Robert F. Kennedy - Early Career to 1960 Convention

Supporting his older brother Jack (before and after JFK’s election to the U.S. Senate), Bobby Kennedy was known to say:  “I don’t care if anyone around here likes me, as long as they like Jack.”

But during his early days in Washington, RFK also made a career for himself as chief counsel to the Senate’s “Rackets Committee.” He went after whomever he thought was evil in America.  He especially went after Jimmy Hoffa, then head of the Teamsters.  Bobby was hard-nosed, tough and sometimes sneering in his cross-examinations.

The Kennedy brothers caught the attention of the national press and were featured in the country’s magazines.  Bobby was finding his own way - until Jack decided, in 1959, to run for President.  RFK put aside his own desires, and his own career path, to support his brother.

During the 1960 Democratic convention, Bobby worked the floor to make sure that his brother would win the nomination for president.  He did - on the first ballot.

There was one key political issue, however, on which the Kennedy brothers disagreed: Who should be vice president?  Believing he could not win without the support of someone from the South, Jack selected Lyndon Baines Johnson (from Texas).

It was a choice with which Bobby disagreed, and Lyndon knew it.  The two men never really got past their resentment of each other.

Credits

From RFK, a film produced by David Grubin and aired on PBS’ American Experience.

Clip is from “The Garish Sun,” the first hour of the program.

Written and Directed by David Grubin

Produced by David Grubin and Sarah Colt

Narrated by Blair Brown

Music by Michael Bacon