Saturday, August 29, 2009

Goodbye Teddy

I just spent an emotional morning watching Ted Kennedy's funeral, very touching. I also enjoyed the memorial last night. I am so grateful it was streamed.

Here is a link to the funeral program:

http://cfadm.3cdn.net/47d53e97b2c667bac5_a3m6ii1zo.pdf

Friday, June 5, 2009

Another anniversary




The anniversary of the murder of Robert F. Kennedy is here again. The years seem to be passing by so quickly. It is 41 years since he was killed at the Ambassador Hotel while running for President of the United States.

For me, the fact that Barack Obama is now president lessens the political loss. To me, Obama will be the type of president I would have expected RFK to be. I hope I will be proven right. Whatever, the future of the world seems more hopeful than it did at this time last year.

I still feel that we should remember all that Robert F. Kennedy tried to do for the United States. He did give his life for his country. Thankfully, many of his children are carrying on his work in their own way.

Here are some news stories I found today:

An Unexpected Delay of Game

Bless Robert Kennedy and the Kennedy Family

Memories of RFK

And my article on his funeral written in 2007:

The Funeral of Robert F. Kennedy

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The right path

You may think I'm crazy but this was put into perspective for me when I heard an editorial by Bill Flanagan on CBS's Sunday Morning. He believes that Obama got so much support from a lot of people who came of age in the 60s because after 1968, and the deaths of MLK and RFK, the US began on the wrong path. But with Obama many feel that we are finally on the right path. Now this is where the crazy part comes in. When it was announced that Barack Obama had been elected I heard a very noticeable click and had a rush of thoughts about Bobby, and then I felt that everything had come full circle. I've never had a feeling like that before. It is as if that if Bobby couldn't be President, at least Obama made it. Flanagan also stated that maybe we can finally put the 60s behind us now. However, that won't stop me from reading and writing about RFK.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Congratulations to Barack Obama

Congratulations to the President-elect.



From Boston.com

Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Funeral of Robert F. Kennedy: June 8, 1968

The funeral of Bobby Kennedy was on June 8th. A service was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Edward Kennedy read a touching and emotional eulogy for his brother.

Bobby's coffin was then taken to a train where it would travel to Washington, D.C. A train journey that should have taken only a couple of hours, took five hours.

As I wrote in my article The Funeral of Robert F. Kennedy

The train arrived in Washington just after 9pm; the trip took twice as long as it normally would have. After leaving the train, the funeral procession briefly stopped at the Lincoln Memorial where the Marine Corps Band played “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The procession then moved on to the Arlington Cemetery. It was the only nighttime burial that has ever taken place there. Floodlights were placed around the grave and candles were distributed to the mourners. The coffin was carried to the grave site by 13 pallbearers; among them were Robert McNamara, Edward Kennedy, and Joseph Kennedy, the oldest son of Robert F. Kennedy.

There was a brief graveside service performed by Terence Cardinal Cooke, the Archbishop of New York. A flag was then folded and presented to his widow, Ethel, by John Glenn.

The majority of the mourners had left by midnight. Among those mourners was singer Bobby Darin, according to him he spent the night at the grave site. Darin had campaigned for Kennedy and had only met him a few weeks previously. In response to Robert F. Kenney's death he wrote the song “In Memoriam.”

 

RFK Funeral Train

 

 

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial at Arlington

Funeral information from Arlington

Friday, June 6, 2008

The death of Robert F. Kennedy: June 6, 1968

After twenty-six hours of worldwide concern and grief, Bobby Kennedy died at 1:44 am on June 6th, 1968.

 Frank Mankiewicz announces the death of RFK

After an autopsy, his body was flown back to New York City where it lay in state at St. Patrick's Cathedral until June 8th. Over 100,000 people lined the streets of New York City for the chance to pass by his coffin. Here is his obituary from the New York Times.

Bobby Kennedy, articles June 6, 2008

US marks 40 years since RFK death

Local leaders hold Bobby Kennedy memorial - from Indianapolis

Robert F. Kennedy's long standing impact on politics

RFK's death and the hope of the young

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Bobby Kennedy articles, June 5, 2008 - Part 2

The Delta in our Home - Kathleen Kennedy Townsend discusses her father.

Remembering Bobby

Robert F. Kennedy's assassination still moves a retired air force officer

40 years after assassination, RFK aide recalls senator's charisma

Voices - Juan Romero - the busboy who held Bobby after he had been shot.

Robert F. Kennedy: the legacy of the 1968 campaign

40 years later: the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy - a very touching first-person account on video.

Bobby Kennedy, 40 years later

Robert F. Kennedy remembered - David Broder of the Washington Post recalls the 1968 campaign on video.

Why Bobby rocks a new generation

Taking "no" for an answer - Joseph Kennedy II talks about his father.

Lessons of the magnolia tree - Kerry Kennedy talks about her father.

Bobby Kennedy articles, June 5, 2008

RFK Assassination: Aide Recalls Tragedy Repeated - Ted Sorensen remembers

The day I graduated, and Bobby Kennedy died

The Assassination of Robert Kennedy

1968 a series: Robert F. Kennedy's mission ended by assassin

Robert Kennedy's death tested America's resilience

Where history turned

Slaying gave US a first taste of Mideast terror

Bobby Kennedy: 40 years later

This Kennedy was our friend

RFK Assassination

A day to celebrate the legacy of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy

Did Robert Kennedy run "The Last Campaign"?

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Robert F. Kennedy: June 5, 1968

After winning the California Democratic primary in California and giving his victory speech, Bobby Kennedy was shot as he was leaving the Ambassador Hotel through the kitchen. His convicted assassin was Sirhan Sirhan. There is still a lot of controversy about his guilt or innocence. Sirhan is currently serving a life sentence at the California State Prison, he is eligible to apply for parole every 5 years.

I heard the news the next day. I was eleven and living in Scotland at the time. I was very touched then as we had been doing a school project on the US election and I had always liked Bobby. It wasn't until I moved to Canada and started hanging out in the library, that I really became interested in Bobby. I read every book I could get my hands on and with every passing year I became more and more saddened by his assassination and what it meant. The world lost more than one man that day; a lot of people lost hope. I still can't talk about it without getting tears in my eyes.

Please share your experiences of that day; how you heard, how you reacted, and what it means to you today.

 



RFK being taken out of the Ambassador Hotel and into an ambulance

Bobby Kennedy articles, June 4, 2006

Here are some excellent articles on Bobby Kennedy.

 

What if RFK had become president?

Why Bobby Kennedy is more relevant than ever

40 years after RFK's death, questions linger

Kennedy: Veltroni, his political thought is still valid

Memorial for RFK in St. James Park marks happier day

Remembering Robert Kennedy's "Ripple of Hope."

Pete Hamill remembers Robert F. Kennedy -  features a great audio file from NPR.

Journalist captures Bobby Kennedy in the Sixties - reprints Pete Hamill's essay in A Time it Was. Also features a video of Kerry Kennedy talking about her father, and a slide show. There are links to several videos about RFK at this site.

Bobby Kennedy deserves wider recognition

Little left of Ambassador Hotel, site of RFK assassination

Epic vision - an article on Bill Eppridge

In Memoriam: actor brings Bobby Kennedy's story to life

RFK 6/6/68: no joking matter


Robert F. Kennedy photo gallery



Recalling RFK's campaign of hope


A dream denied


New York Assembly approves renaming Triborough Bridge for Bobby Kennedy

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy

I saw the documentary, The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy on CBC Newsworld last night. It covers the years leading up to Bobby Kennedy's 1968 murder. It was directed in 2003 by Patrick Jeudy and is narrated by Peter Hudson. This was the North American debut.

I found it to be a very fair and balanced documentary. It did not shy away from any controversies and did not "take sides". It pointed out what Bobby had done in his career, how he was perceived, and how he treated his enemies.

It did a good job in showing how Bobby learned from his past and how the death of his brother really helped him to come into his own. Before that, he was just the younger brother who had to help the older brother, no matter what the cost to him personally.

Sadly, it was during the 1968 presidential campaign that he finally felt that he was his own man. And then he was killed...

If you have the chance to see this, I highly recommend it.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Bobby Kennedy articles for June 1st, 2008

In Memory of Bobby

Jeff Greenfield talks about Bobby

 

Robert Kennedy Was An Inspiration

 

 

Clinton Comment Stirs Memories of Covering Robert Kennedy's Visit

 

 

On RFK's Last Journey

A Secret Service agent remembers

 

When Hope Lived

A book review of The Last Campaign and A Time it Was.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Bobby Kennedy news articles

I keep seeing more and more articles talking about this being the 40th anniversary of the death of Bobby Kennedy. More and more people are sharing their memories.

 

Robert Kennedy heckled in Oregon over Gun Controls

This features a reprint of a newspaper article from May 27, 1968, and reading the comments not much has changed in 40 years.

 

Robert Kennedy, May 29, 1968 - 2008. 40 Years Ago, A Look Back

This is the special section of the San Bernadino Sun that I mentioned earlier.

 

RFK in 1968: A Hard Struggle Against Long Odds

 

R.F.K., R.I.P., Revisited

Some memories of 1968.

 

Remembering Bobby Kennedy

A journalist's memories of 1968

 

Robert Kennedy Supporter Recalls Campaign Stop

 

The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy

About the documentary The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy from 2003, which will be aired on CBC Newsworld this Sunday.

 

A Haunting Moment That Won't Go Away

Talks about the book A Time It Was: Bobby Kennedy in the Sixties.

 

RFK in Stockton: 40 Years Ago Today

Saturday, May 24, 2008

RFK Article from the Huffington Post

This is a good post in response to Hilary Clinton's gaffe (something I think has been taken way out of context). One thing about this article, it says Bobby only entered the race after Johnson withdrew. Johnson withdrew on March 31st, Bobby announced on March 16th. I am seeing this mistake more and more. I had to register with the site to comment and won't be able to until tomorrow.

When I watched Bobby Kennedy die

Edit:
I posted to the comments of that article about the error. I spent 15 minutes reading all the comments; there are some wonderful recollections of the night.

Friday, May 23, 2008

A Call for Contributions

The San Bernadino Sun is calling for those who have memories of Bobby's trip to San Bernadino during the 1968 campaign to contribute to their 40th anniversary coverage. It will be published on May 29th.

They are looking for recollections and photographs.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Article for May 20, 2008

Like all admirers of the Kennedy family, I'm very shocked and saddened to hear about Sen. Edward Kennedy being diagnosed with a brain tumour. I hope he can make it through this one...

 

There is only one news article for today. It describes a visit Bobby made to Monterey Park on May 19, 1968.

The Day that Bobby Visited Monterey Park

Saturday, May 10, 2008

News articles, May 10, 2008

 

James Brady has written an analysis of Bobby Kennedy called Miley and Bobby.

An article comparing Obama to Bobby Kennedy and Gary Hart.

An article from the Rocky Mountain News talking about Indiana and the shadow of 1968

A story about the car that RFK was driven around in during the Indiana primary race