‘Bobby’ stirs memories of political passion

By David Kranz
Argus Leader

If you are a child of the '60s trying to understand reasons for a controversial war, finding your way through a cultural explosion of ideas, music, literature, then "Bobby" demands your attention.

I don't do movie reviews, and won't start now, but the movie about the night Bobby Kennedy was shot was personal to a lot of people.

Some of it was about my era, my challenges, my passion: politics.

That California primary brought people together for different reasons - but all are part of the same nightmare that ripped apart hopes some people had that Kennedy was someone who had common sense, compassion, someone who would do something about the Vietnam War.

I never saw Kennedy, never voted for him, but 38 years after his assassination, stories still are told, people still longing for someone like him in the White House.

Back home, South Dakotans were grieving like everyone else, wondering why, worried about what next, who next.

Sen. George McGovern knew Kennedy better than anyone in South Dakota.

It was Bobby Kennedy who went to bat, although unsuccessfully, to get him the secretary of agriculture's appointment in John F. Kennedy's cabinet.

It was Bobby Kennedy who called McGovern "the most decent man in the Senate," even suggesting he challenge President Johnson for re-election in 1968.

McGovern says there were similarities between him and Bobby Kennedy.

"I think we both had a passion for people who were poor or sick or hungry or unemployed," McGovern said. "He started off to be a backer of the Vietnam War, but gradually became sharply against it once he realized that war was a mistake."

McGovern knew two Bobby Kennedys.

"He had a reputation of being tough and displayed those qualities when he was protecting his brother, a tough, absolutely loyal defender of John Kennedy."

The other Bobby Kennedy emerged after the president's death, McGovern said. "He went through emotional hell after Jack was killed."

Jackie Kennedy had recommended that Bobby read a collection of Greek tragedies to give him perspective.

"It helped make him become a more compassionate and sensitive person. A lot of that toughness disappeared after the death of his brother. He become more warm-hearted toward people. He knew what suffering was, made him a deeper, more profound human being," McGovern said.

That transformation left the presidential legacy to John Kennedy, but the qualities of the second Bobby Kennedy made him a hero to those who needed compassion and a listening ear.

A natural political bond united Bill Dougherty, a Sioux Falls businessman, and Kennedy. Dougherty had done some work for John F. Kennedy and became Bobby Kennedy's state campaign manager.

"He made you feel like you were part of the campaign. He was a tough guy, but if he liked you he would do anything for you. If he didn't, look out," he said.

Dougherty gave Kennedy something to talk about that primary night June 5, 1968, in South Dakota and California, reading him early results from the Pine Ridge reservation, an overwhelming lead.

The South Dakota infatuation with RFK was contagious. Chuck Brooks of Sioux Falls was 21 at the time, interested in hearing what he had to say. So he went to the Orpheum Theater that May to hear him talk. He took with him his copy of RFK's "To Seek a Newer World."

"I went to hear him speak, and after it was over, I went on stage. As I remember, I was the only one who had the gall to go up there and ask for an autograph. It kind of surprised me, though. It seemed easy. There was no one there asking me what I was doing," Brooks said.

Not long after, Kennedy was shot, and that troubled Brooks.

"And when he died, it was like they were taking something good from us," he said.

When Karen Goodell, now of Omaha, became Codington County chairwoman of the Kennedy for President committee, she wasn't aware of the benefits.

His May 11, 1968, visit to Watertown would involve a trip from the airport to the Watertown Arena.

She was told she would ride with him even though she thought a party elder deserved that honor.

"As we were driving, Bobby saw all of these 4-Hers on horses lining the road. He asked what they were doing. I told him they came to greet him. He had my brother, Lavern Cordell, stop the car so he could get out and thank them," she said.

A few weeks later, Goodell was sitting on her couch at home watching the California primary results when the news came.

"I don't know what it is like to lose a brother, but I felt that night like I had lost a brother," she said. "How could somebody be that cruel?"

A short time later, she made a decision.

"That was the end of my political career."

Arthur Schlesinger Jr. documented Kennedy's life and death, touching on some of the South Dakota events. He noted the irritation of the candidate's staff when he told them he would take his Senate Indian subcommittee to South Dakota not long before the primary.

Kennedy told them: "Those of you who think you're running my campaign don't love Indians the way I do. You're a bunch of bastards."

Twelve years later, his son, Robert Jr., came to South Dakota to campaign for his Uncle Ted Kennedy's presidential candidacy. One of his stops was on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and it made an impression on the late senator's son.

It was his decision to go there.

He knew that is where his dad would have wanted him to be.