE DOORSTEP WITH
OTHERS WHEN KENNEDY CAME OU
AND KENNEDY WAS, SEEMED TO ME
ABSOLUTELY DAZED.
AND AS IT HAPPENED, HE CAME OU
AND HE LOOKED ME INTO MY FACE
BUT I HAD A FEELING
THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME
HE WAS SO DAZED.
Narrator:
KENNEDY RETURNED HOME
STILL STUNNED BY HIS ENCOUNTER
WITH KHRUSHCHEV.
HE CALLED UP THE RESERVES
AND WARNED THE COUNTRY
TO PREPARE FOR NUCLEAR ATTACK.
TALKING TO HIM THAT SUMMER,
AN AIDE REMEMBERED
WAS LIKE TALKING TO A STATUE.
INSTEAD OF SEIZING WEST BERLIN
KHRUSHCHEV BUILT THE BERLIN WALL
TO STOP THE FLOW OF REFUGEES.
THE CRISIS EASED.
"A WALL," KENNEDY SAID
"IS A HELL OF A LOT BETTER
THAN A WAR."
STILL, THE PRESIDENT FEARED
HE HAD FAILED TO CONVINCE
KHRUSHCHEV OF AMERICAN RESOLVE.
"WE HAVE A PROBLEM
IN MAKING OUR POWER CREDIBLE"
HE TOLD A NEWSPAPERMAN
"AND THE PLACE TO DO I
IS VIETNAM."
IN A DECISION THAT WOULD BE
AMONG THE MOST FATEFUL
OF HIS ADMINISTRATION
HE TRIPLED THE NUMBER
OF MILITARY ADVISORS
SENT TO SOUTH VIETNAM.
IN THE FALL OF 1961, AMERICAN
TROOPS WERE ON ALERT IN BERLIN
AMERICAN ADVISORS WERE
ON THEIR WAY TO VIETNAM
AND OPERATION MONGOOSE
CONTINUED AGAINST CUBA
AS WHAT ROBERT KENNEDY CALLED
"A VERY MEAN YEAR"
DREW TO A CLOSE.
IN SEPTEMBER 1961
JOSEPH KENNEDY SEEMED TO HAVE
FULFILLED ALL HIS AMBITIONS.
SURROUNDED BY 17 GRANDCHILDREN
ON HIS 73rd BIRTHDAY
HE HAD ONE SON IN THE WHITE
HOUSE, ANOTHER IN THE CABINE
BUT STILL HE WANTED MORE--
THIS TIME FOR TED.
EDWARD MOORE KENNEDY
WAS JUST 29 YEARS OLD--
15 YEARS YOUNGER THAN JACK.
HE HAD ATTENDED HARVARD, SCORED
A TOUCHDOWN IN THE YALE GAME
MARRIED JOAN BENNET
AND MANAGED HIS BROTHER'S
CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST.
BUT HE HAD HELD JUS
ONE REAL JOB SINCE LAW SCHOOL
AS ONE OF 26 ASSISTANT DISTRIC
ATTORNEYS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY.
NONETHELESS, HIS FATHER
WAS DETERMINED
TO MAKE HIM
A UNITED STATES SENATOR.
"YOU BOYS HAVE WHAT YOU WANT,"
HE TOLD HIS OLDER SONS.
"NOW IT'S TEDDY'S TURN."
Woman:
THEN THERE WAS TEDDY,
WHO WAS GOING TO THE SENATE.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE
WHO WOULD KILL TO GE
INTO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
THAT'S A VERY BIG JOB.
AND HERE IS THIS NOT VERY
BRIGHT, NOT VERY STRONG
NOT VERY IMPOSING
OR IMPRESSIVE KID
WHO WAS GOING INTO THE SENATE
ONLY BECAUSE
HIS NAME WAS KENNEDY.
Narrator:
TED WAS STILL TOO YOUNG
TO QUALIFY--
HE WOULD NOT TURN 30
UNTIL 1962--
BUT HE BEGAN MAKING
HURRIED TRIPS ABROAD
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE, TOO, HAD
AN INTEREST IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Man:
PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAD A SAYING
THAT IF YOU, AS A POLITICIAN,
SEE BLUE SKY, GO FOR IT.
AND IN TEDDY'S CASE,
THE BLUE SKY WAS A SEA
THAT HAD BEEN VACATED BY JACK
WHEN HE'D TAKEN OVER
THE PRESIDENCY
AND SO TED HAD
A REAL OPPORTUNITY
THAT HE MIGHT NOT GET AGAIN.
Narrator:
JACK KENNEDY HAD ARRANGED
FOR AN OLD FRIEND
TO HOLD HIS VACANT SENATE SEA
UNTIL TED WAS OLD ENOUGH TO RUN.
BUT THE PRESIDENT ALSO MOVED
TO DEFUSE AN EMBARRASSING
EPISODE IN HIS BROTHER'S PAST:
TED HAD BEEN TEMPORARILY
EXPELLED FROM HARVARD
FOR HAVING A FRIEND TAKE
A SPANISH EXAM FOR HIM IN 1951.
Clifford:
I WENT TO NEW YORK
AND SAW THE FELLOW
THAT HAD BEEN
IN THE CONSPIRACY WITH HIM.
HE REMEMBERED IT EXACTLY.
I THEN CAME BACK
HAD A MEETING WITH PRESIDEN
KENNEDY AND BOBBY AGAIN
AND SAID, "THIS IS NO
GOING TO HURT HIM.
"HE WAS ONLY 19 AT THE TIME.
"THERE ISN'T A MAN
IN THE COUNTRY AT 19
"DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE
THIS BAD OR WORSE.
"I SUGGEST THA
YOU BREAK IT YOURSELVES
AND NOT HAVE SOMEBODY
ELSE BREAK IT."
THEY LIKED THAT IDEA
AND TEDDY TOLD THE WHOLE STORY.
Narrator:
JUST 15 YEARS
AFTER HE HAD PERSUADED JACK
TO PLUNGE INTO POLITICS
JOSEPH KENNEDY WAS ABOUT TO SEE
ALL THREE OF HIS SURVIVING SONS
HOLDING HIGH OFFICE.
THEN SUDDENLY,
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS
THE AMBASSADOR SUFFERED
A MASSIVE STROKE.
HE LAY NEAR DEATH,
HIS RIGHT SIDE PARALYZED.
Woman:
IN THE BEGINNING
THEY REALLY THOUGH
THAT HIS FATHER WOULD GET WELL.
A KENNEDY HAD TO,
A KENNEDY DOES.
SO WHEN THEY SAW HIM ADVANCING
AND GETTING BETTER
NATURALLY, THAT WAS GREAT, AND
THEY WOULD APPLAUD ALL THE TIME
NO MATTER IF HE TOOK A LITTLE
STEP, THEY WOULD APPLAUD.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER
THAT THEY REALIZED THAT VERY
LITTLE WAS GOING TO BE DONE.
Narrator:
JOSEPH KENNEDY'S
ACTIVE LIFE WAS OVER.
THE RESTLESS, DRIVEN,
SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE
THE FATHER
WHOSE BLAZING AMBITION
HAD FUELED HIS SONS' CLIMB
THE POWER BROKER
WHO HAD ALWAYS SEEMED ABLE
TO GET ANYTHING HE WANTED
HAD LOST THE ABILITY
TO SHAPE EVENTS.
HE WOULD LIVE ON
FOR EIGHT MORE YEARS
A MUTE AND HELPLESS WITNESS
TO ALL THAT LAY AHEAD.
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The Kennedys Part 2
(theme song playing)
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Narrator:
THE INAUGURATION
OF JOHN F. KENNEDY
HAD BEEN THE CULMINATION
OF A RELENTLESS DRIVE FOR POWER
BEGUN BY HIS FATHER,
JOSEPH KENNEDY
MORE THAN THREE DECADES EARLIER.
AS THE KENNEDY PRESIDENCY
ENTERED ITS SECOND YEAR
JOSEPH KENNEDY WAS NO LONGER
THE FORCE HE ONCE HAD BEEN
PARALYZED BY A STROKE.
BUT HIS YOUNGEST SON, TED,
WAS POISED TO RUN FOR THE SENATE
AND HIS SON ROBER
WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL
AND THE PRESIDENT'S
CLOSEST ADVISOR.
JOHN KENNEDY HAD BEEN ELECTED
BY THE NARROWEST POPULAR
MARGIN IN HISTORY
AND MANY AMERICANS
WERE STILL SKEPTICAL
OF THE KENNEDYS' WEALTH
AND DYNASTIC AMBITION.
BUT THE KENNEDY STYLE
DAZZLED MUCH OF THE COUNTRY.
Man:
THE KENNEDYS WERE EVERYTHING
EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE.
THEY HAD THIS AURA
OF GLAMOUR AND BRAINS
AND POWER AND ENERGY
AND THEY WERE HAVING FUN.
AND, UH, IN THIS TOWN,
THERE IS ALWAYS THE DESIRE
TO BE IN AND BE CLOSE
NO MATTER HOW DULL
THE PRESIDENT.
BUT WHEN THE PRESIDEN
IS NOT DULL
BUT IS GLAMOROUS AND EXCITING
AND HIS WIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
AND HIS KIDS ARE GORGEOUS
AND EVERYBODY'S PLAYING
TOUCH FOOTBALL
AND THERE ARE MOVIE STARS--
HOLY SMOKES.
Woman:
JACK AND JACKIE HAD AN ENORMOUS
SENSE OF THEIR OWN PRESENCE
ALMOST AS IF THEY BOTH
CREATED THIS IMAGE
OF THIS HANDSOME COUPLE--
ATTRACTIVE, WELL-CLOTHED,
WELL-MANNERED, FUNNY--
THAT WAS PARTLY TRUE
BUT PARTLY NOT TRUE
AT THE SAME TIME.
WHEN JACKIE WAS COURTING JACK,
IT PROBABLY WAS EXCITING
TO SEE HOW MUCH HE LIKED OTHER
WOMEN BUT AFTER A WHILE
SHE ADOPTED A PATTERN
VERY SIMILAR TO ROSE'S.
SHE KNEW IF SHE OBSESSED
ABOUT IT EVERY DAY
IT WOULD DESTROY HERSELF
AND DESTROY THE MARRIAGE.
SO SHE BECAME JACKIE KENNEDY
SOMETHING QUITE APAR
FROM JACK KENNEDY.
DES ETATS-UNIS.
JE PENSE TOUJOURS A LA PREMIERE
A MA ROLE DE MERE ET DE FEMME.
ES UN HONOR PARA MI
EL ESTAR HOY
ENTRE UN GRUPO DE LOS HOMBRES
MAS VALIENTES DEL MUNDO.
Interviewer:
MRS. KENNEDY, THIS
IS THE EAST ROOM
PRETTY MUCH AS AMERICANS
HAVE KNOWN IT FOR 60 YEARS.
Jackie Kennedy:
THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS PIANO WAS DESIGNED
BY FRANKLIN ROOSEVEL
AND THIS IS THE END OF THE ROOM
WHERE PABLO CASALS PLAYED FOR US
WHERE WE HAD
A PORTABLE STAGE BUIL
WHEN WE HAD
THE SHAKESPEARE PLAYERS.
Man:
JACKIE GAVE IT REAL CLASS.
JACKIE WAS THE ONE THA
REDECORATED THE WHITE HOUSE.
JACKIE WAS THE ONE
THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL
THE VERY FINE ENTERTAINMENT.
AND JACK WAS NOT QUITE
LIKE THAT HIMSELF.
YOU KNOW, JACK, AT A PIANO
COULD SING "THE WEARIN'
O' THE GREEN"
AS WELL AS ANY
IRISH REVOLUTIONARY
YOU EVER CAME ACROSS
IN YOUR LIFE
BUT UH, JACKIE
JACKIE SORT OF GAVE
THIS KIND OF FRAGILE
DELICATE, "LIMOGES CHINA"
FEELING TO THE WHILE HOUSE.
Woman:
HE LOVED POLITICS.
SHE HATED POLITICS.
SHE DIDN'T WAN
ANY PART OF POLITICS.
SHE DIDN'T LIKE
THE POLITICAL PEOPLE
BUT WHEN IT CAME
TO BEING OUT THERE
ALL DRESSED UP IN HER EVENING
GOWNS, SHE WAS RIGHT THERE.
Kearns Goodwin:
SHE GOT ENORMOUS PLEASURE
FROM THE CELEBRITY
OF BEING FIRST LADY
BUT THEN WHEN SHE WANTED
HER PRIVACY BACK
SHE WOULD TURN IT AWAY,
AND SHE LEGITIMATELY WANTED
TO KEEP HER CHILDREN FREE
FROM SUCH CELEBRITY.
SHE WOULD FIND HERSELF
ALTERNATELY WISHING
THE PRESS WOULD WRITE HER UP
AND OTHER TIMES
SAYING, "DON'T TOUCH ME.
I WANT YOU OUT OF HERE."
Man:
JACKIE HAD GONE ON A TRIP
AND SHE HAD BEEN TRYING
TO CONTROL
HOW MUCH PICTURES THERE
COULD BE TAKEN OF THE KIDS
AND THE PRESIDEN
CALLED ME IN ONE DAY
AND SAID, "SHE'S GONE NOW.
NOW'S THE TIME TO GET THE KIDS."
Narrator:
CAROLINE AND JOHN, JR.,
WERE THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN
TO LIVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE
IN THE 20th CENTURY
AND THE PRESIDENT,
LIKE HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM
FED THE PRESS IRRESISTIBLE
PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS FAMILY.
Woman:
THE KENNEDYS WERE CLEARLY
MAKING THEIR OWN RULES
SO THAT BOBBY KENNEDY COULD BE
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
NO ONE WOULD EVER DREAM
OF APPOINTING HIS BROTHER
TO THE CABINE
BUT JACK DID IT,
AND HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
AND THEN THERE WAS
THE OTHER BROTHER
THEY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF.
Narrator:
TED KENNEDY TURNED 30
IN FEBRUARY 1962
NOW OLD ENOUGH TO RUN FOR
HIS BROTHER'S OLD SENATE SEAT.
BUT WHEN EDWARD McCORMACK
NEPHEW OF THE SPEAKER
OF THE HOUSE
CHALLENGED KENNEDY'S RIGH
TO THE NOMINATION
THE PRESIDENT SENT TED TO ASK
TIP O'NEILL TO INTERCEDE.
Man:
HE SAID
"GEE, I DON'T WAN
TO RUN AGAINST EDDIE."
HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, IT'S
NOT GOOD FOR THE PARTY
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE
RELATIONSHIPS IN WASHINGTON."
AND HE SAID, "I'LL PAY WE
UNDERSTAND EDDIE OWES $100,000.
"WE'LL TAKE CARE
OF HIS EXPENSES.
"MY FATHER WILL SEE
THAT HE GETS A GOOD CLIENT.
ANYTHING THAT HE'S INTERESTED
IN," HE SAID, "HE CAN HAVE."
HE SAID, "AN AMBASSADORSHIP
OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE."
AND, UH, I LISTENED TO THE STORY
AND I WENT BACK AND
TOLD JOHN McCORMACK
AND JOHN TALKED TO EDDIE,
AND I TALKED TO EDDIE
AND, UH, EDDIE MADE THE DECISION
THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN ANYWAY.
Narrator:
THE KENNEDYS FAILED
TO BUY OFF McCORMACK.
WHEN TED WAS CHALLENGED
TO A TELEVISED DEBATE
THE PRESIDENT FEARED HIS
INEXPERIENCED YOUNGER BROTHER
MIGHT GIVE IN TO HIS EMOTIONS
IF ATTACKED.
Man:
I REMEMBER SITTING
IN THE OVAL OFFICE
BEING PEPPERED BY QUESTIONS
BY MY BROTHER
AND BY A COUPLE OF HIS AIDES
WHICH WAS QUITE INTIMIDATING,
CERTAINLY, TO SAY THE LEAST.
BUT I WAS BEING ASKED
BY THE MASTER.
Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT HAD TED
REHEARSE HIS RESPONSES
AND WARNED HIM TO STAY CALM,
NO MATTER WHAT McCORMACK SAID.
I ASK IF HIS NAME
WAS EDWARD MOORE
WITH HIS
QUALIFICATIONS--
WITH YOUR
QUALIFICATIONS, TEDDY
IF IT WAS
EDWARD MOORE
YOUR CANDIDACY
WOULD BE A JOKE!
BUT NOBODY'S
LAUGHING.
( applause and shouts )
NOBODY'S LAUGHING.
NOBODY'S LAUGHING, BECAUSE
HIS NAME IS NOT EDWARD MOORE
IT'S EDWARD MOORE KENNEDY.
AND I SAY IT MAKES
NO DIFFERENCE
WHAT YOUR
NAME IS.
Narrator:
McCORMACK'S ATTACK BACKFIRED.
TED KENNEDY WON THE SYMPATHY
OF THE AUDIENCE AND THE PRIMARY.
HE WOULD GO ON TO FACE
REPUBLICAN GEORGE LODGE
SON OF HENRY CABOT LODGE
THE BOSTON BRAHMIN JOHN KENNEDY
HAD DEFEATED A DECADE EARLIER.
( applause, whistling )
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
MR. PRESIDENT ♪
( laughter )
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. ♪
( applause )
EVERYBODY, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
( band plays "Happy Birthday" )
THANK YOU.
I CAN NOW RETIRE FROM POLITICS
AFTER HAVING HAD
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" SUNG TO ME
IN SUCH A SWEET,
WHOLESOME MANNER.
( laughter )
IT WAS HIS 45th BIRTHDAY
A BIG RALLY
AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
CLIMAXED BY MARILYN MONROE
SINGING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU."
AFTERWARDS, ARTHUR KRIM,
WHO WAS A FILM PRODUCER
GAVE A SMALL PARTY IN HIS
APARTMENT ON THE EAST SIDE
WHERE THE PRESIDENT CAME
ROBERT KENNEDY CAME,
A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE.
AND MARILYN MONROE CAME.
Man:
PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS MADE
SUCH A GREAT TO-DO
OVER MARILYN'S ASSOCIATIONS
WITH THE KENNEDYS.
I HAVE NEVER BELIEVED
THEY WERE VERY DEEP, ACTUALLY.
MAYBE THERE WERE PLENTY
OF ASSOCIATIONS THAT WERE
AND THERE WERE SOME
I COULD'VE PUT MY FINGER ON
BUT IN THAT FAMILY, THERE HAD
BEEN NO TRADITIONS OF MONOGAMY.
THERE WAS PLENTY OF TALK
ABOUT KENNEDY'S WOMANIZING
AND THE TALK WAS JUST UNIVERSAL.
IN THOSE DAYS, HOWEVER
THERE WAS A SORT OF
AN UNDERSTANDING IN THE PRESS
THAT A RESPONSIBLE,
CONSCIENTIOUS JOURNALIS
WOULD NOT WRITE
ABOUT ANYBODY'S PRIVATE LIFE.
EVERYONE IN THE PRESS
REALLY, REALLY LOVED HIM.
AND AND HE WORKED THEM LIKE
AN ENTERTAINER WORKS A ROOM
AND HE REALLY DID USE THEM
EVERY SINGLE MINUTE
SO THAT THEY WERE VERY HESITAN
TO DWELL INTO HIS PRIVATE LIFE
OR TO WRITE ABOUT IT.
BUT HE WAS A TREMENDOUS
RISK-TAKER.
JACK FELT THAT HE COULD DO
AS HE PLEASED
AND HE DID AS HE PLEASED.
TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO CANNO
CONTROL HIS SEXUAL APPETITE
WHO IS ALWAYS TAKING
THESE RECKLESS RISKS
AND CANNOT STOP HIMSELF
IS NOT ONLY TO THREATEN
THE STATUS OF THE PRESIDENCY;
IT ALSO THREATENS
NATIONAL SECURITY.
AND THE TRUTH IS,
EVERYBODY KNEW I
AND NOBODY COULD STOP HIM.
Narrator:
BUT IN THE SPRING OF 1962
KENNEDY'S RISKY BEHAVIOR
BEGAN TO CATCH UP WITH HIM.
THE F.B.I. DIRECTOR,
J. EDGAR HOOVER
ASKED TO SEE
THE PRESIDENT ALONE.
HE TOLD KENNEDY THE F.B.I. WAS
AWARE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH JUDITH CAMPBELL, AND THA
CAMPBELL WAS ALSO FRIENDLY
WITH CRIME BOSS SAM GIANCANA.
HOOVER WARNED
OF POSSIBLE BLACKMAIL.
Exner:
JACK CALLED ME
AFTER THE MEETING.
FIRST HE ASKED ME
TO COME BACK TO WASHINGTON
AND I SAID NO
AND THAT I COULDN'
AND HE SAID GO TO MY MOTHER'S
AND CALL HIM
AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD ME
HE SAID MY PHONE
PROBABLY WASN'T SAFE.
Narrator:
DESPITE HOOVER'S WARNINGS
KENNEDY KEPT IN TELEPHONE
CONTACT WITH CAMPBELL
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
BUT HE STOPPED HIS PUBLIC
ASSOCIATION WITH FRANK SINATRA
HIS LONGTIME HOLLYWOOD FRIEND
WHO HAD TIES TO THE MOB
AND WHO HAD INTRODUCED HIM
TO JUDITH CAMPBELL IN 1960.
Man:
KENNEDY'S WOMANIZING
WAS A TICKING TIME BOMB
THROUGHOUT THAT PRESIDENCY
BECAUSE IF EVER
ONE OF THESE WOMEN WAS USED
BY A HOSTILE ORGANIZATION
TO BLACKMAIL THE PRESIDEN
IT COULD HAVE BROUGHT EVERYTHING
CRASHING DOWN.
Man:
SCENE 1A, TAKE 1:
"COFFEE WITH KENNEDYS
AT HYANNISPORT."
( piano plays )
Narrator:
BY OCTOBER 1962
TED KENNEDY'S CAMPAIGN FOR
THE SENATE WAS IN FULL SWING.
Rose Kennedy:
HERE IS TED, OUR YOUNGEST SON,
IN FRONT OF HIS FATHER.
YOU CAN SEE JACK,
THE PRESIDENT NOW.
YOU CAN SEE BOBBY,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
AND MY DAUGHTERS.
ON EITHER SIDE, OF COURSE,
ARE THE PAPAL GUARDS.
I THOUGHT WITH ALL THESE
SPIRITUAL ADVANTAGES
TED MIGHT GROW UP AND BE
A PRIEST, OR EVEN A BISHOP.
BUT HE MET A BEAUTIFUL
BLONDE ONE NIGH
AND SO THAT WAS THE END OF
MY AMBITION IN THAT DIRECTION.
HELLO, CARA,
HOW ARE YOU DEAR?
HAVE YOU GO
YOUR BOOK
TO READ TO GRANDMA
THIS MORNING?
Narrator:
BUT AS ROSE CAMPAIGNED
FOR HER YOUNGEST SON
HER SECOND SON WAS FACING
THE MOST SERIOUS CRISIS
OF THE ENTIRE COLD WAR ERA.
THE DETAILS OF THAT CRISIS
AND KENNEDY'S HANDLING OF I
WOULD BE EXAMINED
AND REEXAMINED FOR DECADES
AND ITS IMPACT UPON HIM
WOULD PROFOUNDLY CHANGE THE WAY
HE AND HIS SUCCESSORS
WAGED THE COLD WAR
IN THE COMING YEARS.
ON OCTOBER 16
KENNEDY WAS SHOWN PHOTOGRAPHS
TAKEN BY A U2 SPY PLANE.
THE SOVIETS WERE SECRETLY
BUILDING BASES IN CUBA
FOR NUCLEAR MISSILES
CAPABLE OF STRIKING NEW YORK,
CHICAGO, WASHINGTON.
THE BAY OF PIGS AND KENNEDY'S
CONTINUING SECRET CAMPAIGN
TO OVERTHROW CASTRO
HAD CONVINCED SOVIE
PREMIER KHRUSHCHEV
ANOTHER AMERICAN INVASION
OF CUBA WAS IMMINENT.
SO, KHRUSHCHEV CAME
TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE CUBA
WAS TO INSTALL THERE
SEVERAL SOVIET MISSILES
WHICH WOULD DETER
A POTENTIAL AMERICAN INVASION.
Narrator:
BUT TO KENNEDY
SOVIET MISSILES SO CLOSE TO THE
UNITED STATES WERE INTOLERABLE.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
THE QUESTION WAS HOW TO DO I
WITHOUT PROVOKING NUCLEAR WAR.
KENNEDY SECRETLY ASSEMBLED
A GROUP OF SEASONED COUNSELORS
FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
HIS ADMINISTRATION.
HIS EXPERIENCE WITH
THE BAY OF PIGS HAD TAUGHT HIM
NOT TO RELY ONLY
ON THE MILITARY AND C.I.A.
TO SEEK A WIDER RANGE
OF OPINIONS.
BUT MOST ADVISORS INITIALLY
FAVORED A MILITARY RESPONSE.
Man:
THOSE OF US
WHO HAD HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
WITH THE SOVIET UNION
WERE ALL IN FAVOR
OF A QUICK ATTACK AT FIRST.
ROBERT KENNEDY TOOK
A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
HE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE
A TERRIBLE THING IN THE WORLD
BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE
AN UNPROVOKED ASSAUL
AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
WOULD GET KILLED
THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY
THE SOVIETS THAT WERE
PUTTING UP THE BASES.
BOBBY WAS VERY ELOQUENT.
HE SAID, "I DO NOT WAN
MY BROTHER TO BE
"THE TOJO OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
I DO NOT WANT US, THE UNITED
STATES, TO PULL A PEARL HARBOR."
HE WANTED US TO BE TOUGH
AND ALL OF THA
BUT NOT TO STRIKE WITHOU
WARNING, OR SO ON AND SO FORTH.
Narrator:
FOR SIX DAYS, AS KENNEDY'S
ADVISORS ARGUED IN SECRE
OVER WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
ABOUT THE MISSILES
THE PRESIDENT DID HIS BES
TO ACT AS IF NOTHING UNUSUAL
WERE HAPPENING.
THE ELECTION OF MIKE DESALLE
WHO RECOGNIZES THE PROBLEMS
OF THIS STATE AND COUNTRY.
Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT'S PRESS SECRETARY
WAS UNAWARE
OF THE MISSILE CRISIS
WHEN KENNEDY INSTRUCTED
HIM TO TELL THE PRESS
HE HAD A COLD AND WOULD
RETURN TO WASHINGTON.
Salinger:
AND WE HEADED OUT OF THE HOTEL
WENT TO THE AIRPORT,
GOT ON THE PLANE.
HALFWAY THROUGH THE FLIGH
I WAS IN THE PRESIDENT'S
CABIN WITH HIM.
I SAID, "MR. PRESIDENT,
YOU DON'T HAVE A COLD.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
GOING ON."
HE SAID, "YOU BET THERE IS
SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON."
HE SAID, "WHEN YOU FIND OUT,
GRAB YOUR BALLS."
John F. Kennedy:
GOOD EVENING,
MY FELLOW CITIZENS.
THIS GOVERNMENT, AS PROMISED
HAS MAINTAINED
THE CLOSEST SURVEILLANCE
OF THE SOVIET MILITARY BUILDUP
ON THE ISLAND OF CUBA.
Narrator:
KENNEDY REVEALED THE CRISIS
TO THE WORLD ON OCTOBER 22
AND DECLARED A NAVAL
BLOCKADE OF CUBA
TO REMAIN IN FORCE
UNTIL THE MISSILES WERE REMOVED.
THE KENNEDYS HAD RESISTED
PRESSURE FROM THE MILITARY
TO BOMB THE MISSILE SITES.
THEY WOULD GIVE
THE SOVIET PREMIER
THE OPPORTUNITY
TO WITHDRAW PEACEFULLY.
BUT NO ONE KNEW
WHAT KHRUSHCHEV WOULD DO.
THE NATION BRACED FOR
THE POSSIBILITY OF NUCLEAR WAR.
I REMEMBER THERE BEING
A DISCUSSION AT HOME
WITH MY FATHER, ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT WE SHOULD BE MOVED.
THERE WAS A BUNKER
UNDER CAMP DAVID
WHERE THERE WAS ROOM FOR US, BU
THERE WERE TWO CONSIDERATIONS
THAT I REMEMBER MY FATHER
ARTICULATING AT THAT TIME.
ONE WAS THA
WE SHOULDN'T BE MOVED
BECAUSE IT WOULD CAUSE
OTHER PEOPLE TO PANIC
IF WE WERE MOVED
OUT OF WASHINGTON.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THAT,
IF THERE WERE A NUCLEAR WAR
NONE OF US WOULD WANT TO BE
AROUND AFTERWARDS ANYWAY.
Narrator:
IN THE END, BOTH SIDES
PULLED BACK FROM CONFRONTATION.
KHRUSHCHEV AGREED
TO WITHDRAW THE MISSILES
IN EXCHANGE FOR KENNEDY'S
PUBLIC PLEDGE NOT TO INVADE CUBA
AND HIS PRIVATE PROMISE
TO REMOVE AMERICAN MISSILES
FROM TURKISH BASES
NEAR THE SOVIET BORDER.
THE GRAVEST CRISIS
OF THE COLD WAR WAS OVER.
KENNEDY HAD SHOWN A BLEND OF
TOUGHNESS AND DIPLOMATIC SKILL
SCARCELY IMAGINABLE
WHEN HE FIRST TOOK OFFICE.
BUT HE ALSO RECOGNIZED HOW CLOSE
THE WORLD HAD COME TO DISASTER
HOW LARGE A PART LUCK HAD PLAYED
IN ITS SURVIVAL.
"IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRAZY," HE SAYS
"THAT TWO MEN SITTING
ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WORLD
HAVE THE POWER TO DESTROY
ALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION."
I THINK THAT WAS
THE TURNING POIN
OF KENNEDY'S PRESIDENCY.
Narrator:
KENNEDY MOVED TO REDUCE
THE POSSIBILITY
OF FUTURE CONFRONTATION.
IN THE ENSUING MONTHS,
HE NEGOTIATED
THE FIRST ARMS AGREEMEN
OF THE NUCLEAR AGE
INSTALLED THE FIRS
DIRECT COMMUNICATION LINK
TO THE SOVIET PREMIER
AND AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
IN JUNE 1963
CALLED FOR A NEW ERA
OF TOLERANCE.
LET US REEXAMINE OUR ATTITUDE
TOWARDS THE SOVIET UNION.
NO GOVERNMEN
OR SOCIAL SYSTEM IS SO EVIL
THAT ITS PEOPLE MUST BE
CONSIDERED AS LACKING IN VIRTUE
FOR IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS,
OUR MOST BASIC, COMMON LINK
IS THAT WE ALL INHABI
THIS SMALL PLANET.
WE ALL BREATHE THE SAME AIR.
WE ALL CHERISH
OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURES.
AND WE ARE ALL MORTAL.
Narrator:
KENNEDY WAS HAILED AS A HERO
DURING HIS VISIT TO BERLIN
IN THE SUMMER OF 1963.
THE OUTCOME
OF THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS
HAD HELPED RELIEVE DOUBTS
ABOUT THE YOUNG PRESIDENT.
HIS FAILURE AT THE BAY OF PIGS
WAS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN
AND HIS RECKLESS
PRIVATE BEHAVIOR REMAINED
A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET.
ALL FREE MEN,
WHEREVER THEY MAY LIVE
ARE CITIZENS OF BERLIN.
AND THEREFORE, AS A FREE MAN
I TAKE PRIDE IN THE WORDS
"ICH BIN EIN BERLINER."
( cheers )
Narrator:
BUT FOR SOME AT HOME
KENNEDY'S TALK OF FREEDOM ABROAD
RANG HOLLOW.
HIS RELUCTANCE TO PUSH
FOR STRONGER CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS
HAD ANGERED
MANY BLACKS AND LIBERALS
WHO HAD SEEN KENNEDY
AS THEIR CANDIDATE IN 1960.
THE PRIVILEGED WORLD
OF THE KENNEDY FAMILY
WAS FAR FROM THE HARSH REALITIES
OF THE INNER CITY
AND THE RURAL SOUTH.
"I WON'T SAY
I STAYED AWAKE NIGHTS
"WORRYING ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS
BEFORE I BECAME
ATTORNEY GENERAL"
ROBERT KENNEDY LATER ADMITTED.
JOHN KENNEDY HAD BEEN ELECTED
PARTLY BECAUSE OF HIS PROMISE
TO SECURE EQUAL RIGHTS
FOR BLACK AMERICANS
YET ONCE IN OFFICE,
HE HAD SOUGHT TO AVOID
TOO GREAT AN INVOLVEMENT IN THE
POLITICALLY DIVISIVE STRUGGLE.
BUT EVENTS OVERTOOK
THE KENNEDYS.
IN 1961, THEY WERE FORCED
TO SEND FEDERAL MARSHALS
INTO ALABAMA TO PROTEC
THE FREEDOM RIDERS.
IN 1962, THEY WERE FORCED
TO SEND IN THE NATIONAL GUARD
TO RESTORE ORDER A
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI.
STILL, KENNEDY RESISTED SENDING
STRONG CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION
TO CONGRESS
UNWILLING TO RISK
FURTHER ALIENATING
THE POWERFUL
SOUTHERN CONSERVATIVES
BLOCKING HIS DOMESTIC PROGRAM.
I WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC
WITH THE KENNEDYS' PROBLEMS.
I WAS SYMPATHETIC
WITH THE PROBLEMS
THAT BLACKS WERE HAVING.
THE KENNEDYS WANTED I
BOTH WAYS.
THEY WANTED TO APPEAR
TO BE OUR FRIENDS
AND BE THE BRAKE
ON OUR MOVEMENT.
Kearns Goodwin:
AT THE BEGINNING
CIVIL RIGHTS WAS ONE OF A SERIES
OF CONCERNS THAT HE HAD.
HE NEVER ALLOWED HIMSELF
TO GO ON THE LINE FOR ANYTHING.
HE WAS A VERY RATIONAL FELLOW.
HE DIDN'T MOVE
BY PASSIONATE COMMITMENTS
AND CIVIL RIGHTS REQUIRED
A PASSIONATE CONVICTION.
( sirens, shouting )
Narrator:
KENNEDY WATCHED ALONG WITH
THE COUNTRY IN MAY 1963
AS RACIAL VIOLENCE
ERUPTED IN BIRMINGHAM.
HORRIFIED BY WHAT HE HAD SEEN,
HE POLLED HIS POLITICAL ADVISORS
ABOUT SENDING A BROAD, NEW
CIVIL RIGHTS BILL TO CONGRESS.
MOST OF HIS ADVISORS IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, MAYBE ALL OF THEM
TOLD HIM THAT'S
A TERRIBLE POLITICAL MISTAKE.
MANY THOUGHT THAT THE BILL
COULD NOT BE PASSED
AND THEY WERE THINKING
"WELL, THE PRESIDENT'S GOING
TO PUT HIS PRESIDENCY ON LINE
FOR THIS BILL,
AND HE'S GOING TO FAIL."
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY DISAGREED.
HIS DUTIES AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
HAD DEMANDED
HE FOCUS ON THE INEQUITIES
IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.
HE WOULD COME TO CHAMPION
CIVIL RIGHTS
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
Marshall:
HE THOUGH
IT WAS NOT JUST THE FUTURE
OF THE PRESIDENCY
BUT THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY
THAT WAS AT STAKE.
AND SO HE URGED THE PRESIDEN
VERY STRONGLY
TO GO AHEAD WITH THE BILL.
Narrator:
IN JUNE, WHITE HOUSE ADVISORS
MET WITH THE PRESIDEN
TO DISCUSS WHETHER HE SHOULD
DELIVER A TELEVISION ADDRESS
TO RALLY SUPPOR
FOR HIS CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
A FILM CREW WAS PRESEN
IN THE OVAL OFFICE.
Man:
HE HAD NO IDEA
WHAT WAS GOING TO COME
FROM HIS GROUP OF ADVISORS,
AND THEY SAID SOME THINGS
THAT WERE A BIT SENSITIVE
FOR THE PRESIDENT.
THEY GOT INTO WHETHER OR NO
CONGRESS WOULD BE PUT OFF
BY A PRESIDENT MAKING A SPEECH
ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS AND SO FORTH.
I DON'T THINK YOU
CAN GET BY NOW
WITHOUT HAVING AN
ADDRESS ON TELEVISION
DURING THIS PERIOD,
GIVING SOME DIRECTION
HAVING IT IN THE HANDS
OF THE PRESIDENT.
Narrator:
IN THE END, KENNEDY SIDED
WITH HIS BROTHER.
THAT EVENING,
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
A PRESIDENT WOULD DECLARE
CIVIL RIGHTS FOR BLACK AMERICANS
A MORAL ISSUE.
Wilkins:
ALL OF A SUDDEN
HE BROUGHT PASSION TO I
HE BROUGHT THAT ELOQUENCE TO IT.
AND IT ELECTRIFIED ME AND AND
ALL KINDS OF OTHER BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT NIGHT IN JUNE
WHEN HE SPOKE
HE SPOKE, I THINK, TO THE HEAR
AND TO THE SOUL OF AMERICA.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT SPEECH.
WE ARE CONFRONTED PRIMARILY
WITH A MORAL ISSUE.
IT IS AS OLD AS THE SCRIPTURES
AND IS AS CLEAR
AS THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.
THE HEART OF THE QUESTION IS
WHETHER ALL AMERICANS
ARE TO BE AFFORDED EQUAL RIGHTS
AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.
Narrator:
WITHIN WEEKS, KENNEDY SENT THE
LONG-AWAITED BILL TO CONGRESS.
IT WAS THE MOST SWEEPING
CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION
SINCE RECONSTRUCTION.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
IT'S AN AMAZING THING.
"UNTIL TODAY, I NEVER DREAMED
"THAT MAYBE THE MAJOR EVEN
OF MY ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE
WHAT IS HAPPENING
IN CIVIL RIGHTS."
HE SAID, "NEVER
IN MY WILDEST IMAGINATION
DID I THINK THIS WOULD HAPPEN."
IF YOU LOOK BACK
AT WHO JOHN KENNEDY WAS
WHEN HE CAME
TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE
UM AND YOU SEE WHO HE WAS
ON RACIAL ISSUES WHEN HE DIED
UM YOU HAVE TO SAY,
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.
YOU KNOW THAT MOS
WHITE AMERICANS ARE RACIST.
YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE RACIS
IN THIS CULTURE
UNLESS YOU HAVE SUPERB PARENTS.
UM WHAT YOU HOPE IS THA
WHITE AMERICANS CAN BE EDUCATED
AND THAT THEY CAN BE PURGED
TO SOME REAL DEGREE
OF THEIR RACISM
AND THAT THEY CAN BE BROUGH
TO DO DECENT THINGS.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED
TO THIS MAN.
Narrator:
LABOR DAY, 1963.
THE KENNEDYS GATHERED
AT HYANNISPORT.
THE PRESIDENT AND JACQUELINE
WERE STILL RECOVERING
FROM THE DEATH
OF THEIR THIRD CHILD, PATRICK
BORN PREMATURELY THAT AUGUST.
JOHN, JR., GREETED
HIS GRANDFATHER.
THE AMBASSADOR HAD BEEN
CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW.
LATER THAT DAY
KENNEDY PREPARED TO BE
INTERVIEWED BY WALTER CRONKITE
ABOUT THE GROWING AMERICAN
COMMITMENT IN VIETNAM
WHERE KENNEDY HAD NOW SEN
SOME 16,000 MILITARY ADVISORS.
FOR DECADES TO COME
HIS WORDS THAT AFTERNOON
WOULD BE USED BY SOME
TO PROVE HE HAD ALREADY DECIDED
TO PULL OUT OF THE WAR.
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS,
IT'S THEIR WAR.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE
TO WIN IT OR LOSE IT.
WE CAN GIVE THEM EQUIPMENT,
SEND ADVISORS
BUT THEY HAVE TO WIN I
THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAM
AGAINST THE COMMUNISTS.
Narrator:
BUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID NEX
WAS USED BY OTHERS
TO PROVE THE OPPOSITE--
THAT KENNEDY PLANNED TO CONTINUE
AMERICA'S COMMITMENT.
BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH THOSE
WHO SAY WE SHOULD WITHDRAW.
THAT'D BE A GREAT MISTAKE.
I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE
AMERICANS TO BE ENGAGED
IN THIS KIND OF AN EFFORT.
47 AMERICANS HAVE BEEN KILLED
IN COMBAT WITH THE ENEMY.
BUT THIS IS A VERY
IMPORTANT STRUGGLE
EVEN THOUGH IT'S FAR AWAY.
Narrator:
KENNEDY'S AMBIGUOUS
ANSWER REFLECTED
DEEP DIVISIONS
IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.
THE WAR WAS GOING BADLY
AND TWO MONTHS LATER HE SECRETLY
ENCOURAGED A MILITARY COUP
HOPING TO INSTALL MORE EFFECTIVE
VIETNAMESE LEADERSHIP.
THE NEW REGIME PROVED
JUST AS FLAWED.
THE WAR IN VIETNAM WOULD GROW
AND BECOME THE MOS
CONTROVERSIAL LEGACY
OF THE KENNEDY PRESIDENCY.
Edward Kennedy:
THIS DINNER MARKS
THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT EFFOR
WHICH WE ARE GOING TO MAKE
IN NEW ENGLAND IN 1964.
NEW ENGLAND IS THE BIRTHPLACE
OF THIS ADMINISTRATION
AND WE ARE PROUD OF IT.
I FIRST OF ALL WANT TO
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION
TO MY BROTHER TEDDY FOR HIS
OFFERING ME HIS COATTAILS.
MY LAST CAMPAIGN, I SUPPOSE,
MAY BE COMING UP VERY SHORTLY
BUT TEDDY IS AROUND
AND THEREFORE THESE DINNERS
CAN GO ON INDEFINITELY.
Man:
I THINK HE FELT THAT IT WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO GET A SECOND TERM.
I REMEMBER WE TOOK A WALK
UP IN ARLINGTON CEMETERY
AND WE STARTED DISCUSSING
WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE BURIED
WHICH WAS ODD, BUT HE SAID
"I SUPPOSE I OUGHT TO BE
BURIED UP IN BOSTON
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MY
LIBRARY IS GOING TO BE."
AND THEN HIS FACE DARKENED,
AND HE SAID
"OF COURSE, I WON'
HAVE A LIBRARY
"IF I DON'T GET A SECOND TERM
BECAUSE NOBODY
WILL GIVE A DAMN."
KENNEDY, IN THE FALL OF 1963,
WAS LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE CAMPAIGN OF 1964.
HE WAS BEGINNING TO TRAVEL
IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
WHERE HE KNEW HE NEEDED
TO SHORE UP HIS POPULARITY
WHICH WAS SAGGING BECAUSE OF
THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION.
HE WAS IMPLORED TO COME TO TEXAS
WHERE TWO FACTIONS OF
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
WERE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS.
Narrator:
BEFORE HEADING FOR TEXAS
KENNEDY FLEW AGAIN
TO HYANNISPOR
FOR A SUNDAY WITH HIS FATHER.
AND NOW WE'RE LEAVING MONDAY
AND THE HELICOPTER WOULD
TAKE OFF FROM THE FIELD THERE
WHERE WE PLAYED TOUCH FOOTBALL.
AND THE AMBASSADOR WOULD BE
WHEELED OUT TO THE PORCH
SO THAT WE'D BE ABLE
TO WATCH HIM ALL THE WAY.
THE PRESIDENT PUT HIS HAND
ON HIS FATHER'S SHOULDERS
AND KISSED HIM ON THE HEAD.
AND AS WE TAKE OFF,
HE'S LOOKING DOWN
HE HAS THE PICTURE WINDOW
ON THE HELICOPTER, AND HE SAID
"LOOK AT HIM, DAVE-- AND
HE MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE."
Man:
I CAME BACK TO WASHINGTON
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
HE WAS LAYING DOWN
IN AIR FORCE ONE.
HE SAID, "I HATE TO GO TO TEXAS.
"I GOT TO GO NEXT WEEK AND
IT'S A PAIN IN THE REAR END
AND I WISH I COULD
GET OUT OF IT."
AND I SAID, "WELL,
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?"
HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW
HOW LYNDON IS."
LYNDON WAS VICE-PRESIDENT.
"LYNDON WANTS TO RIDE WITH ME
"BUT JOHN CONNALLY IS THE
GOVERNOR, AND HE WANTS TO RIDE
"AND I THINK PROTOCOL SAYS
HE'S SUPPOSED TO RIDE
AND JOHNSON WANTS
JACKIE TO RIDE WITH HIM."
CONNALLY WAS JEALOUS OF LYNDON
AND LYNDON WAS JEALOUS OF HIM
SO ALL THESE FIGHTS
WERE GOING ON.
HE SAID, "I JUST DON'
WANT TO GET IN THAT MESS.
I WISH I COULD THINK
OF A WAY TO GET OUT OF IT."
Narrator:
AFTER LUNCH
ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1963
JOSEPH KENNEDY WAS RESTING
QUIETLY IN HIS BEDROOM.
Woman:
I HEARD THIS SCREAMING
AND I KNEW IT WAS DORA,
THE DOWNSTAIRS MAID, SCREAMING
AND SHE WAS YELLING,
"MRS. DALLAS, MRS. DALLAS!"
SO I RAN OUT DOWN THE LONG HALL
PAST MRS. KENNEDY'S ROOM
AND I SAID "DORA,
BE QUIET, WHAT IS IT?"
AND SHE STARTED SCREAMING
THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS SHOT.
SO THEN MRS. KENNEDY CAME OU
AND SHE SAID
"WILL YOU PLEASE STOP
ALL THIS NOISE?"
AND SHE SAID, "MRS. DALLAS,
YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER
WITH MY HUSBAND DOWN THE HALL."
AND SHE SAID, "STOP THIS NOISE."
AND SO I SAID,
"THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT"
AND, "WITH THE PRESIDENT."
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE
THE ONE TO TELL HER
AND I SAID,
"IT'S ON TELEVISION."
SO SHE JUST LOOKED AT ME
AND SHE WENT INTO HER ROOM.
Narrator:
TED KENNEDY WAS PRESIDING
OVER THE SENATE
WHEN WORD REACHED HIM THA
HIS BROTHER HAD BEEN WOUNDED.
ROBERT KENNEDY WAS AT HOME
WHEN THE TELEPHONE RANG.
IT WAS J. EDGAR HOOVER.
THE PRESIDENT HAD
BEEN SHOT, HE SAID.
HE WOULD CALL BACK
WHEN HE HAD MORE DETAILS.
FROM DALLAS, TEXAS, THE FLASH,
APPARENTLY OFFICIAL:
PRESIDENT KENNEDY DIED A
1:00 P.M. CENTRAL STANDARD TIME
2:00 EASTERN STANDARD TIME,
SOME 38 MINUTES AGO.
VICE-PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON
HAS LEFT THE HOSPITAL
IN DALLAS
Man:
FINALLY EVERYBODY SETTLED
IN THE LINCOLN ROOM
I THINK IT WAS.
AND IT CAME TIME TO GO TO BED.
AND I WAS WITH BOBBY THEN,
MOST OF THE TIME
AND I WENT UPSTAIRS
AND I WENT TO GET SOME
SLEEPING PILLS FOR HIM.
AND I GAVE THEM TO HIM AND
TALKED WITH HIM FOR A WHILE
AND THEN HE SEEMED TO BE READY
TO GO AND SO I CLOSED THE DOOR
AND I WAITED OUTSIDE, YOU SEE,
AND I HEARD HIM, JUST SOBBING.
HE WAS TALKING DIRECTLY
AND HE WAS SAYING, "WHY?"
YOU KNOW, "WHY, GOD, WHY?
"WE WERE DOING
WE WERE DOING SO WELL.
"EVERYTHING WAS REALLY SO
POISED SO WELL.
WHY? WHY?" AND HE REPEATED I
AND REPEATED IT AND REPEATED I
AND FINALLY QUIET, AND I LEFT.
AND THAT EVENING,
EUNICE AND TEDDY CAME
AND EUNICE FELL DOWN THE SIDE
OF THE BED, WHICH SHE NEVER DID.
SHE PUT HER HEAD DOWN
ON HER FATHER'S KNEES
AND SHE SAID,
"DAD, JACK HAS BEEN SHOT."
SHE SAID, "JACK'S IN HEAVEN,
JACK'S IN HEAVEN
SO HE'S ALL RIGHT,"
AND IT WAS SO CONFUSED
THAT REALLY I DON'T THINK
MR. KENNEDY GOT IT ALL TOGETHER
FOR A WHILE.
IN THE MORNING, WHEN
I BROUGHT THE PAPER IN
I COULDN'T GIVE IT TO HIM
SO I PUT IT ON THE DRESSER,
SO HE POINTED TO IT.
AND I SAID, "THERE'S BAD NEWS
IN IT, DO YOU REMEMBER?"
AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME
AND I SAID,
"IT'S ABOUT THE PRESIDENT."
I DIDN'T SAY "YOUR SON."
I SAID, "IT'S ABOU
THE PRESIDENT."
AND HE JUST WENT LIKE THIS
TO THE PAPER
AND HE TOOK THE PAPER AND
HE LOOKED AT THE HEADLINES
AND HE PUT HIS HEAD BACK
ON THE PILLOW
AND THERE WAS JUST HORRIBLE
I MEAN, THE SILENCE THERE.
AND THEN I LOOKED AT HIM, AND
THIS MAN THAT RARELY CRIED
I SAW THE TEARS
COMING DOWN HIS CHEEKS.
Narrator:
ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24
THE KENNEDY FAMILY
ACCOMPANIED JOHN KENNEDY
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR THE LAST TIME.
FOR THE NEXT 18 HOURS
THE FLAG-DRAPED CASKE
WOULD LIE IN STATE
IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA,
AWAITING MONDAY'S FUNERAL.
THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE
WITHIN HOURS OF
THE ASSASSINATION
UNDER MRS. KENNEDY'S
SUPERVISION.
Beschloss:
ON THE EVENING OF
THE ASSASSINATION
JACQUELINE KENNEDY SEN
WHITE HOUSE AIDES
TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
WHICH BY THEN
WAS CLOSED AND DARK.
THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE
STACKS OF BOOKS WITH FLASHLIGHTS
LOOKING FOR BOOKS
THAT WOULD SHOW
HOW THE NATION HAD OBSERVED
THE DEATH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
THE FUNERAL OF JOHN KENNEDY
WAS MODELED
ON THE FUNERAL OF LINCOLN:
THE LYING-IN-STATE
IN THE EAST ROOM
THE MOVEMENT OF THE COFFIN
ON A CAISSON
DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
Narrator:
A QUARTER OF A MILLION MOURNERS
FILED THROUGH
THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA
IN A LINE THA
STRETCHED THREE MILES.
A SPECIAL COMMISSION
HEADED BY THE CHIEF
JUSTICE, EARL WARREN
WOULD FIND A LONE ASSASSIN
RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DEATH.
BUT MOST AMERICANS WOULD COME
TO DOUBT THAT EXPLANATION
AND FOR DECADES WOULD WRESTLE
WITH THE MEANING OF
WHAT HAPPENED IN DALLAS.
Kearns Goodwin:
I REMEMBER FEELING THA
IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED
THAT SOMEBODY IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE VITALITY OF HIS LIFE
WAS STRUCK DOWN.
IT MADE ALL OF US, INCLUDING
MYSELF FEEL MORE VULNERABLE.
YOU'RE YOUNG, YOU CAN'T EVER
IMAGINE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.
AND SOMEHOW, WHEN JOHN KENNEDY
DIED, THERE WAS THAT SENSE
OF THE ARBITRARINESS OF FATE,
AS IF YOU COULD DIE TOO.
Narrator:
IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS,
AMERICANS WOULD BE UNWILLING
TO LET GO OF THE PRESIDEN
WHO HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM THEM.
LESS THAN HALF OF
ALL AMERICAN VOTERS
HAD CAST THEIR BALLOTS
FOR KENNEDY.
NOW, 65% CLAIMED THEY HAD.
HE HAD BECOME IN DEATH
WHAT HE NEVER WAS IN LIFE
AND THE PRESIDENT'S WIDOW
ADDED TO HIS LEGEND.
Beschloss:
JACQUELINE KENNEDY IN THE WAKE
OF THE ASSASSINATION WAS WORRIED
THAT HISTORIANS-- "BITTER OLD
MEN," AS SHE CALLED THEM--
WOULD LOOK A
HER HUSBAND AND SEE
THAT THE RECORD OF THOSE
TWO AND A HALF YEARS
WAS NOT WHAT HE
WOULD HAVE WISHED.
SHE GAVE AN INTERVIEW TO
THEODORE WHITE, THE JOURNALIS
AT THANKSGIVING AT HYANNISPORT,
JUST AFTER THE ASSASSINATION
DURING WHICH
SHE REFERRED TO THE FAC
THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND
LATE AT NIGHT USED TO LISTEN
TO A PHONOGRAPH RECORD
OF THE MUSICAL CAMELOT.
WHITE SAW HIS LEAD; HE
WROTE UP THE INTERVIEW
AND THENCEFORTH THE KENNEDY
LEGEND HAD ITS NAME.
Narrator:
JOHN KENNEDY'S LEGEND
WAS ALREADY SETTLING
UPON ROBERT KENNEDY.
BUT HE WAS SHATTERED.
THE BROTHER TO WHOM HE HAD
DEVOTED HIS LIFE WAS DEAD.
Schlesinger:
HE LOOKED AND ACTED DEVASTATED.
HE SEEMED AT TIMES TO BE
AS IF IN A DREAM.
I THINK HE WAS ENGAGED
IN A GREAT INTERNAL STRUGGLE
TO RECONCILE HIS BELIEF IN GOD
WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED
TO HIS BROTHER.
Man:
HE WAS IN PHYSICAL PAIN.
IF YOU WERE AROUND HIM,
YOU KNEW THAT HE WAS NOT
HE WAS SOMETIMES
NOT REALLY WITH IT.
I MEAN, HE WAS REALLY HURTING--
HURTING, BRUISED EMOTIONALLY
AND SPIRITUALLY.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.:
MY FATHER BECAME MORE
QUIET AT THAT TIME
AND MORE, I THINK,
MORE INTROSPECTIVE.
HE STARTED READING A LOT OF
THE GREEKS, HE READ CAMUS.
HE READ A LOT OF
THE EXISTENTIALISTS.
HE READ A LOT OF POETRY--
EMERSON AND THOREAU.
AND HE BECAME
VERY INTERESTED IN POETRY--
IN ALFRED LORD TENNYSON,
THE HEROIC WRITERS
THE PEOPLE WHO WHO
EXPLAINED HUMAN TRAGEDY.
Narrator:
NO LONGER THE SECOND MOS
POWERFUL MAN IN WASHINGTON
KENNEDY STAYED ON
AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
BUT HE COULD NO
CONCEAL HIS DISDAIN
FOR THE NEW PRESIDENT,
LYNDON JOHNSON.
Man:
IT WAS A TERRIBLY BITTER
EXPERIENCE FOR BOBBY
TO SEE THIS MAN HE HATED
COME IN AND REPLACE HIS BROTHER
IN THE OVAL OFFICE
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT WAS ALMOST MORE
THAN HE COULD BEAR.
HE WAS RUDE TO LYNDON JOHNSON.
HIS COMMENTS ABOUT HIM
WHICH WOULD GET BACK
TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON
WERE ALWAYS DESTRUCTIVE.
THE BASIC FACT IS, THOSE TWO MEN
SIMPLY DIDN'T LIKE EACH OTHER.
EVERYBODY HAS SEEN TWO DOGS
COME INTO A ROOM TOGETHER
AND THERE'S A LOW GROWL
FROM EACH ONE
AND THE HAIR STARTS RISING
ON THE BACK OF THE NECK.
THAT WAS THE REAL SITUATION
BETWEEN BOBBY
AND LYNDON JOHNSON.
Narrator:
AT ODDS WITH THE NEW PRESIDENT,
UNSURE OF HIS OWN FUTURE
ROBERT KENNEDY ALSO HAD TO
CARRY OUT HIS RESPONSIBILITIES
TO HIS FAMILY,
HIS OWN EIGHT CHILDREN
THE WIDOW AND CHILDREN
OF HIS MURDERED BROTHER
HIS GRIEVING PARENTS.
THEN, IN JUNE OF 1964
THE FAMILY WAS DEAL
STILL ANOTHER BLOW.
SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY
WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED
IN A PLANE CRASH.
HIS BACK WAS BROKEN.
FOR A TIME, THE FAMILY FEARED
THE YOUNGEST KENNEDY
WOULD NOT LIVE.
"IS IT EVER GOING TO END
FOR YOU PEOPLE?"
A REPORTER ASKED ROBERT KENNEDY.
"I WAS JUST THINKING,"
HE ANSWERED
"IF MY MOTHER HADN'T HAD
"ANY MORE CHILDREN
THAN HER FIRST FOUR
"SHE WOULD HAVE NOTHING NOW.
"MAYBE WE'VE SURVIVED
BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE OF US
THAN THERE IS TROUBLE."
THE SENATOR WOULD REMAIN
HOSPITALIZED FOR SIX MONTHS.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY WAS PRESEN
AS LYNDON JOHNSON SIGNED
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.
IT HAD BEEN
PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S BILL
BUT IT HAD TAKEN JOHNSON'S SKILL
TO PUSH IT THROUGH.
THE TENSION BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND THE PRESIDEN
WAS OBVIOUS.
NONETHELESS, ROBERT KENNEDY
NOW BEGAN TO CONSIDER
A NEW ROLE FOR HIMSELF-- AS
LYNDON JOHNSON'S VICE-PRESIDENT.
Sorensen:
UNDOUBTEDLY HE LOOKED
UPON IT IN A WAY
THAT JOHNSON WOULD NO
HAVE LOOKED UPON IT.
THAT IS, HE WANTED TO BE THERE
TO CARRY ON THE LEGACY
OF THE PREVIOUS PRESIDEN
NOT THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT,
ALMOST AS A CO-EXECUTIVE
AND JOHNSON, RIGHTFULLY SO
LOOKING AT IT OBJECTIVELY,
COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT.
Narrator:
JOHNSON WOULD NOT HEAR OF IT,
AND AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
TO MAKE CERTAIN THE DELEGATES
WERE NOT STAMPEDED
INTO DRAFTING ROBERT KENNEDY
FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENCY
HE MOVED A PLANNED TRIBUTE
TO JOHN KENNEDY
TO THE VERY LAST NIGHT.
Man:
AND NOW
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR
TO INTRODUCE THE MAN
WHO STOOD CLOSER TO HIM
IN TIMES OF CRISIS AND IN TIMES
OF FUN THAN ANYONE ELSE
HIS BROTHER, ROBERT KENNEDY.
Narrator:
JOHNSON'S FEARS HAD
BEEN WELL FOUNDED.
IN THE NINE MONTHS SINCE
JOHN KENNEDY'S DEATH
HIS LEGEND HAD ONLY MAGNIFIED
AND ROBERT KENNEDY WAS
ITS CLEAR BENEFICIARY.
MR. CH MR. CHAIRMAN
( cheering )
MR. CHAIRMAN
( cheering )
I GUESS JUST LET IT GO
FOR A LITTLE BIT, BOBBY.
( cheering, whistling,
applause )
Robert F. Kennedy:
MR. SPEAKER, MR. CHAIRMAN
( with more force: )
MR. CHAIRMAN
( cheering )
Narrator:
THE DEMONSTRATION WENT ON
FOR 22 MINUTES
BEFORE KENNEDY
WAS ABLE TO SPEAK.
Reedy:
I ONCE HEARD
THE KENNEDYS DESCRIBED
AS A COURT LOOKING FOR A KING.
I THINK YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD
SOME OF THE KENNEDY
SUPPORTERS WHO THOUGH
THAT IT WASN'T LEGITIMATE UNLESS
A KENNEDY WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AND BOBBY WAS THE OBVIOUS
ONE AT THAT POINT.
I WISH TO SPEAK JUS
FOR A FEW MOMENTS.
WHEN I THINK OF
PRESIDENT KENNEDY
I THINK OF WHAT SHAKESPEARE
SAID IN ROMEO AND JULIET:
"WHEN HE SHALL DIE, TAKE HIM
AND CUT HIM OUT IN LITTLE STARS
"AND HE SHALL MAKE
THE FACE OF HEAVEN SO FINE
"THAT ALL THE WORLD
WILL BE IN LOVE WITH NIGH
AND PAY NO WORSHIP
TO THE GARISH SUN."
Narrator:
THE DOOR TO THE VICE-PRESIDENCY
HAD BEEN CLOSED.
BUT ROBERT KENNEDY HAD ALREADY
DECIDED ON HIS NEXT MOVE.
Narrator:
BY THE FALL OF 1964,
ROBERT KENNEDY WAS BACK
IN THE BAREKNUCKLED
POLITICAL WORLD HE KNEW BEST:
HE WOULD RUN FOR THE UNITED
STATES SENATE, FROM NEW YORK.
Robert F. Kennedy:
I AM DEEPLY THANKFUL
TO ALL OF YOU
FOR THE NOMINATION THAT YOU
HAVE OFFERED TO ME TODAY.
Man:
WHAT CAN A FELLOW
BROUGHT IN FROM MASSACHUSETTS
BY A FEW POLITICAL BOSSES
IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH
A POWER BASE IN NEW YORK
KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS
OF NEW YORKERS?
Narrator:
THE CAMPAIGN WOULD NOT BE EASY.
SINCE HE DID NOT YET EVEN
LIVE IN NEW YORK STATE
SOME CALLED HIM A CARPETBAGGER.
LIBERALS REMEMBERED HE HAD ONCE
WORKED FOR JOSEPH McCARTHY
AND JEWISH VOTERS
WERE SUSPICIOUS
OF ANY SON OF JOSEPH KENNEDY.
HE WAS NOT VERY GOOD WHEN HE
FIRST WENT OUT ON THE STUMP--
SEEMED TO NOT PROJECT VERY WELL.
YOU COULDN'T TELL WHETHER
HE WASN'T VERY GOOD AT I
OR MAYBE EVEN THAT HE STILL
WAS STILL CARRYING AROUND
SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL BAGGAGE
IN TERMS OF THINKING
ABOUT HIS BROTHER.
Narrator:
IN THE PAST, ROBERT KENNEDY
HAD MANAGED CAMPAIGNS
FOR HIS BROTHER.
NOW HE WAS THE CANDIDATE, AND
THE TRANSITION WAS DIFFICULT.
Reporter:
WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS
OF THE FULTON FISH MARKET?
WELL, THEY HAVE
A LOT OF FISH, AND
( laughter )
Man:
I REMEMBER UP
IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK
AND IT WAS ABOUT 11:00
WE GOT FINALLY UP
TO THE HOTEL ROOM
AND I SAID, "GOD, BOB,
THAT CROWD WAS INCREDIBLE."
AND HE SAID, "DON'T YOU KNOW?"
HE SAID, "THAT WAS
FOR HIM, NOT FOR ME."
( chanting: )
WE WANT KENNEDY!
WE WANT KENNEDY!
Narrator:
LARGE CROWDS TURNED OU
EVERYWHERE KENNEDY VISITED
BUT HE RAN BEHIND IN THE POLLS.
NEW YORKERS SEEMED MORE
INTERESTED IN SEEING A KENNEDY
THAN IN VOTING FOR ONE.
Reporter:
HOW WILL YOU VOTE?
I'M AFRAID I'M GOING
TO VOTE FOR MR. KEATING.
Narrator:
THE KENNEDYS MOUNTED
A LAVISH CAMPAIGN
FLOODING THE AIRWAVES WITH
RADIO AND TELEVISION SPOTS.
A KENNEDY TELEVISION CREW
TRAILED THE CANDIDATE
WHEREVER HE WENT.
Guthman:
EVERY AFTERNOON ABOUT 3:00
TWO PLANES WOULD TAKE OFF FROM
LA GUARDIA FIELD, CARRYING FILM.
ONE WOULD END UP IN BUFFALO
AND THE OTHER WOULD GO
TO ALBANY, DROPPING OFF FILM.
A LOT OF TELEVISION STATIONS
USED THAT FILM.
NOT ALL OF THEM SAID IT WAS
FROM THE KENNEDY CAMPAIGN.
Narrator:
THE KENNEDY FORCES WERE OUT IN
TWO STATES THAT POLITICAL SEASON
CAMPAIGNING IN MASSACHUSETTS
FOR TED, STILL HOSPITALIZED
AND CONVERGING ON NEW YORK
TO HELP ROBERT:
HIS WIFE, ETHEL, EXPECTING
THEIR NINTH CHILD;
HIS SISTERS PAT LAWFORD
AND JEAN SMITH;
AND THE CANDIDATE'S
74-YEAR-OLD MOTHER.
THIS IS AN HONOR
AND A PLEASURE
THAT I'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE--
TO INTRODUCE MY SON
ON A PLATFORM.
I CAN TELL YOU, OF COURSE,
A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HIM.
I USED TO SPANK HIM
WITH A RULER.
AND IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE
TO INTRODUCE
MY SEVENTH CHILD
ROBERT FRANCIS KENNEDY.
I WANT TO THANK MY MOTHER
FOR THE KIND INTRODUCTION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN
DOWN TO IN THIS CAMPAIGN.
AFTER SOME OF THESE POLLS
CAME OU
THAT WE WERE NOT DOING
TOO WELL, WE TOOK MOTHER.
( laughter )
TELL THEM I'VE HAD
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE--
70 YEARS.
YEAH, I KNOW, I'M
GOING TO TELL THEM.
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE
YOUR OWN SPEECH?
YOU SEE, SHE'S NEVER
INTRODUCED ANY OF US BEFORE
BECAUSE WE CAN NEVER GO ON
THE SAME PLATFORM WITH HER.
WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY
COMPETE WITH THAT.
Narrator:
NOVEMBER 3, 1964, ELECTION DAY.
ROBERT KENNEDY COULDN'T VOTE
IN NEW YORK--
HE DIDN'T MEET THE STATE'S
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
NONETHELESS, HE BECAME NEW
YORK'S SENATOR, THANKS LARGELY
TO AN OVERWHELMING LANDSLIDE
FOR LYNDON JOHNSON.
Man:
I REMEMBER ELECTION NIGHT,
WHEN HE WON
AND THINKING THAT IT WAS CLOSER
THAN I HAD EXPECTED IT TO BE:
"DOESN'T THAT MEAN
THAT ALMOST HALF THE PEOPLE
DIDN'T WANT HIM
TO BECOME SENATOR?"
AND BEING SHOCKED, AFTER SEEING
THESE PEOPLE THAT WOULD RUN UP.
THAT'S WHEN I FIRS
LEARNED THE LESSON
THAT YOU DON'T JUS
LISTEN TO THE CROWDS
WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING
FOR POLITICAL OFFICE--
A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'
IN THE CROWDS VOTE.
NOBODY FOR ONE MINUTE EXPECTED
THAT HE WAS GOING INTO
THE SENATE TO STAY THERE.
IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THA
THAT WAS THE NEXT MOVE
ON THE WAY TO RECLAIMING WHA
WAS RIGHTFULLY THE KENNEDYS':
NAMELY, THE WHITE HOUSE.
Narrator:
THE SAME NIGH
ROBERT KENNEDY WON
HIS RELATIVELY NARROW VICTORY
IN NEW YORK, IN MASSACHUSETTS
EDWARD KENNEDY WAS SWEPT BACK
INTO OFFICE BY A LANDSLIDE.
I ASKED HIM WHETHER
HE WAS RUTHLESS.
NO, YOU DIDN'T.
( crowd laughing )
I WAS JUST SAYING THA
HE'S GOTTEN AWFUL FRESH
SINCE HE'S BEEN IN BED.
HE'LL MAKE A SPEECH
IF YOU DON'T LOOK OUT.
ANY OF YOU
FROM NEW YORK?
( laughter )
( military band playing )
Man:
YOU, LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR
I, LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON,
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR
THAT YOU WILL
FAITHFULLY EXECUTE
THAT I WILL
FAITHFULLY EXECUTE
THE OFFICE OF
THE PRESIDENCY OF
THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
JOSEPH KENNEDY'S SURVIVING SONS
WATCHED FROM THE SIDELINES
AS THE MAN WHO INHERITED
THEIR BROTHER'S PRESIDENCY
ASSUMED OFFICE IN HIS OWN RIGH
AND ONE WAS ALREADY
POSITIONING HIMSELF
TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
Narrator:
AROUND THE WORLD, ROBERT KENNEDY
WAS SEEN AS THE INHERITOR
OF HIS BROTHER'S LEGACY.
Man:
IF YOU EVER TRAVELED
WITH ROBERT KENNEDY
YOU FOUND HE WAS LIKE
AN AMERICAN ROCK STAR.
PEOPLE GRABBED AT HIM AND
TOUCHED HIM AND SO FORTH
SO THAT IS INDICATIVE
OF THE WAY
HE WAS TREATED, TOO,
BY THE PRESS AS A SENATOR.
NORMALLY, A NEW SENATOR
WOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD.
HE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT,
HAD HE BEEN SO INCLINED.
HE WAS A NATIONAL FIGURE ALREADY
AND THAT MADE HIM VERY DIFFEREN
FROM ANY OTHER SENATOR.
Narrator:
AND EVERYWHERE ROBERT KENNEDY
WENT, THE PRESS FOLLOWED.
WHEN THE CANADIAN GOVERNMEN
NAMED MT. KENNEDY
IN HONOR OF THE LATE PRESIDEN
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
SOCIETY INVITED KENNEDY
TO JOIN AN EXPEDITION
TO CLIMB IT.
Man:
I WAS ASKED IF I WOULD
TAKE ALONG SENATOR KENNEDY.
I SAID, HAD HE CLIMBED BEFORE?
THEY SAID NO, AND I SAID
DID HE KNOW THAT IT WAS
AN UNCLIMBED MOUNTAIN?
AND THEY SAID YES.
AND SO I SAID,
WELL, LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
Schlesinger:
ROBERT KENNEDY WAS
CONSTANTLY CHALLENGING HIMSELF
PUTTING HIMSELF
IN RISKY SITUATIONS
DOING THINGS
HE DIDN'T LIKE DOING
LIKE CLIMBING MOUNTAINS
WHEN ACTUALLY
HE SUFFERED FROM VERTIGO.
Whittaker:
30 FEET FROM THE SUMMIT,
I STOPPED
AND I SAID IT WOULD BE
A GREAT HONOR TO ME
IF I COULD SEE THE BROTHER
OF THE PRESIDEN
ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN
NAMED AFTER HIM.
SO HE WENT UP FIRST AND
STOOD ON THE SUMMIT ALONE
AND I CAME UP,
AND WE WERE BOTH CRYING.
THE WEATHER WAS BEAUTIFUL,
THERE WASN'T A CLOUD IN THE SKY.
WE COULD SEE FOR
HUNDREDS OF MILES.
THE ONLY DISTURBANCE IN THA
HIGH, BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN AIR
WERE PLANES CIRCLING
THE DAMN SUMMI
FROM LIFE MAGAZINE AND SO FORTH
TO TAKE PICTURES
OF THE SENATOR ON TOP.
Narrator:
AT THE SUMMI
SENATOR KENNEDY UNFURLED
THE KENNEDY CRES
A POINTED REMINDER THA
HE BELIEVED HIMSELF TO BE
THE LEGITIMATE HEIR TO THE MAN
FOR WHOM THE MOUNTAIN WAS NAMED.
KENNEDY HAD ALWAYS
BEEN RELENTLESS
IN PURSUIT OF HIS
BROTHER'S POLICIES
AND HIS BROTHER'S ENEMIES.
NOW HE WOULD BE
JUST AS RELENTLESS
IN CARVING OUT A CONSTITUENCY
OF HIS OWN
TO THE LEFT OF LYNDON JOHNSON,
DRAWN FROM THE DISSATISFIED--
THE POOR, THE YOUNG,
BLACKS, INDIANS
AND THE MIGRANT WORKERS
OF CALIFORNIA.
( shouting in Spanish )
Man:
WE WERE THE FORGOTTEN.
NO ONE IDENTIFIED WITH US
OF ANY CONSEQUENCE
AND THEN AFTER HE DID THA
A LOT OF PEOPLE BEGAN
TO IDENTIFY.
HE WAS VERY SINCERE,
VERY INTENSE, YOU KNOW
MADE EVERYTHING SEEM
VERY PERSONAL TO HIM.
HE WENT OUT INTO THE FIELDS,
TALKED TO THE WORKERS
WHERE THEY WERE WORKING
OR PICKETING.
THEY JUST REALLY LOVED HIM.
Chavez:
HE WENT FROM OUR HEADQUARTERS
TO THE HEARINGS
SO HE WASN'T HIDING THE FAC
THAT HE WAS PRO-FARMWORKER.
BOBBY WAS INTENSE.
WHEN HE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING,
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A LASER BEAM.
YOU COULD ALMOST FEEL I
CUTTING YOUR SKIN.
IF I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE
THERE'S GOING TO BE A RIO
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE TROUBLE,
THEN IT'S MY DUTY TO STOP THEM.
Kennedy:
AND THEN YOU GO OU
AND ARREST THEM?
ABSOLUTELY.
AND CHARGE THEM?
CHARGE THEM.
WHAT DO YOU CHARGE
THEM WITH?
VIOLATING UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY.
THIS IS A MOS
INTERESTING CONCEPT.
SOMEBODY MAKES
A REPOR
ABOUT SOMEBODY'S GOING
TO GET OUT OF ORDER
PERHAPS VIOLATE THE LAW AND
YOU GO IN AND ARREST THEM
AND THEY HAVEN'
DONE ANYTHING WRONG.
HOW CAN YOU GO ARREST SOMEBODY
IF THEY HAVEN'
VIOLATED THE LAW?
THEY'RE READY
TO VIOLATE THE LAW
( laughter )
( chairman gaveling )
JUST LIKE THESE LABOR
PEOPLE OUT HERE
COULD I SUGGES
IN THE INTERIM
IN THE LUNCHEON
PERIOD OF TIME
THAT THE SHERIFF AND
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
READ THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES?
Reedy:
THERE WAS NO REAL GIVE TO HIM.
BOBBY LIVED IN
A HEAVEN-AND-HELL WORLD.
YOU'RE EITHER ON THE SIDE OF GOD
OR YOU'RE ON THE SIDE
OF MEPHISTOPHELES.
Narrator:
MORE AND MORE, ROBERT KENNEDY
FOUND HIMSELF LISTENING
TO ADVOCATES FOR
THE DISADVANTAGED.
MARIAN WRIGHT WAS A LAWYER
FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR THE ADVANCEMEN
OF COLORED PEOPLE.
Wright:
I WANTED HIM TO SEE
THE SUFFERING AND THE HUNGER.
IT WAS HARD TO GE
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT PEOPLE WERE
STARVING IN MISSISSIPPI.
THERE WERE PEOPLE
WITH NO INCOME.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY WENT DOWN
TO THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA.
AS USUAL, THE PRESS
FOLLOWED IN FORCE.
WHAT'D YOU HAVE
FOR LUNCH?
WE HAVEN'T HAD LUNCH YET.
YOU HAVEN'T HAD
LUNCH YET?
NO.
Wright Edelman:
HE WALKED IN
AND SAW IN A DARK BACK ROOM
A CHILD THAT WAS
OBVIOUSLY MALNOURISHED
WITH A BLOATED STOMACH
THAT WAS NOT VERY
RESPONSIVE, THAT WAS
AND HE STOOPED DOWN AND BEGAN TO
TRY TO GET THE CHILD TO RESPOND
TOUCHING AND FEELING
AND TALKING TO THE CHILD.
THE CHILD DID NOT RESPOND.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY DEEPLY MOVED
AND DEEPLY OUTRAGED
AND CONVEYED THA
WHEN HE WALKED BACK OUT AGAIN
INTO THE LIGHT OF THE DAY
AND THE LIGHT OF THE CAMERAS.
SENATOR, WHAT DO YOU MAKE
OF THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY
IN THIS, OUR
POOREST STATE?
WELL, I THINK IT'S, UH
IT'S OBVIOUSLY AS GREA
A POVERTY AS WE'VE HAD IN
IN OUR COUNTRY, AND
I THINK THAT, CONSIDERING WE
HAVE A GROSS NATIONAL PRODUC
OF SOME $700 BILLION
AND THAT WE SPEND $75 BILLION
ON ARMAMENTS, WEAPONS
THAT, UH, YOU WOULD
THINK THAT--
WE SPEND ALMOST $3 BILLION
EACH YEAR ON DOGS--
AS AMERICAN CITIZENS
THAT WE COULD BE DOING MORE
FOR THOSE WHO ARE POOR, AND
PARTICULARLY FOR OUR CHILDREN.
ROBERT KENNEDY BECAME A MAN
WHO WAS CONNECTED
TO THE WORLD'S PAIN
AFTER HIS BROTHER'S DEATH
AND HE COULD LEARN
ABOUT THE WORLD'S PAIN.
HE WAS A PERSON
WHO WAS GROWING VERY MUCH
WHEN HE WENT DOWN AND SAW
WHAT REAL POVERTY AMONG
THE BLACKS WAS.
IT HAD A HUGE EMOTIONAL
IMPACT ON HIM.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SATISFACTORY
THAT THAT CHILD IS NINE
AND DOESN'T GO TO SCHOOL.
Dutton:
THE MAN WAS A PUBLIC PERSON.
HE WAS NOT JUST STRUGGLING
IN THE WILDERNESS OF GOOD WORKS.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY HAD ALREADY
LEFT BEHIND HIS FATHER'S VIEWS.
NOW HE HAD MOVED BEYOND
HIS DEAD BROTHER, TOO
BRINGING ALL OF HIS OLD ZEAL
TO A NEW, RISKY KIND OF POLITICS
MOUNTING A LIBERAL CHALLENGE
TO THE LIBERAL PRESIDEN
OF HIS OWN PARTY.
Edelman:
SO HERE YOU HAD THIS MAN
WHO WAS CONDUCTING, IN THE END
A KIND OF AN ALTERNATE
GOVERNMENT-IN-WAITING
OR SHADOW ADMINISTRATION
ON THE OTHER END OF PENNSYLVANIA
AVENUE FROM LYNDON JOHNSON.
IT WAS REALLY
QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.
Narrator:
AS AMERICA'S DIVISIONS
OVER VIETNAM DEEPENED
AND THE COST OF THE CONFLIC
WEAKENED JOHNSON'S
WAR ON POVERTY
THE KENNEDY BROTHERS WERE
CAUGHT UP IN THE NATIONAL AGONY.
TED KENNEDY BEGAN TO CRITICIZE
THE WAR OBLIQUELY
SEEKING TO ALLEVIATE
THE SUFFERING OF REFUGEES.
FOR ROBERT KENNEDY,
VIETNAM REPRESENTED
AN ESPECIALLY PAINFUL DILEMMA.
Man:
HE HAD, AFTER ALL, BEEN INVOLVED
WITH THE ORIGINAL POLICY
AND HAD MADE THE JUDGMEN
IN WHAT HE THOUGH
WAS A RESPONSIBLE WAY
THAT IT MADE SENSE TO GO IN.
AND YOU DIDN'T TURN AROUND
ON THAT JUST LIGHTLY
JUST BECAUSE THE NEWSPAPERS
WERE MAKING A FUSS.
A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT MEANS
THAT EACH SIDE MUST CONCEDE
Dutton:
BOB HIMSELF, IN MY OPINION,
BELIEVED IN MILITARY FORCE.
HE BELIEVED IN TOUGH
LAW ENFORCEMENT.
LOTS OF THE ROBERT KENNEDY CUL
SINCE THEN TENDS TO IDEALIZE HIM
AS A MUCH MORE IDEALISTIC,
EVEN NAIVE, PERSON.
HE WAS NOT THAT; HE WAS
A POWER OPERATOR PERSONALLY.
HE WAS HE BELIEVED IN
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY
ASSERTING POWER
IN PROPER PLACES.
TONIGHT IN VIETNAM, MORE THAN
200,000 OF YOUR YOUNG AMERICANS
STAND THERE FIGHTING
FOR YOUR FREEDOM.
Narrator:
JOHNSON'S STEADY
ESCALATION OF THE WAR
TROUBLED KENNEDY MORE AND MORE.
AND THAT THEIR CAUSE,
WHICH IS OUR CAUSE
SHALL BE SUSTAINED.
Narrator:
IN MARCH OF 1967
HE BROKE OPENLY WITH
JOHNSON OVER VIETNAM.
I WAS INVOLVED IN THE QUESTION
OF THE STRUGGLE IN VIETNAM
AND I'M SURE THAT ADMINISTRATION
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY
MADE MISTAKES IN WHICH
I WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED.
SO IF THERE'S THE QUESTION OF
THE BLAME OR THE RESPONSIBILITY
THERE'S ENOUGH BLAME
FOR EVERYBODY.
Narrator:
"THE WAR," HE TOLD THE SENATE
"IS NOT JUS
A NATION'S RESPONSIBILITY
"BUT YOURS AND MINE.
"IT IS WE WHO SEND OUR YOUNG MEN
OFF TO DIE.
"IT IS OUR CHEMICALS
THAT SCORCH THE CHILDREN
"AND OUR BOMBS THA
LEVEL THE VILLAGES.
WE ARE ALL PARTICIPANTS."
HE CALLED FOR A HAL
TO THE BOMBING OF NORTH VIETNAM
AND A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT.
SOME OF KENNEDY'S ADVISORS
BEGAN URGING HIM
TO TAKE ON THE PRESIDEN
OF HIS OWN PARTY.
Walinsky:
I THOUGHT THAT JOHNSON
WAS ENORMOUSLY VULNERABLE.
I THOUGHT THE REPUBLICANS
WOULD BEAT HIM IN 1968
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
ROBERT KENNEDY'S OPPORTUNITY
AND RESPONSIBILITY TO RUN
AND GET ELECTED PRESIDENT.
Clifford:
I SAID, "WAIT.
"YOUR TIME WILL COME.
"BUT THIS TIME YOU'LL RUN,
YOU'LL BE DEFEATED
"YOU'LL BE CHARGED FOREVER
WITH HAVING DIVIDED THE PARTY
AND THIS WOULD BE, I THINK,
A TRAGIC DECISION ON YOUR PART."
MY CONCERNS WERE THAT, ONE
THAT THE OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
WAS GOING TO GET PERSONALIZED
AND THAT SOMETHING
THAT HE CARED MOST ABOU
WHICH WAS THE ENDING THE WAR
AS WELL AS ATTENTION
TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITIES
WERE GOING TO BE SUBMERGED.
( crowd cheering )
Narrator:
"BOBBY WANTED THE PRESIDENCY
SO MUCH HE COULD TASTE IT"
AN AIDE REMEMBERED.
BUT KENNEDY SIDED WITH
HIS MORE CAUTIOUS ADVISORS.
HE FEARED HIS ENTRY
INTO THE RACE WOULD BE SEEN
AS A PURELY PERSONAL CHALLENGE
TO THE PRESIDENT.
WHEN ANTIWAR LEADERS ASKED HIM
TO RUN, HE TURNED THEM DOWN.
I'M GOING TO REMAIN ON
AS A UNITED STATES SENATOR
REPRESENTING THE STATE
OF NEW YORK
AND I'M GOING TO SUPPOR
THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET IN 1968
OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON-
HUBERT HUMPHREY.
( crowd booing )
BOO.
Narrator:
BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED
THE ANTIWAR MOVEMEN
TURNED ELSEWHERE.
Man:
I AM A CANDIDATE FOR THE
NOMINATION TO THE PRESIDENCY
ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
Narrator:
ON NOVEMBER 30, 1967, SENATOR
EUGENE McCARTHY ANNOUNCED
THAT HE WOULD CHALLENGE JOHNSON
IN THE PRIMARIES.
Reporter:
MIGHT YOU STEP ASIDE AND
SUPPORT BOBBY KENNEDY
IF HE DECIDED TO HAVE
A GO AT THE NOMINATION?
I DON'T SEE THAT AS
A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER IT WOULD BE
A QUESTION OF STEPPING ASIDE.
IT MIGHT BE MORE
IT MAY BE LESS VOLUNTARY
THAN THAT.
UH, I
( laughter )
Narrator:
IN JANUARY 1968
THE TET OFFENSIVE BROADENED
AMERICA'S OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
AND HELPED EUGENE McCARTHY
WIN 40% OF THE VOTE
IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, LYNDON
JOHNSON SEEMED VULNERABLE.
KENNEDY WAS REASSESSING
HIS POSITION
RESOLVING TO RUN AFTER ALL.
BUT FIRST HE HAD
TO TELL HIS PARENTS.
I WAS OUT IN THE HALL
AND I OVERHEARD BOBBY SAY
TO HIS FATHER AND MOTHER
"I'M GOING TO RUN
FOR THE PRESIDENCY."
AND, UH THERE WAS NO
NOT LIKE WHEN HE WAS RUNNING
FOR THE SENATE.
THERE WAS COMPLETE SILENCE.
AND I LOOKED AT MR. KENNEDY
AND HE JUST DROPPED HIS HEAD
DOWN ON HIS CHEST.
BOBBY SAYS, "IT'S GOING
TO BE ALL RIGHT," HE SAID
"IT'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT."
Narrator:
JUST FOUR DAYS AFTER McCARTHY'S
STRONG SHOWING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
ROBERT KENNEDY AND HIS FAMILY
ARRIVED AT THE SENATE
OFFICE BUILDING
TO ANNOUNCE HIS CANDIDACY.
THIS WAS THE SAME SPO
ON WHICH JOHN KENNEDY
HAD OPENED HIS CAMPAIGN
IN JANUARY OF 1960
AND ROBERT KENNEDY USED
HIS BROTHER'S OPENING LINE.
I AM ANNOUNCING TODAY
MY CANDIDACY
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
I DO NOT RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY
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 HAVE SUCH STRONG
FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT MUST BE DONE
AND I FEEL THAT I AM OBLIGED
TO DO ALL THAT I CAN.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY'S ANNOUNCEMEN
WOULD ONCE HAVE BEEN GREETED
WITH WILD ENTHUSIASM
BY THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT.
NOW, TO MANY,
IT SEEMED OPPORTUNISTIC.
WE WANTED HIM TO RUN
BUT HE NEVER DID.
NOW WE'RE SUPPORTING GENE.
NO WAY YOU MIGH
CHANGE OVER?
UNLESS GENE BACKS OUT.
Narrator:
THERE WAS NO TIME TO BUILD
THE KIND OF POLITICAL MACHINE
THAT HAD CHARACTERIZED
PAST KENNEDY CAMPAIGNS.
KENNEDY HEADQUARTERS.
Sorensen:
ALLIES WERE BEING LINED UP
IN STATES ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE
WITHOUT MUCH EFFOR
TO FIND OUT WHO WAS BES
OR WHO WAS REALLY WITH US
OR WHO COULD DELIVER
OR WHO WAS ONLY FULL OF HOT AIR
AND IN THAT SOMEWHA
DISORGANIZED, HASTY WAY
WE WERE OFF.
Narrator:
IT WAS TOO LATE TO ENTER
MOST OF THE PRIMARIES.
KENNEDY WOULD HAVE TO WAI
TO FACE EUGENE McCARTHY
UNTIL INDIANA,
OVER A MONTH AWAY.
MEANWHILE, KENNEDY WOULD
ASSAULT LYNDON JOHNSON.
HE CHARGED THAT BY JOHNSON'S
MASSIVE BOMBING OF VIETNAM
HE WAS "CALLING UPON THE DARKER
IMPULSES OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT."
Man:
SOME OF HIS SPEECHES GO
VERY CLOSE TO DEMAGOGUERY
AND I SAID SO IN A COUPLE
OF PIECES IN THE POST.
AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO
THE AIRPLANE FOR THE NEXT LEG
SOME YOUNG WOMAN TRIED TO STOP
ME FROM BOARDING THE PLANE
SAYING THAT I WASN'
WELCOME THERE.
BUT I GOT ABOARD
AND A LITTLE WHILE LATER ETHEL
KENNEDY CAME DOWN THE AISLE
WITH MY STORY WADDED UP
AND THREW IT IN MY FACE.
Narrator:
IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS
OF HIS CAMPAIGN
KENNEDY VISITED 16 STATES
DENOUNCING JOHNSON
BEFORE HUGE CROWDS.
THEN, ON THE EVENING OF MARCH 31
AS KENNEDY FLEW HOME
TO NEW YORK CITY
EVERYTHING SUDDENLY CHANGED.
JOHNSON BOWED OUT OF THE RACE.
ONCE LYNDON JOHNSON
WITHDREW FROM THE RACE
ITS CHARACTER CHANGED.
ROBERT KENNEDY HAD GOTTEN
A LOT OF STRENGTH
FROM LYNDON JOHNSON'S
UNPOPULARITY.
KENNEDY THEN HAD TO ALL
OF A SUDDEN TURN AROUND
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GOING
TO DO FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND WITHOUT HOSTILITY,
ARE DELUSIONS
Narrator:
KENNEDY NOW HAD TO RETHINK
HIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN.
HE HAD TO FIND A WAY
TO DIFFERENTIATE HIMSELF
FROM EUGENE McCARTHY
AND FROM JOHNSON'S HAND-PICKED
SUCCESSOR, HUBERT HUMPHREY.
BUT THERE WAS NO TIME.
AS KENNEDY RUSHED ON,
HE HAD TO IMPROVISE.
THEN, FLYING INTO
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
HE RECEIVED NEWS THA
WOULD SHOCK THE COUNTRY.
THE EVENING OF APRIL 4, 1968
WE WERE IN THE MIDS
OF ORGANIZING A RALLY
AN OUTDOOR RALLY IN
A TRANSITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SOMETIME DURING
THE GATHERING OF PEOPLE
SOMEONE INFORMED US THAT MARTIN
LUTHER KING, JR., HAD BEEN SHOT.
Narrator:
NO ONE IN THE CROWD YET KNEW
OF KING'S DEATH.
SOME KENNEDY AIDES URGED HIM
TO CANCEL HIS APPEARANCE
FOR FEAR THE CROWD'S ANGER
AT THE NEWS MIGHT TURN ON HIM.
KENNEDY REFUSED.
Lewis:
ROBERT KENNEDY CAME IN
AND SPOKE--
SPOKE FROM HIS SOUL,
THE DEPTH OF HIS SOUL.
MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS SHO
AND WAS KILLED TONIGH
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
( crowd screaming )
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE BLACK
AND ARE TEMPTED TO FILL WITH
BE FILLED WITH HATRED
AND MISTRUS
OF THE INJUSTICE OF SUCH AN AC
AGAINST ALL WHITE PEOPLE
I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT I CAN
ALSO FEEL IN MY OWN HEAR
THE SAME KIND OF FEELING.
I HAD A MEMBER
OF MY FAMILY KILLED
BUT HE WAS KILLED
BY A WHITE MAN.
IT IS NOT THE END OF VIOLENCE
IT IS NOT THE END
OF LAWLESSNESS
AND IT'S NOT THE END
OF DISORDER.
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY
OF WHITE PEOPLE
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY
WANT TO LIVE TOGETHER
WANT TO IMPROVE
THE QUALITY OF OUR LIFE
AND WANT JUSTICE FOR ALL HUMAN
BEINGS THAT ABIDE IN OUR LAND.
Lewis:
AFTER THE FUNERAL OF DR. KING
I FELT I HAD LOST A FRIEND,
A BIG BROTHER, A COLLEAGUE.
SOMEHOW I SORT OF SAID TO MYSELF
"WELL, YOU STILL HAVE
BOBBY KENNEDY."
AND I JUST SNAPPED OUT OF I
LIKE THA
AND GOT BACK
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
Narrator:
ANGER OVER DR. KING'S MURDER
SET GHETTO NEIGHBORHOODS ABLAZE
ALL ACROSS AMERICA
FURTHER SEPARATING
BLACKS FROM WHITES.
BUT BLACKS CONTINUED TO TURN OU
IN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS
FOR ROBERT KENNEDY,
STRUGGLING TO TOUCH HIS HANDS
TEARING AT HIS CLOTHES
FRIGHTENING SOME AMERICANS
BY THEIR INTENSITY.
HE WAS BECOMING A LIGHTNING ROD
FOR ONE DISSATISFIED GROUP
AFTER ANOTHER.
Kearns Goodwin:
THERE WAS A FRENZY
WHEN HE WAS OUT THERE
AND THAT SEEMED TO SYMBOLIZE
TO A LOT OF AMERICANS
THE FEAR THAT AMERICA
ITSELF WAS OUT OF CONTROL;
THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LID
ANYMORE ON OUR SOCIAL PROBLEMS;
THAT REVOLUTION WAS
AROUND THE CORNER.
ON THE OTHER HAND,
SOME AMERICANS FEL
THAT ONLY BOBBY
COULD HEAL THE DIVISIONS
THAT BECAUSE HE WAS TOUGH AND
STRAIGHTFORWARD AND PASSIONATE
HE COULD BRING BLUE-COLLAR
WORKERS AND BLACKS TOGETHER
AND NO ONE ELSE COULD HAVE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THA
IF HE GOT TO BE PRESIDEN
HE'D EITHER BE A GREA
PRESIDENT OR A DISASTER.
HE MIGHT RUN INTO HEAD-ON
CONFRONTATION WITH CONGRESS
AND NEVER ACCOMPLISH
BE ABLE TO GET ANYTHING DONE.
OR HE MIGHT DO GREAT THINGS
BECAUSE HE REALLY
INTENDED TO FIGH
FOR WHAT HE THOUGH
WAS IMPORTAN
WHICH AT THAT POIN
WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS
AND THE BLACKS AND THE POOR
AND THE UNDERDOG
AND THE WORKING CLASS
WITH WHOM HE IDENTIFIED
AS A MILITANT.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT WAS ALSO
HIS WEAKNESS, IN A SENSE.
HE COULD FRIGHTEN PEOPLE
BECAUSE OF HIS MILITANCY
THAT WOULD COME THROUGH.
SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY HAS WON
THE FIRST PRIMARY TES
IN HIS ATTEMPT TO SECURE
THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.
ROBERT KENNEDY HAS WON
THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.
Narrator:
DESPITE HIS VICTORIES
KENNEDY TRAILED HUMPHREY
ALMOST TWO TO ONE
IN THE RACE FOR DELEGATES.
HE PUSHED ON TO OREGON
AND LOST.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
ANY KENNEDY
HAD EVER LOST AN ELECTION.
OREGON, A FINE STATE,
BUT AS BOB SAID AFTERWARDS
"IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE
ENOUGH POOR PEOPLE
BLACK PEOPLE
OR WORKING PEOPLE."
AND SO WE WE STUMBLED.
Narrator:
EVERYTHING NOW DEPENDED
ON THE CALIFORNIA PRIMARY.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY
I HAVE TO WIN HERE.
I DON'T I HAVEN'T DEAL
WITH PERCENTAGES BEFORE
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY
HELPFUL AT THE MOMENT.
I'VE GOT TO GO
BECAUSE I'VE GOT THOUSANDS
OF FANS WAITING FOR ME, I HOPE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BY THE TIME HE GOT THERE
GENE McCARTHY HAD ALREADY
BEEN KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
AND MANY PEOPLE
IN THE LIBERAL COMMUNITY
HAD BOTH ARMS, BOTH LEGS
AROUND GENE McCARTHY
AND WERE KISSING HIM ON THE NECK
AND BITING HIM ON THE EAR.
SO WE CAME INTO
THAT CAMPAIGN BEHIND.
Narrator:
ROBERT KENNEDY CAMPAIGNED
THROUGHOUT THE STATE
DRAWING HUGE CROWDS.
BUT BY ELECTION DAY, IT WAS
STILL TOO CLOSE TO CALL.
EVERYTHING FINALLY CAME DOWN
TO THE BLACK AND LATINO
NEIGHBORHOODS
WHERE THE TURNOU
WAS USUALLY LOW.
THROUGHOUT THE DAY WE HAD BEEN
CHECKING THE PRECINCTS
AND WE'D SEE THE GREAT NUMBERS
OF PEOPLE COMING.
WE WERE DOING
OUR OWN EXIT POLLING
AND WE WERE GETTING
GREAT, GREAT FEEDBACK.
Narrator:
THE TURNOUT WAS HIGH
AND LATINO VOTERS WEN
FOR KENNEDY 15 TO ONE.
HE WON CALIFORNIA WITH
ALMOST 50% OF THE VOTE.
SO WHEN WE ALL GATHERED
AT THE AMBASSADOR
THIS WAS JUST A GREAT FEELING
OF, YOU KNOW, EXCITEMEN
AND HAPPINESS AND JOY.
I COULD ONLY SEE THA
HE HAD ONE SECURITY PERSON.
AND THAT KIND OF ENTERED MY MIND
BUT I DIDN'T WAN
TO SAY ANYTHING
BECAUSE THIS WAS SUCH
A GLORIOUS MOMENT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO SPOIL I
BY SAYING ANYTHING
THAT MIGHT BE NEGATIVE.
( applause and cheering )
Reporter:
SENATOR KENNEDY HAS JUS
ENTERED THE BALLROOM
HERE AT HIS ELECTION
HEADQUARTERS
AND YOU CAN HEAR THE PANDEMONIUM
THAT HAS ENVELOPED HIM.
AND AFTER PUSHING HIS WAY
THROUGH A CROWD OF SUPPORTERS
AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
GATHERED AROUND THE PODIUM
( cheering )
WHAT I THINK IS QUITE CLEAR
IS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
IN THE LAST ANALYSIS
AND THAT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS--
THE DIVISIONS, THE VIOLENCE
THE DISENCHANTMEN
WITH OUR SOCIETY
THE DIVISIONS
BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES
BETWEEN THE POOR
AND THE MORE AFFLUEN
OR BETWEEN AGE GROUPS
OR ON THE WAR IN VIETNAM--
THAT WE CAN STAR
TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE ARE A GREAT COUNTRY,
AN UNSELFISH COUNTRY
AND A COMPASSIONATE COUNTRY
AND I INTEND TO MAKE THA
MY BASIS FOR RUNNING
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND I REMEMBER WATCHING HIM
ON TELEVISION THAT NIGH
AND THERE WAS A KIND OF AN EASE
AND A GRACE THAT HE HAD
THAT REALLY HAD BEEN MISSING
IN A WAY, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, HE ALWAYS HAD THE
PASSION AND HE HAD THE IDEAS;
THE SUBSTANCE DIDN'T CHANGE
BUT HE HAD A KIND
HE WAS AT EASE WITH HIMSELF.
HE IT WAS HIS VICTORY.
IT WAS NOT A KENNEDY VICTORY;
IT WAS BOBBY KENNEDY'S VICTORY.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM
AND I SAID, "MY GOD
THE GUY LOOKS LIKE A PRESIDENT."
SO, UH, MY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU
AND NOW IT'S ON TO CHICAGO
AND LET'S WIN THERE.
( crowd cheering, whistling )
Dutton:
THE CROWD WAS
A LITTLE BIT UNRULY
SO I DECIDED THAT THERE WAS
A BACK ROUTE TO GO.
THE SECURITY PEOPLE WE HAD
HAD ALREADY CANVASSED IT.
THEY WERE PREPARED
TO GO EITHER WAY
AND I SAID, "NO, WE'LL
GO OUT THE BACK WAY."
( commotion )
( cheering )
Narrator:
AS ROBERT KENNEDY ENTERED
THE KITCHEN
HE TURNED TO SHAKE HANDS
WITH A BUSBOY.
AT THAT MOMENT,
GUNSHOTS RANG OUT.
( screaming and commotion )
Man:
WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAPPENED?
( commotion )
Man:
EVERYBODY OUT, NOW, PLEASE!
Narrator:
IN THE KITCHEN
OF THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL
A TELEVISION NEWSMAN PLEADS WITH
HIS CAMERAMAN TO KEEP ROLLING.
Reporter:
JIMMY, SHOOT IT,
PLEASE, SHOOT IT!
Man:
OH, NO!
Man:
HELP, GET A DOCTOR!
Narrator:
AT ANOTHER LOS ANGELES HOTEL
McCARTHY CAMPAIGN WORKERS
ARE STUNNED
AS THEY WATCH ON TELEVISION.
Man on TV:
and cause confusion.
WHAT?
Woman:
KENNEDY'S BEEN SHOT.
SHH.
( commotion )
Man:
Let me, uh
SOMEBODY SHOT ROBERT KENNEDY.
Man:
Mr. Drinkwater, uh
Woman:
Please, we need you immediately.
Man:
Will a doctor come?
I WAS LOOKING AT THE TELEVISION
WHEN IT ALL HAPPENED.
MY REACTION?
HORROR HORROR.
BECAUSE AFTER DR. KING,
HE WAS KIND OF THE LAST HOPE
FOR A SANE AND MORALLY MINDFUL
DIRECTION IN THE COUNTRY
AND I THINK,
LIKE MANY AMERICANS
I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE
IT WAS HAPPENING AGAIN
AND THE GREAT FEAR
ABOUT THE PATH OF VIOLENCE
THAT APPARENTLY HAD BEEN
OPENED UP IN OUR NATION.
Narrator:
ALL THE NEXT DAY
THE COUNTRY WAITED
FOR NEWS OF KENNEDY'S CONDITION.
Dallas:
WHEN THE PRESIDEN
WAS ASSASSINATED
THE FAMILY BECAME VERY STOIC.
WHEN BOBBY WAS SHO
THE WHOLE HOUSE FELL APART.
MRS. KENNEDY FELL APART, AND SHE
KEPT SAYING, "MY SON, MY SON."
AND MR. KENNEDY CRIED; I CRIED.
IT'S EVERY EVERY
IT WAS TOO MUCH.
SENATOR ROBERT FRANCIS KENNEDY
DIED AT 1:44 A.M.
TODAY, JUNE 6, 1968.
WITH SENATOR KENNEDY
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH
WERE HIS WIFE, ETHEL;
HIS SISTERS, MRS. STEVEN SMITH
AND MRS. PATRICIA LAWFORD;
HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW,
MR. STEVEN SMITH;
HIS SISTER-IN-LAW,
MRS. JOHN F. KENNEDY.
HE WAS 42 YEARS OLD.
THANK YOU.
AND IT WAS OVER.
I MEAN,
THE WHOLE THING WAS OVER.
THE WHOLE PERIOD OF LIFT AND
HOPE AND STRUGGLE WAS ALL OVER.
IT WAS JUST OVER.
WE LOVED HIM AS A BROTHER
AND AS A FATHER AND AS A SON.
FROM HIS PARENTS AND FROM
HIS OLDER BROTHERS AND SISTERS
JOE AND KATHLEEN AND JACK
HE RECEIVED AN INSPIRATION
WHICH HE PASSED ON TO ALL OF US.
HE GAVE US STRENGTH
IN TIME OF TROUBLE
WISDOM IN TIME OF UNCERTAINTY
AND SHARING
IN TIME OF HAPPINESS.
HE WILL ALWAYS BE BY OUR SIDE.
THOSE OF US WHO LOVED HIM AND
WHO TAKE HIM TO HIS REST TODAY
( trembling ):
PRAY THAT WHAT HE WAS TO US
AND WHAT HE WISHED FOR OTHERS
WILL SOMEDAY COME TO PASS
FOR ALL THE WORLD.
AS HE SAID MANY TIMES,
IN MANY PARTS OF THIS NATION
TO THOSE HE TOUCHED
AND WHO SOUGHT TO TOUCH HIM
"SOME MEN SEE THINGS
AS THEY ARE AND SAY, 'WHY?'
I DREAM THINGS THAT NEVER WERE
AND SAY, 'WHY NOT.'"
Narrator:
JUST ONE WEEK AFTER
ROBERT KENNEDY'S FUNERAL
EDWARD KENNEDY APPEARED
ON NATIONAL TELEVISION
WITH HIS FATHER AND MOTHER.
WE CANNOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND
THE WAYS OF ALMIGHTY GOD
THE CROSSES WHICH HE SENDS US
THE SACRIFICES
WHICH HE DEMANDS OF US
BUT WE KNOW HIS GREAT GOODNESS
AND HIS LOVE.
AND WE GO ON OUR WAY
WITH NO REGRETS OF THE PAS
NOT LOOKING BACKWARDS
TO THE PAS
BUT WE SHALL
CARRY ON
WITH COURAGE.
THIS WAS LIKE A GRUESOME
NIGHTMARE REPLAYED
AND THERE WAS ONLY DARKNESS
I MEAN, JUS
TERRIBLE FEELINGS OF
OF EMOTIONAL ANXIETY
AND DEPRESSION.
AND I REMEMBER
WALKING WITH TEDDY--
AFTER BOBBY DIED-- DOWNSTAIRS
AND SAYING TO HIM, "YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE JUST GOT TO GET AWAY.
"YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT THIS.
"YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT IT.
"YOU MUS
NOT ALLOW YOURSELF, EVER
"TO THINK ABOU
YOU BEING NEXT IN LINE
FOR THIS TERRIBLE TREATMENT."
HE WAS REALLY TERRIBLY SHAKEN UP
BY BOBBY'S DEATH.
HE USED TO SAIL ALL NIGHT LONG
BY HIMSELF
IN THE DAYS AND THE WEEKS
AFTER THAT HAPPENED
JUST JUST SAILING.
Narrator:
FOR TWO MONTHS, EDWARD KENNEDY
REMAINED OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE.
ONCE, HE DROVE FROM
HYANNISPORT TO WASHINGTON
TO SIGN PAPERS AT HIS OFFICE,
BUT WHEN HE GOT THERE
HE WAS UNABLE, HE SAID,
"TO GO IN AND FACE THEM ALL."
INSTEAD, WITHOU
GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR
HE TURNED AROUND AND DROVE HOME.
JUST 36, HE HAD BECOME
THE EFFECTIVE HEAD
OF AN EXTENDED FAMILY
RESPONSIBLE IN PAR
FOR THE WELFARE OF 16 CHILDREN.
I GIVE YOU SENATOR KENNEDY.
( applause )
SOME OF YOU HAVE SUGGESTED
THAT FOR SAFETY'S SAKE
AND FOR MY FAMILY'S SAKE,
I RETIRE FROM PUBLIC LIFE.
TO THOSE WHO HAVE SO WRITTEN
MY DEEP THANKS FOR YOUR KINDNESS
AND FOR YOUR CONCERN.
BUT THERE IS NO SAFETY
IN HIDING, SO TODAY I RESUME
MY PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITIES
TO THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
LIKE MY THREE BROTHERS BEFORE ME
I PICK UP A FALLEN STANDARD.
SUSTAINED BY THEIR MEMORY
OF OUR PRICELESS YEARS TOGETHER
I SHALL TRY TO CARRY FORWARD
THAT SPECIAL COMMITMEN
TO JUSTICE, TO EXCELLENCE
TO COURAGE THA
DISTINGUISHED THEIR LIVES.
( applause )
Kearns Goodwin:
ALL OF HIS LIFE, HE HAD BEEN
THE KIND OF PERSON
WHO WAS CHEERFUL,
OPEN, OPTIMISTIC
BUT NOW WITH JACK'S DEATH
AND THEN BOBBY'S DEATH,
FIVE YEARS LATER
HE HAS TO SUDDENLY BECOME
THE HOLDER OF ALL OF THESE
DREAMS, FRUSTRATIONS, HOPES.
AND IT HAD TO BE
AN INCREDIBLY DEFINING MOMEN
FOR HIM TO DECIDE:
COULD HE STILL GO ON
BE THE HAPPY-GO-LUCKY,
GOOD GUY THAT HE WAS
OR WAS HE GOING TO HAVE
TO BECOME SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Narrator:
SHORTLY AFTER KENNEDY
RETURNED TO WASHINGTON
RICHARD NIXON MOVED
INTO THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT.
HE HAS SHOWN
THAT HE'S AN EXTREMELY HARD
AND INDUSTRIOUS WORKER.
THIS MORNING HE INDICATED
THAT HE WASN'T GOING
TO USE THE OVAL ROOM.
MY MOTHER READ THAT IN THE PAPER
AND SHE CALLED ME UP AND SAID
"TEDDY, I SEE WHERE
THE PRESIDEN
ISN'T GOING TO USE
THE OVAL ROOM."
SHE SAID, "I THINK
SOMEONE OUGHT TO USE IT."
( laughter )
Narrator:
KENNEDY WAS BECOMING
ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL
LIBERAL SPOKESMEN IN THE SENATE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT.
( laughter )
Narrator:
IT SEEMED LIKELY THAT WHEN
NIXON RAN FOR REELECTION IN 1972
HIS OPPONENT WOULD BE
JOSEPH KENNEDY'S FOURTH SON.
BUT SOME WORRIED
THAT KENNEDY'S RISE WAS TOO FAS
THE PRESSURES ON HIM TOO GREAT.
THERE WAS A, UH A GENERAL
UH FEELING
THAT TED WAS A PLAYBOY.
HE DROVE TOO FAST, HE DRANK
TOO MUCH, HE CHASED GIRLS.
HE, UH CERTAINLY, UH
WAS DEVOTED TO ETHEL KENNEDY
AND HER FAMILY
BUT HE WAS HAVING
PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN.
HE BEGAN TO TRY-- TED DID--
TRY TO PICK UP THE THINGS
THAT BOB HAD REPRESENTED
AND EVEN FOLLOW SOME
OF THE TRIPS THAT HE'D TAKEN.
THAT'S WHAT STARTED US
ALL THE WAY UP TO ALASKA.
Narrator:
AS CHAIRMAN OF
THE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE
ON INDIAN EDUCATION--
A POST ONCE HELD
BY HIS BROTHER ROBERT--
KENNEDY LED HIS COLLEAGUES
TO ALASKA IN APRIL
ACCOMPANIED BY CAMERA CREWS
AND 25 REPORTERS.
HE DID HIS BEST TO AC
AS HIS BROTHER WOULD HAVE ACTED
BUT IT WASN'T THE SAME.
Kennedy:
HOW OLD IS THIS
LITTLE GIRL?
Woman:
FIVE.
Narrator:
A STRUGGLE ERUPTED
WHEN REPUBLICAN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS CHARGED
THE TRIP WAS JUS
ANOTHER KENNEDY MEDIA EVENT.
Man:
I THOUGHT THAT THE TRIP WAS
A LITTLE OVERPRODUCED
AND THAT, UH,
IT GOT SO THAT, UH
THERE WAS SO MUCH NEWS COVERAGE
WHEN YOU DESCEND ON A LITTLE
NATIVE VILLAGE LIKE THA
WITH, OH, 50 OR 60 PEOPLE
I IMAGINE THOSE POOR PEOPLE
WERE SCARED TO DEATH.
THE TRIP BACK WAS KIND OF A
DISASTER, ESPECIALLY FOR TEDDY.
WE ALL MET IN THE BAR
AND HAD A DRINK OR TWO
BEFORE THE PLANE TOOK OFF.
THERE WERE FURTHER DRINKS
ON THE PLANE.
TEDDY GOT SOMEWHA
BOISTEROUS AND PLAYFUL.
HE STARTED THROWING ROLLS
AT VARIOUS OF US IN THE PRESS.
AND AND PEOPLE STARTED
THROWING ROLLS BACK AT HIM.
AND THERE STARTED TO BE
A LARGE CALL OF "ESKIMO POWER"
UP AND DOWN THE AISLES
AND A FEW PILLOWS BEING THROWN
AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
AND THEN IT DIDN'T SEEM
TO BE CONTROLLABLE.
HERE WAS A MAN
WHO WAS THOUGHT OF BY MANY
AS A FUTURE PRESIDEN
AND HE WAS OUT IN PUBLIC
HAVING DRUNK FAR TOO MUCH
AND PLAYFULLY THROWING BREAD
AROUND A CABIN OF AN AIRPLANE.
IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM WITHIN
THE COMPORTMENT OR DIGNITY--
AT LEAST THE PUBLIC
COMPORTMENT AND DIGNITY--
OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT.
I THOUGHT THAT THE SENATOR WAS
OUT TO AVOID A FATE
THAT WAS BEING IMPOSED
UPON HIM FROM THE OUTSIDE
WHICH WAS TO RUN
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
AND I THOUGHT PSYCHOLOGICALLY
HE WAS NOT IN THE BEST SHAPE
FOR TAKING UP
THIS KIND OF BURDEN.
Mission controller:
LIFTOFF! WE HAVE A LIFTOFF!
Narrator:
FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1969.
AS THE APOLLO 11 CREW
APPROACHED THE MOON
FULFILLING A GOAL SE
BY JOHN KENNEDY
EDWARD KENNEDY WAS
IN MASSACHUSETTS
FULFILLING STILL
ANOTHER FAMILY OBLIGATION--
ATTENDING A REUNION PARTY
OF YOUNG WOMEN
WHO HAD WORKED FOR HIS
BROTHER ROBERT'S LAST CAMPAIGN.
ONE OF THEM WAS
MARY JO KOPECHNE.
THE PARTY WAS HELD
ON CHAPPAQUIDDICK ISLAND
OFF MARTHA'S VINEYARD.
( car engine starts )
LATE THAT EVENING, KENNEDY LEF
THE PARTY WITH MS. KOPECHNE.
SOMETIME LATER, HIS CAR PLUNGED
OFF A NARROW WOODEN BRIDGE.
KENNEDY MANAGED TO GET OUT.
HIS PASSENGER DID NOT.
YET FOR TEN HOURS, HE FAILED
TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT.
THE CAR WAS DISCOVERED
BY TWO BOYS ON AN EARLY
MORNING FISHING TRIP.
POLICE WERE SUMMONED
AND THE YOUNG WOMAN'S BODY
WAS RECOVERED.
THE DIVER SUSPECTED
SHE HAD NOT DIED IMMEDIATELY.
IF WE HAD BEEN CALLED
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDEN
THERE REMAINS A POSSIBILITY
THAT WE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO SAVE HER.
THIS IS DEPENDEN
ON THESE TWO FACTORS:
THE AMOUNT OF AIR
AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR.
THE POSSIBILITY MIGHT EVEN
BE SLIGHT, BUT STILL REMAINS.
Narrator:
KENNEDY AIDES HELPED
THE OTHER PARTYGOERS
LEAVE THE ISLAND HURRIEDLY,
WITHOUT MAKING STATEMENTS.
ON SATURDAY MORNING,
KENNEDY FINALLY APPEARED
BEFORE POLICE CHIEF
DOMINIC ARENA
WAS ALLOWED SIMPLY TO LEAVE
A HASTILY HANDWRITTEN STATEMEN
THEN RETURN TO HYANNISPORT.
Reporter:
WASN'T THERE
SOME POIN
SINCE SOMEONE
WAS KILLED
AND HE HADN'
REPORTED I
FOR TEN HOURS
IN ACTUALLY
QUESTIONING HIM
A BIT DEEPER?
I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK TO HIM.
WHEN HE LEFT HERE
I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS GOING
TO CONSULT HIS ATTORNEY
AND WE WOULD GE
FURTHER FROM HIM.
AFTER CHAPPAQUIDDICK
I CAN STILL SEE EUNICE
FLYING IN THE HOUSE.
SHE NEVER WALKED, BUT THIS TIME
SHE FLEW IN THE HOUSE.
SHE TOOK OFF HER COAT,
AND THREW IT.
SHE SAID, "WHERE'S TEDDY?
I WANT TO TALK TO HIM."
THERE WAS RAGE AND HORROR,
AND ANGER, A LOT OF ANGER
NOT AT ANY PARTICULAR PERSON,
NOT AT TEDDY
BUT I REALLY THINK AT FATE.
Narrator:
THE SENATOR STAYED BEHIND THE
WALLS OF THE KENNEDY COMPOUND.
FRIENDS, ADVISORS AND FORMER
SPEECH WRITERS DESCENDED
TO OFFER LEGAL ADVICE
AND PROPOSE WAYS TO SALVAGE
THE SENATOR'S POLITICAL FUTURE.
Gorey:
THE CLAN WAS GATHERING,
CLOSING RANKS AND SO ON.
THE KENNEDYS HAVE THIS ENTOURAGE
THAT SHOWS UP
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
AN ARMY OF JACK'S LOYALISTS
AND SPEECH WRITERS--
THAT COURT THAT WAS STILL,
TO SOME EXTEN
A COURT IN EXILE AND
STILL DREAMING OF WASHINGTON--
DESCENDED ON CAPE COD
TO HELP HIM, ADVISE HIM
AND TO WRITE
THIS SPEECH HE GAVE.
Narrator:
JUST HOURS BEFORE
GOING ON TELEVISION
SENATOR KENNEDY PLEADED GUILTY
TO LEAVING THE SCENE
OF AN ACCIDEN
AND RECEIVED A TWO-MONTH
JAIL SENTENCE-- SUSPENDED.
THAT NIGHT, KENNEDY OFFERED
HIS VERSION OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED
CALLING HIS OWN CONDUC
"INDEFENSIBLE."
Edward Kennedy:
I WOULD UNDERSTAND FULL WELL
WHY SOME MIGHT THINK I
RIGHT FOR ME TO RESIGN.
YOU AND I SHARE MANY MEMORIES.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN GLORIOUS.
SOME HAVE BEEN VERY SAD.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU
AND SERVE MASSACHUSETTS
HAS MADE MY LIFE WORTHWHILE.
AND SO I ASK YOU TONIGH
THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS,
TO THINK THIS THROUGH WITH ME.
Narrator:
MASSACHUSETTS RALLIED
TO THE LAS
OF THE KENNEDY BROTHERS.
BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY
MANY FOUND HIS EXPLANATIONS
INADEQUATE, HIS SPEECH MAWKISH.
Gorey:
MANY OF US
IN THE PRESS CORPS THOUGH
IT REMINDED US
OF NIXON'S "CHECKERS" SPEECH.
IT DID NOT RING TRUE.
IT WAS HIGHLY POLITICAL
AND INTENDED OBVIOUSLY
TO SAVE HIS POLITICAL NECK.
TED KENNEDY WAS
VERY BADLY ADVISED
BY THOSE WHO WENT TO ADVISE HIM.
INSTEAD OF PUTTING I
IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE FUTURE OF HIS POLITICAL LIFE
THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST PUT I
IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT HAPPENED
AND HAD HIM DEAL
WITH WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE MOST HONES
AND OPEN WAY POSSIBLE.
Narrator:
AS THE STORY
OF CHAPPAQUIDDICK UNFOLDED
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WERE
MEETING IN VIRGINIA TO DISCUSS
THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
Harris:
EVERYBODY KNEW-- OR THEY
THOUGHT-- THAT TED KENNEDY
WOULD BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
FOR PRESIDENT IN 1972.
RIGHT IN THE MIDS
OF THAT RETREA
CAME THE TERRIBLE NEWS OF
THE TRAGEDY AT CHAPPAQUIDDICK.
WE STOPPED WHAT WE WERE DOING.
THE ISSUES WERE STILL THERE
BUT THERE WAS NO QUESTION
FROM THAT MOMENT ON
THAT TED WOULD NOT BE
THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.
THE SITUATION CHANGED TOTALLY
AND WE SIMPLY QUI
AND WENT HOME.
Narrator:
SIGHTSEERS BEGAN VISITING
DIKE BRIDGE.
CHAPPAQUIDDICK AND WHA
HAPPENED THERE WOULD NOW BECOME
A DARK SIDE
OF THE KENNEDY LEGEND.
Dallas:
TEDDY WENT UPSTAIRS
AND HE SAID, "DAD,
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT."
AND HE SAID, "THERE WAS
A GIRL IN THE CAR."
AND HE SAID, "SHE DROWNED."
HE SAID, "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT."
AND HIS FATHER HAD HIS HEAD
FORWARD LISTENING TO TEDDY
AND THEN
HE DROPPED HIS HEAD BACK
AND TEDDY SAT DOWN AND
HE PUT HIS HANDS UP TO HIS FACE
AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW,
DAD, I DON'T KNOW."
BUT AFTER THAT, I COULD SEE
A DETERIORATION IN MR. KENNEDY.
Narrator:
JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, 81,
REFUSED NOURISHMEN
AND BEGAN TO WASTE AWAY.
HE DIED ON NOVEMBER 18, 1969.
Walinsky:
THE LEGACY HAS TO BE
AN ENORMOUS BURDEN.
WHO WOULD WANT TO BE
IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO LIVE
YOUR LIFE WITH THE FEELING
THAT IF YOU DIDN'T BECOME
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND FULFILL
ALL OF THESE ENORMOUS HOPES
THAT HAD BEEN RAISED
BY YOUR BROTHERS
WHO NEVER HAD A CHANCE
TO FULFILL THEM
THAT SOMEHOW PEOPLE
WOULD JUDGE YOUR LIFE
OR YOU MIGHT JUDGE IT YOURSELF
TO BE A FAILURE?
I CAN'T CONCEIVE
OF A GREATER OR MORE DIFFICUL
BURDEN TO CARRY.
TO ASK A KENNEDY TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
LIKE TO NOT CARRY THE BURDEN
IS TO ASK THEM TO NOT BE ALIVE
BECAUSE CARRYING THAT BURDEN
IS A PART OF WHAT THEY ARE.
SO IT WAS NEVER REALLY
A CHOICE FOR TEDDY.
HE COULDN'T IMAGINE
TURNING HIS BACK ON THE LEGACY.
HE HAD TO BECOME WHA
THEY WANTED HIM TO BECOME.
Narrator:
FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS,
EDWARD KENNEDY SERVED
AS ONE OF THE LEADING
LIBERAL SPOKESMEN IN THE SENATE
BUILDING A LEGISLATIVE RECORD
UNMATCHED BY EITHER
OF HIS BROTHERS.
BUT DESPITE
THE SHAME OF CHAPPAQUIDDICK
DESPITE THE COMPLICATIONS
OF HIS PRIVATE LIFE
EDWARD KENNEDY STILL FEL
OBLIGATED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
HE WOULD WAI
THROUGH 1972 AND 1976
WHEN ANOTHER DEMOCRAT, JIMMY
CARTER, WON THE WHITE HOUSE.
BUT BY 1979,
CHAPPAQUIDDICK SEEMED FORGOTTEN.
TED KENNEDY THOUGH
HE SAW HIS CHANCE.
ON NOVEMBER 7, 1979, IN BOSTON
ROSE KENNEDY, 89 YEARS OLD, WAS
READY TO CAMPAIGN ONCE AGAIN.
THE LAST OF HER SONS WAS
ABOUT TO DECLARE
HIS CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT.
QUESTIONS ABOUT CHAPPAQUIDDICK
WOULD HAVE TO BE MET.
THE CONSTANT THREA
OF ASSASSINATION
WOULD HAVE TO BE ENDURED.
Kearns Goodwin:
I REMEMBER WATCHING
TEDDY KENNEDY
WHEN HE MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMEN
SPEECH AT FANEUIL HALL
WHEN HE RAN FOR PRESIDEN
IN 1980, AND IT JUST SEEMED
LIKE THE WEIGHT OF HIS BROTHERS'
LEGACY WAS ON HIS SHOULDERS.
HE WAS ONLY A HUMAN BEING
BUT THEY WERE EXPECTING HIM TO
BE JACK AND BOBBY ALL TOGETHER.
AND I THINK HE KNEW THAT,
THAT VERY DAY
THAT THERE'S NO WAY HE COULD
BE THAT, NO ONE COULD.
TODAY I SPEAK
TO ALL CITIZENS OF AMERICA
BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU
FROM HOME, HERE IN BOSTON.
Narrator:
WHEN KENNEDY ANNOUNCED,
HE LED TWO-TO-ONE IN THE POLLS
BUT HE QUICKLY FELL
BEHIND PRESIDENT CARTER
AND NEVER REGAINED THE LEAD.
CHAPPAQUIDDICK HAD NO
BEEN FORGOTTEN AFTER ALL.
TIMES HAD CHANGED:
THE COUNTRY WAS MOVING AWAY
FROM HIS KIND OF LIBERALISM.
KENNEDY SEEMED UNABLE
TO ARTICULATE
JUST WHAT IT WAS HE WANTED
TO DO AS PRESIDENT.
IN THE END, HE LOST 24
OF THE 34 PRIMARIES HE ENTERED.
( cheering )
AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
IN AUGUS
HE WITHDREW HIS CANDIDACY.
BUT IN HIS HOUR OF DEFEA
HE SPOKE WITH AN ELOQUENCE
THAT BANISHED FOR A MOMEN
ALL THE SHADOWS
ON THE KENNEDY LEGEND.
IT WOULD BE
THE SPEECH OF HIS LIFE
EVOKING WHAT HIS BROTHERS
HAD COME TO MEAN
TO MANY AMERICANS
OF THEIR GENERATION.
( cheering )
AND SOMEDAY,
LONG AFTER THIS CONVENTION
LONG AFTER THE SIGNS COME DOWN
AND THE CROWDS STOP CHEERING
AND THE BANDS STOP PLAYING
MAY IT BE SAID OF OUR CAMPAIGN
THAT WE KEPT THE FAITH.
MAY IT BE SAID
OF OUR PARTY IN 1980
THAT WE FOUND OUR FAITH AGAIN.
AND MAY IT BE SAID OF US
BOTH IN DARK PASSAGES
AND IN BRIGHT DAYS
IN THE WORDS OF TENNYSON THA
MY BROTHERS QUOTED AND LOVED
AND THAT HAVE SPECIAL MEANING
FOR ME NOW:
"I AM A PAR
OF ALL THAT I HAVE MET.
"TOO MUCH IS TAKEN, MUCH ABIDES.
"THAT WHICH WE ARE, WE ARE.
"ONE EQUAL TEMPER
OF HEROIC HEARTS
"STRONG IN WILL TO STRIVE,
TO SEEK, TO FIND
AND NOT TO YIELD."
FOR ME, A FEW HOURS AGO,
THIS CAMPAIGN CAME TO AN END.
FOR ALL THOSE WHOSE CARES
HAVE BEEN OUR CONCERN
THE WORK GOES ON,
THE CAUSE ENDURES
THE HOPE STILL LIVES,
AND THE DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE.
( cheering )
Narrator:
OTHER KENNEDYS WOULD SHARE
THE DREAM
TAKE THEIR CHANCES
IN PUBLIC LIFE.
BUT THAT EVENING
IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
THE QUEST FOR THE PRESIDENCY
HAD FINALLY COME TO AN END
FOR THE SONS
OF JOSEPH P. KENNEDY.
THEIR FATHER HAD
ONCE BEEN WILLING
TO PAY ANY PRICE FOR POWER.
HE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED
HOW HIGH THAT PRICE WOULD BE.
( cheering, applause )
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