Many have posed the "what if" question if JFK had lived, but I haven't seen any about RFK.

In about six weeks, it will be 40 years since Robert Kennedy was assassinated. I was watching a show on his assassination and it got me wondering how/would the USA be different if had not been killed?

It seems like most assume that McCarthy, after losing the California Primary, would have dropped out of the race. Would Kennedy have defeated Nixon? Could Kennedy gotten the US out of Vietnam any sooner than 1973? Would RFK have been a two term president, followed in 1976 by Ted Kennedy? (I guess for that to happen, we'd have to assume he'd be in Washington and not giving Mary Jo a ride that night in 1969.)

I enjoy reading the political banter here and thought this might be something you folks could chew on.

Goodness.

I don't know if RFK would have gotten us out of Vietnam any sooner. I am sure that it would have more seamless, and that chances are we would have not reverted back to Rolling Thunder, and illegal actions in Cambodia.

Things that would have been dramatic improvements at the time:

-The civil rights movement. JFK honestly wanted to get that ball rolling, but he was very conscious of the Southern vote and did not want to piss off his Bible Belt support. Bobby would have had the benefit of LBJ's pissing off the rednecks with the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nixon publicly tolerated at best the Civil Rights movement, we all know he had racial issues himself privately.

-It's safe to say Watergate would have never happened.

And for the record, I do believe that Bobby would have steamrolled Nixon in 1968 ... though the thought of Teddy Kennedy being a President at any point scares me.

This is one of the greatest 'What could have been' questions around.

Bobby was smart, brave and from what I can tell, very charismatic.

Anyone who stood up to La Cosa Nostra and busted the Mob as he did, deserves accolades. And he did it even before Rudy Giuliani.

John, Bobby and Martin. All with us for such a short time and gone within a few years of each other. What a tragedy. It makes me want to cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3QMscDVjTE

Herb

RFK had great support amongst the young but so did McCarthy. They may have cancelled each other out, with Humphrey still winning the nomination. Remember, no one under 21 could vote yet.

I was born several months after the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, so all of what I've wrote is based on my reading/listening to others speak about the late Senator Kennedy. What I find most fascinating about Robert Kennedy was how he changed following the assassination of his brother, the late President John Kennedy. He took on a rather softer edge, mellowed I’m sure by his brother’s murder. You can see it as he took the rostrum at the 1964 Democratic Convention in Atlantic City. The applause went on for 15 minutes. It was a deeply moving moment.

Had he went on to win in Chicago and then in November, 1968, I’m sure he would have hit the ground running. The first priority would have been ending the war in Vietnam. It would have taken a significant period of time to withdrawal several hundred thousand troops from Vietnam. Robert Kennedy was most certainly dovish, but practical considerations need to be made in such monumentally charged situations. He most certainly would have found a way out, probably 2 years from start to finish. I think he would have been more pragmatic than many of his left of center contemporaries on the matter.

Pressing forward on civil rights would have been a huge priority – and at the time – that would have meant greater spending on the domestic side. I’m sure this would have meant expanding the Great Society of LBJ.

It would have been interesting to see who he would have appointed to the Supreme Court, given that Nixon made four appointments to the Court.

I would think that much would be made of developing better relations with the international community, including the third world. It would have been interesting to see what kind of relationship he might have had with then World Bank President Robert McNamara.

With the Soviets, it’s hard to say. Kennedy had a good relationship with Anatoly Dobrynin – perhaps it would have served him well in dealing with the Soviets. I think RFK would have taken a harder line on dealing with the Soviets than some might think.

One thing I don’t think would have happened is the coup in Chile in 1973. Had the US not supported it, I doubt it would have occurred. To, this call into question the role the CIA would have played in the late 1960’s – early 1970’s.

So many other areas, the wars in the Middle East, China, inflation, bussing, affirmative action…

For the record, I’m a HUGE fan of Senator Edward Kennedy. He’s proven him a brilliant legislator and keeper of the torch for which I’m sure his brothers would be most proud.

Wow, imagine a world where Watergate never occurred.

This alone boggles the mind.

.....HUGE fan of Senator Edward Kennedy. He’s proven him a brilliant legislator.....

Too entrenched in the system and out of touch with the average working stiff. Believes that the government can solve all the ills of the little people through implemetation of social programs.....

....HUGE fan of Senator Edward Kennedy. He’s proven him a brilliant legislator.....

Pardon me while I puke.

Agreed, Roger.

Both Jack and Bobby were men for the people. Their charisma, the way they conducted business ... especially Bobby, whom I feel would have been a brilliant President.

Teddy Kennedy is the established, special-interest fed old school that we honestly need to get rid of. There's no doubting his intelligence, but he really could have learned a LOT from his older brothers.

Today I'm going to be PC on this one:

Teddy Kennedy unfortunately doesn't share many of his brothers' better attributes.

Herb

....HUGE fan of Senator Edward Kennedy. He’s proven him a brilliant legislator.....

Only if you own a liquor store or a still.

Hey, I was thinking of developing a car that floats. Think he'd be interested in buying one?

Drat...Someone beat me to it!
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/autos/columnists.nsf/oldcarcolumn/story/7501B9E 9F3C9A2538625710300638B46?OpenDocument

How about William McKinley?

This is laughable. Whether you like it or not, Ted Kennedy has been one of the most effective legislators in Congress. He may be a drunk, an adulterer, a playboy; you can throw the kitchen sink at him. But hating Ted Kennedy isn’t anything unusual. I’m used to hearing it – especially from people ignorant of the facts. Less successful politicians and Republican Party pols have tried to use the “I Hate Teddy” card for years. And why do they hate him? He must be doing something right to engender such visceral disdain by the opposition. Why was Nixon so obsessed with Ted Kennedy? He spent nearly his entire presidency trying to find ways to discredit him. In the end, who resigned in disgrace – sure as hell wasn’t Ted Kennedy.

If you read the truth about Ted Kennedy, the facts are clear. He’s one of the most highly regarded members of the US Senate. Just ask one of his closest friends in the US Senate, Orrin Hatch of Utah. And if you ask anyone with knowledge of the workings of the Senate and compare the three Kennedy brothers work in the body, Ted Kennedy’s name always come out on top as the most astute legislator of the bunch.

Puke all you want, the facts are the facts.

I consider this my Herb moment, given Herb’s nearly unqualified support of Richard Nixon. If Herb can come to the defense of the only man to resign the presidency in disgrace, then I sure as heck can defend Senator Edward Moore Kennedy.

For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die – Edward Moore Kennedy.

I'll drink to that!

When comparing him with his brothers Joe, Bobby or John, Ted Kennedy is a disappointment, even though their lives were so much shorter.

Herb

Unlike his brothers, Ted Kennedy murdered his pregnant girlfriend.

May not have been premeditated, but at least it is negligent homicide.

Defend that.

He was cleared of charges, wasn't he? How long do you want to hound the guy? Don't we all have a life to live?

Murdered his pregnant girlfriend? By what court of law for murdering his pregnant girlfriend was he charged and convicted? Where did the trial take place, on planet Mars? Can you provide me a link to the trial transcript?

At least Ted Kennedy doesn't have the responsibility for over 4000 flag draped coffins to deal with...

Sure he was cleared of the charges.

For two reasons.

1 - He's rich and can buy his way out of anything.

2 - He's a Kennedy.

Edit Add: Don't we all have a life to live?

Yes we do. And had we done what he did, you or I would be living it out in prison.

Skybill, Don't forget Laura Bush was cleared of doing the same thing.

Whoa. What if they'd been federal prison "pen"-pals and then later married? Hmmm. It could happen.

Yes we do. And had we done what he did, you or I would be living it out in prison.

Why isn't Laura Bush???

John McCain is proving once again why he shouldn’t be president. His answer to the problem, medical savings accounts. The same solution George Bush has been touting for years. In the end, these medical savings accounts do absolutely nothing to control the skyrocketing costs of health care in this country.

I would love to see the free market come up with a solution to this mess, but “the free market” has done nothing short of making the crisis worse. Year after year, health care costs rise well above the rate of inflation. Rather than seeking a workable solution, they dump hundreds of millions of dollars into the campaign coffers of politicians and advocacy groups who sabotage any effort at reform.

If we are going to get real reform, then the insurance lobby, the hospital lobby, the AMA and the pharmaceutical giants all need to get onboard and take some responsibility for finding a way to help rein in costs or the current structure is going to implode. The only people left to benefit from the current structure will be government employees, the rich, poor children and the elderly.

Private industry took on the challenge of paying for its employees health care many years ago, but given the current business climate, why should they continue? Companies need to be competitive and to be forced to spend more and more on health care as their global competitors are largely immune from paying for such a benefit.

In a perfect world, I’d love to see universal coverage for all Americans. This I doubt will happen. But one thing is certain; the current structure is deeply flawed, and if not repaired soon, will collapse under its own costly weight.

LOL -- wrong thread. Sorry.