Chris, I have conflicted feelings about RFK. 1968 was a momentous year for the USA, and for me personally. I was a big Eugene McCarthy backer. He was a man who could talk sense, a rarity in politics. I was so inspired that I decided to run for County Committeeman in Bergen County NJ, where I lived at the time. I was 25 at the time. The position is elected by registered Democrats in an election precinct, a low level party officer. I ran against an entrenched, do-nothing party hack, and I won.
Mind you, this was the same year that MLK was assassinated, and riots broke out in the cities. The anti-war movement was fierce, as was the reaction to it. McCarthy was leading the charge, and Bobby was holding back, waiting to see how the primaries were going. When he saw McCarthy was doing well, he threw his hat in the ring. Many of us felt betrayed, and felt his glamour and name were superficial compared to McCarthy. Fast forward to the California primary, and I watched in awe as RFK made his victory speech. It was convincing. I was beginning to come around to believe in him when that awful shot rang out in California.
And after that the Chicago convention...it was a year I’ll never forget. This is how I remember it.
Chris, I have conflicted feelings about RFK. 1968 was a momentous year for the USA, and for me personally. I was a big Eugene McCarthy backer. He was a man who could talk sense, a rarity in politics. I was so inspired that I decided to run for County Committeeman in Bergen County NJ, where I lived at the time. I was 25 at the time. The position is elected by registered Democrats in an election precinct, a low level party officer. I ran against an entrenched, do-nothing party hack, and I won.
Mind you, this was the same year that MLK was assassinated, and riots broke out in the cities. The anti-war movement was fierce, as was the reaction to it. McCarthy was leading the charge, and Bobby was holding back, waiting to see how the primaries were going. When he saw McCarthy was doing well, he threw his hat in the ring. Many of us felt betrayed, and felt his glamour and name were superficial compared to McCarthy. Fast forward to the California primary, and I watched in awe as RFK made his victory speech. It was convincing. I was beginning to come around to believe in him when that awful shot rang out in California.
And after that the Chicago convention...it was a year I’ll never forget. This is how I remember it.
Wow, thanks for this. I love the story of you winning an election; I never knew that.
Undoubtedly, Bobby weighed his options and went for it when the risk was low - LBJ no running, the anti-war movement gaining momentum, etc.
I'll completely admit to being swept up in the "what could have been" mindset of Bobby.
Not a Bobby fan over here...!
There are plenty of reasons not to be!