The 82 days that Could Have Changed the World

"Together we can make ourselves a nation that spends more on books than on bombs, more on hospitals than the terrible tools of war, more on decent houses than military aircraft.”


Speaking of good books, I just read this book called "The last Campaign" about RFK.

His invisible presidency, the presidency that never was but could be, holds so much promise. Its really really sad to see how his assassination affected people close to him during the campaign.

               Its one of those tearjerker ones except your crying at the beginning instead of the end (weird I know). It may be a bit top heavy on the sepia toned idealistic imagery but that is an acknowledged bias for sure. I am now officially a convert from JFK to RFK in the pantheon of famous dead white men. He was sooo idealistic and he actually tried to change america with his idealism. Now thats walking the walk instead of just talking the (hot air) talk of most politicians. RFK stood up for and talked about topics like poverty, starvation, class inequality in America.

                 No need to go gallivanting to a third world country to do good (not saying that you shouldn't but don't assume that america has no third-world problems); there are people who are living third world conditions right HERE in AMERICA... He told Americans what they should hear, not sparing their feelings, but the cold hard truth. Its like when someone sits you down and tells you the painful truth, a truth you've been avoiding, but need to hear. He also amazingly was passed the torch of the Civil rights movement/african american political concerns (at least that's what I understood from the reading) after the death of MLK.

                     The worse and most haunting part is that he knew he was going to die soon. As each day slipped by, he probably breathed a sigh of relief that he managed to survive one more day. He also was terribly aware of this, once telling an aide/friend that "Guns stood between him and the White House."

Basically go read the book. You won't regret it. And it gets good reviews too! http://www.observer.com/2008/citizen-kennedy?show=all

I think he was a genius politician, and he did have flaws for sure. It would be interesting to get responses on those who were old enough to remember RFK and his 82 days that set America on fire. ugh, just reading the beginning is enough for an attack of the weepies. Too much nostalgia.