40 Years Later: RFK's Daughter Reflects

Plus40 Years Later: RFK's Daughter Reflects40 Years Later: RFK's Daughter ReflectsThe Associated PressThe eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy reflects on the legacy of her father, 40 years after his assassination. (June 4)40 years after his assassination, the eldest daughter of Robert Kennedy says the country is still grappling with many of the issues that deeply concerned him in 1968.(SOT: KATHLEEN KENNEDY TOWNSEND/DAUGHTER OF RFK)(12;29:46) MY FATHER SAID GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT HUGE ISSUES TO RESOLVE. WE'VE GOT A TERRIBLE WAR. WE'VE GOT ISSUES OF DISPARITIES IN WEALTH WHERE THE RICH ARE GETTING RICHER AND THE MIDDLE CLASS IS SUFFERING. THESE ARE POLICY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY WE ARE. ARE WE GOING TO LISTEN?Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was 16 when her father was gunned down in a Los Angeles hotel--as he celebrated his win in the California Democratic presidential primary. In an Associated Press interview, she didn't want to talk about the emotions surrounding the death of her father--but she did talk about a letter he wrote to her on the day of President John F. Kennedy's funeral.(SOT: KKT)(12:23:09) AS THE OLDEST OF THE KENNEDY GRANDCHILDREN YOU HAVE A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY. BE KIND TO OTHERS AND WORK FOR YOUR COUNTRY. LOVE DADDY. AND NOW IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND I'VE BEEN WITH MANY MANY VICTIMS OF CRIME, LOVE AND COMPASSION AND WORKING FOR THE COUNTRY ARE NOT THE FIRST REACTION. PEOPLE ARE OFTEN BITTER AND ANGRY AND REVENGEFUL AND MAD AT THE WORLD AND WHAT HE WAS PASSING ON TO ME WAS A SENSE OF WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD. WE HAVE TO BE COMPASSIONATE TOWARD OTHERS AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY.Robert Kennedy ran for senate in New York the year after his brother John was killed. Kennedy-Townsend says her father didn't have the natural political gifts of her uncle.(SOT: KKT)(12:20:50) I REMEMBER AS A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING HIM PRACTICE OVER AND OVER IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR AND HE WAS TREMBLING. I MEAN IT WASN'T EASY. WHEN HE RAN FOR SENATE IN 1964 IT WAS HARD FOR HIM SOMETIMES TO GET OUT HIS SENTENCES AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED. NOW HE DEFINITELY GOT BETTER. BUT IT WASN'T EASY FOR HIM TO DO. Kennedy Townsend who served eight years as Maryland's Lieutenant Governor says her father would be very pleased with the 2008 presidential campaign--and the huge number of new voters who've participated in the process. She says he pushed very hard to make the Voting Rights Act of 1965 a priority.(SOT: KTT)(12;21:53) THE MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE POWER, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT OUR POLITICS WOULD REFLECT THE COMMON GOOD, NOT JUST THE PRIVATE INTEREST OF THE FEW WHO GET ELECTED. The Kennedy family will hold a mass at Arlington National Cemetary to mark the 40th anniversary of R-F-K's death. ___ ___, The Associated Press.

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[Diabolous3x]

politicians have never ever since been able to attain or emulate the valor, leadership and vision that the kennedy's showed their people... american rights and freedoms have been going down hill ever since ... ode to orwellian utopia

[DarkLadyAthena1]

you are right daibolu

[vechorik]

She attacks Rick Perry's prayer day. Townsend, who is a supporter of legal abortion and a Catholic, doesn’t mention abortion anywhere in her piece about Perry’s ignorance of moral matters. Is she having a "who owns God" contest?

[GWhiz99]

The eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy--Kathleen Kennedy TownSEND--was 6th Lieutenant Governor of MARYLAND and preceded in the post by Melvin A. Steinberg (b. 1933). Unrelated to "Old World" rules; genital ray beam attack; "sending by you" to TOWN; or 246-62-0093: Steinberg shares an OCT. 4 birthday with MLB player Andrew Robert Drew STUBbs (b. 1984). STUBbs, like OPENLY GAY comedienne ELlen DeGENERes spent part of his youth in ATLANTA, TX (Cass County: also has Avinger, Bloomburg, Queen City)

[08dukeduke]

I wonder if Ethel knows the truth behind all this. Any reporter ever interviewed her about thus assassination???

[themeaningoflife38]

3 cia agents were photographed & caught on film at the scene of RFK's murder.One top cia assassin even bragged years later about they got both Kennedys.Had RFK became President he would have had the authority to do a REAL investigation of JFK's murder."Someone" wasnt about to allow that to happen.

[themeaningoflife38]

@mity15 Nixon was a puppet for Prescott Bush check it out

[mity15]

Why did he have to die so young he had so much to offer and I dear say the world would have been a different place if he had become president instead of the pig Nixon.

[Diabolous3x]

i'm not american btw, i am a political scientist and follow politics of most major countries... we'll see what obama will bring to the table, so far so good... stem cell ban lifting was fantastic... next he should legalise gay marriages.... heart, understanding and tolerance, if he can show the world that america can still be humble and loving, you might beget some redemption from previous presidents' shortcoming, ego and greed - "cough, nixon" "cough, everyone else after jfk"

[Diabolous3x]

u don't get it mate, if we're chanting orwellian utopia we're lamenting the orwellian utopia to come... and if u'v read "ninteen eighty-four" you'll knwo what i mean

[mafaldacrumbwitty]

There was no such thing as an Orwellian utopia

[flatsignedbooks]

no Obama for you? (not voting for him)