“Bobby Kennedy was a personal hero to a multitude of Americans... They loved him as a fellow patriot who believed a great country could also be a good one.”
I’m Mark Martin with "Martin’s Must Reads" and with this quote from the dust jacket of Chris Matthew’s book Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit the stage is set for the story of a passionate son from one of America’s most well known families.
Bobby Kennedy’s life began in the shadow of his two older brothers, Joe Jr. and John. Separated from them by age and the family mantra of exalting the oldest son above all else, he neither knew his brothers nor cared for them. It was while seeking his own place in life that John asked him to head his first campaign for Congress. From that point forward his life became ever more intertwined with his brother John. For President Kennedy, Bobby became not just the trusted younger brother, but the President’s most trusted advisor.
When he was no longer in the shadow of his fallen brother, Bobby Kennedy became his own person with his own passions. In a speech after the death of Martin Luther King he said, “What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country—whether they be white or they be black.”
In today’s world of factions, tribalism and the desire to destroy your opposition read Chris Matthew’s book Bobby Kennedy and read about a man who had what is rare today: political bravery and moral courage.
