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What's Wrong with RFK Jr.'s Voice? A Deep Dive into Vocal Delivery and Public Perception
Introduction:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s (RFK Jr.) prominent role in the public sphere has made his communication style, particularly his voice, a subject of considerable discussion. While his passionate advocacy resonates with many, others find his vocal delivery distracting or even off-putting. This in-depth analysis explores the various facets of RFK Jr.'s voice, examining its perceived flaws, the potential underlying reasons, and the impact on his public image and message. We'll delve into the technical aspects of his vocal delivery, explore potential psychological interpretations, and analyze the broader implications of vocal quality in effective communication. This isn't about judging the man himself, but rather a detailed examination of a highly debated element of his public persona.
1. The Perceived Flaws: A Detailed Breakdown
Many criticisms of RFK Jr.'s voice center around several key aspects:
Monotone and Lack of Modulation: His vocal delivery often lacks the dynamic shifts in pitch and volume that contribute to engaging speech. A monotone delivery can easily lead to listener fatigue and reduced comprehension. The consistent pitch makes it challenging for the listener to follow his train of thought and emotional cues.
Nasality and Resonance Issues: Some listeners perceive a degree of nasality in his voice, which can sound unpleasant or even strained. This could be due to various factors, including vocal technique, anatomical structure, or even the microphone and recording environment. Lack of proper resonance can also contribute to a thin, weak sound.
Pace and Rhythm: His speech pattern often lacks a natural rhythm and pacing. He can speak too quickly or too slowly, making it challenging to process the information being conveyed. This inconsistent rhythm can disrupt the flow of his speech and make it less engaging.
Vocal Fry and Creakiness: The presence of vocal fry (a low, creaky register) can be distracting and contribute to a perceived lack of professionalism or authority. This vocal quality is increasingly common, particularly among younger generations, but it can be jarring in a formal setting or when delivering serious messages.
2. Potential Underlying Reasons: Exploring the "Why"
Several potential factors could contribute to the perceived flaws in RFK Jr.'s vocal delivery:
Natural Vocal Characteristics: Some aspects of his voice might be simply inherent to his vocal anatomy and physiology. Individual vocal characteristics are diverse, and what some find off-putting, others might find perfectly acceptable.
Stress and Nervousness: Public speaking, particularly under pressure, can significantly impact vocal quality. Stress can lead to increased tension in the vocal cords, resulting in a strained, higher-pitched voice, or even a monotone delivery.
Vocal Technique: Lack of formal vocal training might contribute to the perceived flaws. Proper vocal technique can address issues like nasality, resonance, and breath support, leading to a more resonant and engaging delivery.
Health Factors: Underlying health conditions can influence vocal quality. This might range from minor irritations to more significant vocal cord issues.
Intentional Style: While less likely, it's possible that RFK Jr. consciously cultivates this vocal style, believing it contributes to his overall message or persona. This is unlikely given the predominantly negative feedback.
3. The Impact on Public Perception and Message Reception
The impact of RFK Jr.'s vocal delivery is multifaceted:
Credibility and Authority: A monotone or strained voice can undermine credibility and authority, particularly in serious political discussions. Listeners might perceive a lack of confidence or expertise, leading to a diminished impact of his message.
Audience Engagement: A less engaging vocal delivery can lead to reduced audience engagement. Listeners might find it difficult to stay focused, potentially hindering the successful transmission of his intended message.
Emotional Connection: Effective communication relies on emotional connection. A monotone voice makes it difficult to convey emotion, reducing the effectiveness of persuasive arguments or emotional appeals.
Political Strategy: While unintended, his vocal delivery might unintentionally shape perceptions of his persona and political standing, potentially impacting voter appeal.
4. Lessons Learned and Future Considerations
While it's impossible to definitively state what is "wrong" with RFK Jr.'s voice without a professional vocal assessment, the perceived flaws have clear implications. The discussion highlights the critical role of vocal delivery in effective communication, demonstrating how even the most compelling message can be undermined by vocal challenges. Furthermore, it underlines the importance of vocal training for public figures, emphasizing the need to project confidence, authority, and emotional resonance. For RFK Jr., addressing potential vocal issues could substantially enhance his communication effectiveness.
Article Outline:
Title: What's Wrong with RFK Jr.'s Voice? A Deep Dive into Vocal Delivery and Public Perception
Introduction: Hook, overview of the article's content.
Chapter 1: The Perceived Flaws: A Detailed Breakdown (monotone, nasality, pace, vocal fry)
Chapter 2: Potential Underlying Reasons: Exploring the "Why" (natural characteristics, stress, technique, health)
Chapter 3: The Impact on Public Perception and Message Reception (credibility, engagement, emotional connection, political strategy)
Chapter 4: Lessons Learned and Future Considerations (importance of vocal delivery, vocal training)
Conclusion: Summary of key points and final thoughts.
FAQs:
1. Is there a medical condition affecting RFK Jr.'s voice? There's no publicly available information confirming a specific medical condition impacting his vocal delivery. However, several health factors could potentially influence vocal quality.
2. Could his vocal style be a deliberate choice? This is unlikely, given the largely negative public perception of his vocal delivery.
3. How does his voice impact his political career? His vocal delivery likely impacts his public image and perceived credibility, potentially influencing his voter appeal.
4. Has RFK Jr. ever commented on his voice? Public comments from RFK Jr. directly addressing the criticisms of his voice are rare.
5. Can vocal training improve his vocal delivery? Yes, professional vocal training could significantly improve his resonance, modulation, and overall vocal quality.
6. How does his voice compare to other prominent political figures? Comparing his vocal delivery to others is subjective; however, many find his less engaging than those with stronger modulation and clearer articulation.
7. Are there any psychological explanations for his vocal delivery? While speculative, stress or underlying anxieties could be contributing factors.
8. What specific vocal techniques could help him? Techniques focusing on breath support, resonance, and vocal exercises to improve modulation would be beneficial.
9. Does his voice affect his ability to connect with audiences? His monotone delivery likely hinders his ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level.
Related Articles:
1. The Impact of Vocal Delivery on Political Persuasion: Examines the role of vocal quality in political speeches.
2. Vocal Fry: Is it a Fad or a Vocal Disorder?: Explores the characteristics and potential implications of vocal fry.
3. Public Speaking Anxiety and its Effect on Vocal Quality: Discusses the link between anxiety and vocal delivery.
4. The Science of Effective Communication: A detailed examination of the elements of compelling communication.
5. How to Improve Your Vocal Resonance and Projection: Provides practical tips for improving vocal quality.
6. Analyzing the Communication Styles of Leading Politicians: A comparative study of vocal delivery and communication strategies.
7. The Psychology of Voice Perception: Explores how listeners perceive and interpret different vocal qualities.
8. Vocal Health for Public Speakers: Offers advice on maintaining vocal health and preventing vocal strain.
9. The Power of Voice Modulation in Persuasive Speech: Discusses the importance of vocal variation in persuasive speaking.
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: ''RFK: The Decision to Run in '68'' J.J. Parker, 2013-04-08 Some say Bobby Kennedy would never have become famous if not for JFK, his charismatic brother. Others claim Papa Joe's millions greased the skids for all Kennedy political bids.... RFK died in June 1968, in the midst of a turmoiled presidential election. The controversial sibling of a slain leader, and the head of Democratic opposition to the polarizing president, Lyndon Johnson, RFK perished at his apogee, after winning the California primary, seemingly unstoppably destined for the Democratic nomination. He died during a cruel year marred by corpses of American young men littering Vietnam, and black militants' unrest roiling the U.S. Yet these issues of peace -- in Vietnam and the streets of America -- were his stepping stones toward the presidency. For his candidacy advocated helping the poor, the discriminated against, and those whom the Pentagon tabbed to fight in its place. After RFK's assassination, the war still raged. Watergate would follow. Could a second President Kennedy have prevented those calamities? Could he have extricated America from its foreign quagmire, strengthened civil rights, provided more aid to the unfortunate, and shunned illegal political acts? Delve into this book, and judge: for the past is immutable, but not the future. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: American Values Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., 2018-05-15 With rich detail, compelling honesty, and a storyteller’s gift, RFK Jr. describes his life growing up Kennedy in a tumultuous time in history that eerily echoes the issues of nuclear confrontation, religion, race, and inequality that we confront today. “With emotion and striking detail, RFK Jr. recalls both the private joys and very public pain of his childhood.”— Independent Catholic News In this powerful book that combines the best aspects of memoir and political history, the third child of Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of JFK takes us on an intimate journey through his life, including watershed moments in the history of our nation. Stories of his grandparents Joseph and Rose set the stage for their nine remarkable children, among them three U.S. senators—Teddy, Bobby, and Jack—one of whom went on to become attorney general, and the other, the president of the United States. We meet Allen Dulles and J. Edgar Hoover, two men whose agencies posed the principal threats to American democracy and values. We live through the Cuban Missile Crisis, when insubordinate spies and belligerent generals in the Pentagon and Moscow brought the world to the cliff edge of nuclear war. At Hickory Hill in Virginia, where RFK Jr. grew up, we encounter the celebrities who gathered at the second most famous address in Washington, members of what would later become known as America’s Camelot. Through his father’s role as attorney general we get an insider’s look as growing tensions over civil rights led to pitched battles in the streets and 16,000 federal troops were called in to enforce desegregation at Ole Miss. We see growing pressure to fight wars in Southeast Asia to stop communism. We relive the assassination of JFK, RFK’s run for the presidency that was cut short by his own death, and the aftermath of those murders on the Kennedy family. RFK Jr. also shares his own experiences, not just with historical events and the movers who shaped them but also with his mother and father, with his own struggles with addiction, and with the ways he eventually made peace with both his Kennedy legacy and his own demons. A lyrically written book that provides insight, hope, and steady wisdom for Americans as they wrestle, as never before, with questions about America’s role in history and the world and what it means to be American. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Crimes Against Nature Robert Francis Kennedy, 2004-08-03 A case study of the link between money and political power charges the Bush administration with compromising mainstream America through its proposed changes to environmental laws. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Robert Kennedy Evan Thomas, 2013-02-05 He was Good Bobby, who, as his brother Ted eulogized him, saw wrong and tried to right it . . . saw suffering and tried to heal it. And Bad Bobby, the ruthless and manipulative bully of countless conspiracy theories. Thomas's unvarnished but sympathetic and fair-minded portrayal is packed with new details about Kennedy's early life and his behind-the-scenes machinations, including new revelations about the 1960 and 1968 presidential campaigns, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his long struggles with J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon Johnson. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The DD Group David Marshall, 2005-03-16 I am told that the first two names I recognized as a child were President Eisenhower and Marilyn Monroe. Hopefully, for my parents' sake, this was after I understood who Mama and Daddy were. To be truthful, I'm not at all certain. By the time the newsman interrupted my cartoons on Sunday morning, August 5, 1962, to tell me that Marilyn Monroe had been found dead of an overdose at the age of 36, she had become such a natural part of my daily life that I could not quite grasp the concept of a world where she was not still out there going about her surely incredible life. To even begin to attempt to understand that someone as big as Marilyn Monroe could actually die threw my seven-year-old brain into serious philosophical doubt. I kept a close watch on my parents, my teachers, even my close friends. The way I saw it, if Marilyn Monroe could die, everyone was up for grabs. -author David Marshall, from the introduction to The DD Group: An Online Investigation Into the Death of Marilyn Monroe |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: RFK Jr. Jerry Oppenheimer, 2015-09-22 From New York Times bestselling author Jerry Oppenheimer comes a sensational biography of the son of the legendary Senator and troubled standard bearer of America's most fabled political dynasty. Robert F. Kenned Jr. inherited his assassinated father's piercing blue eyes and Brahmin style, earning a reputation as the nation's foremost environmental activist and lawyer - the toxic avenger - battling corporate polluters. But in this, the most revelatory portrait ever of a Kennedy, Oppenheimer places Bobby Jr., leader of the third generation of America's royal family, under a journalistic microscope. Based on scores of exclusive, candid on-the-record interviews, public and private records, and correspondence, Jerry Oppenheimer paints a balanced, objective portrait of this virtually unaccounted-for scion of the Kennedy dynasty. Like his slain father, the iconic senator and presidential hopeful, RFK Jr. was destined for political greatness. Why it never happened is revealed in this first-ever biography of him. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis Robert F. Kennedy, 2011-04-25 A minor classic in its laconic, spare, compelling evocation by a participant of the shifting moods and maneuvers of the most dangerous moment in human history. —Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. During the thirteen days in October 1962 when the United States confronted the Soviet Union over its installation of missiles in Cuba, few people shared the behind-the-scenes story as it is told here by the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In this unique account, he describes each of the participants during the sometimes hour-to-hour negotiations, with particular attention to the actions and views of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. In a new foreword, the distinguished historian and Kennedy adviser Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., discusses the book's enduring importance and the significance of new information about the crisis that has come to light, especially from the Soviet Union. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: So As I Was Saying . . . Frank Mankiewicz, Joel Swerdlow, 2016-02-16 “I first met Robert Kennedy because I spoke Spanish. I spoke Spanish because the U.S. Army taught me that before sending me to France, Belgium, and Germany to fight Hitler’s Army. This makes complete sense if you are familiar with military bureaucracy.” Such is the trademark wit of Frank Mankiewicz. With his dry sense of humor and self-deprecating humility—despite his many accomplishments—Frank’s voice speaks from the pages of So as I was Saying... in a way that is both conversational and profound. Before he died in 2014 Frank’s fascinating life took him from Beverly Hills to the battlefields of Europe; from the halls of power in Washington D.C. to the far corners of the world. A lifelong student of humanity and mentor to many, including presidents, Frank was a loving father, husband, and friend, and his legacy is will endure for generations. Born into Hollywood royalty but determined to make his own way, Frank served in World War Two, wrote speeches for Robert Kennedy, ran a presidential campaign, carried messages to Fidel Castro, served as president of National Public Radio (helping create Morning Edition), and as regional director for the Peace Corps. Naturally such a long and interesting life gave rise to a myriad of opinions, and Frank was not afraid to share them. In this intriguing, insightful, and often humorous memoir, Frank recalls his favorite memories while sharing his opinions on everything from Zionism to smartphones. Imbued with the personality of one of the twentieth century’s most gifted raconteurs, So As I Was Saying... invokes nostalgia for the past even as it gives hope for the future. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Who REALLY Killed Martin Luther King Jr.? Phillip F. Nelson, 2018-05-01 One of the most infamous and devastating assassinations in American history, the murder of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was also one of the most quickly resolved by authorities: James Earl Ray was convicted of the crime less than a year after it occurred. Yet, did they catch the right person? Or was Ray framed by President Lyndon B Johnson and FBI Director J Edgar Hoover? In Who REALLY Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.?, Phillip F. Nelson explores the tactics used by the FBI to portray Ray as a southern racist and stalker of King. He shows that early books on King’s death were written for the very purpose of “dis-informing” the American public, at the behest of the FBI and CIA, and are filled with proven lies and distortions. As Nelson methodically exposes the original constructed false narrative as the massive deceit that it was, he presents a revised and corrected account in its place, based upon proven facts that exonerate James Earl Ray. Nelson’s account is supplemented by several authors, including Harold Weisberg, Mark Lane, Dick Gregory, John Avery Emison, Philip Melanson, and William F. Pepper. Nelson also posits numerous instances of how government investigators—the FBI originally, then the Department of Justice in 1976, the House Select Committee on Assassinations investigators in 1978 and the DOJ again in 2000—deliberately avoided pursuing any and all leads which pointed toward Ray’s innocence. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Negro Motorist Green Book Victor H. Green, The Negro Motorist Green Book was a groundbreaking guide that provided African American travelers with crucial information on safe places to stay, eat, and visit during the era of segregation in the United States. This essential resource, originally published from 1936 to 1966, offered a lifeline to black motorists navigating a deeply divided nation, helping them avoid the dangers and indignities of racism on the road. More than just a travel guide, The Negro Motorist Green Book stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and resistance in the face of oppression, offering a poignant glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of the African American experience in the 20th century. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Raining in Paradise Barrett McCloud, 2018-04-16 A wayward son encounters his late father's band of brothers. Kindred rebel spirits come together in the turbulent late '60s. A child grows up dreaming of Mars, and of going there. In this collection of 17 short stories, life at its most unexpected and inexplicable unfolds from the foothills of L.A. to the dappled skies of New England, awaiting the unwary. Barrett McCloud is a short-story writer and poet. He resides in Southern California where he is inspired by the incandescent sea but also by the secrets revealed on rare gray days. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Anxious Assassins Keith G. Laufenberg, 2014-12-05 The Anxious Assassins is another attempt at finally finding out the truth of what happened on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. In a 2003 interview, Robert Blakey, the Chief Counsel of the HSCA issued a statement on the CIA: ...I no longer believe that we were able to conduct an appropriate investigation of the CIA and its relationship to Oswald.... We now know that the Agency withheld from the Warren Commission the CIA-Mafia plots to kill Castro. Had the commission known of the plots, it would have followed a different path in its investigation. The Agency unilaterally deprived the commission of a chance to obtain the full truth, which will now never be known. Significantly, the Warren Commission's conclusion that the agencies of the government co-operated with it is, in retrospect, not the truth. The Agency's process could only have been designed to frustrate the ability of the committee in 1976-1979.If you want the real story you'll have to read The Anxious Assassins. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The JFK Assassination James DiEugenio, 2018-05-01 In this updated and revised edition, James DiEugenio dissects the new Oscar-nominated film, The Post, and how it disingenuously represents the Pentagon Papers saga, to the detriment of the true heroes of the operation. The story of the film stems from the failed attempt of Academy Award–winning actor Tom Hanks and producer Gary Goetzman to make Vincent Bugliosi’s mammoth book about the Kennedy assassination, Reclaiming History, into a miniseries. He exposes the questionable origins of Reclaiming History in a dubious mock trial for cable television, in which Bugliosi played the role of an attorney prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for murder, and how this formed the basis for the epic tome. JFK: The Evidence Today lists the myriad problems with Bugliosi’s book and explores the cooperation of the mainstream press in concealing many facts during the publicity campaign for the book and how this lack of scrutiny led Hanks and Goetzman—cofounders of the production company Playtone—to purchase the film rights. DiEugenio then shows how the failed film adapted from that book, entitled Parkland, does not resemble Bugliosi’s book and examines why. This book reveals the connections between Washington and Hollywood, as well as the CIA influence in the film community today. It includes an extended look at the little-known aspects of the lives and careers of Bugliosi, Hanks, and Goetzman. JFK: The Evidence Today sheds light on the Kennedy assassination, New Hollywood, and political influence on media in America. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: "R.F.K. must die!" A history of the Robert Kennedy assassination and its aftermath Robert Blair Kaiser, 1970 |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Was It Murder? Philip L. Rife, 2002-09-06 How did these famous people REALLY die? * Princess Diana * Napoleon Bonaparte * Glenn Miller * Lawrence of Arabia * General George Patton * President Warren Harding * The popular gossip columnist who planned to blow the lid off the JFK assassination * nuclear whistleblower Karen Silkwood * TV's Superman * Marilyn Monroe * presidential advisor Vince Foster * The European prince whose romantic suicide has been immortalized in books, plays and movies * The woman in Ted Kennedy's car at Chappaquiddick * John F. Kennedy, Jr. WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS ABOUT THE DEATH OF THESE AND MANY OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE WILL SURPRISE YOU! |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: JFK and the Unspeakable James W. Douglass, 2010-10-19 THE ACCLAIMED BOOK, NOW IN PAPERBACK, with a reading group guide and a new afterword by the author. At the height of the Cold War, JFK risked committing the greatest crime in human history: starting a nuclear war. Horrified by the specter of nuclear annihilation, Kennedy gradually turned away from his long-held Cold Warrior beliefs and toward a policy of lasting peace. But to the military and intelligence agencies in the United States, who were committed to winning the Cold War at any cost, Kennedy’s change of heart was a direct threat to their power and influence. Once these dark Unspeakable forces recognized that Kennedy’s interests were in direct opposition to their own, they tagged him as a dangerous traitor, plotted his assassination, and orchestrated the subsequent cover-up. Douglass takes readers into the Oval Office during the tense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, along on the strange journey of Lee Harvey Oswald and his shadowy handlers, and to the winding road in Dallas where an ambush awaited the President’s motorcade. As Douglass convincingly documents, at every step along the way these forces of the Unspeakable were present, moving people like pawns on a chessboard to promote a dangerous and deadly agenda. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Forgotten Terrorist Mel Ayton, 2019-05 Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in 1968 seems like it should be an open-and-shut case. Many people crowded in the small room at Los Angeles's famed Ambassador Hotel that fateful night saw Sirhan Sirhan pull the trigger. Sirhan was also convicted of the crime and still languishes in jail with a life sentence. However, conspiracy theorists have jumped on inconsistencies in the eyewitness testimony and alleged anomalies in the forensic evidence to suggest that Sirhan was only one shooter in a larger conspiracy, a patsy for the real killers, or even a hypnotized assassin who did not know what he was doing (a popular plot in Cold War-era fiction, such as The Manchurian Candidate). Mel Ayton profiles Sirhan and presents a wealth of evidence about his fanatical Palestinian nationalism and his hatred for RFK that motivated the killing. Ayton unearths neglected eyewitness accounts and overlooked forensic evidence and examines Sirhan's extensive personal notebooks. He revisits the trial proceedings and convincingly shows Sirhan was in fact the lone assassin whose politically motivated act was a forerunner of present-day terrorism. The Forgotten Terrorist is the definitive book on the assassination that rocked the nation during the turbulent summer of 1968. This second edition features a new afterword containing interviews and new evidence, as well as a new examination of the RFK assassination acoustics evidence by technical analyst Michael O'Dell. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Kevin Costner, America's Teacher Edward Janak, Ludovic A. Sourdot, 2022-02-02 Kevin Costner: America's Teacher examines the role of Costner in educational settings domestically and abroad. Costner’s career over the past 35 years has seen ups and downs: his movies grossed 2 billion dollars in ticket sales worldwide and he has he won/been nominated for several Academy Awards but he also experienced critical and box office failures. Through the films in his oeuvre, Costner has been teaching audiences around the world about the United States--its history, people and culture. Some viewers and scholars recognize this as positive, others as problematic. This book serves as a place for teachers and scholars to explore ways in which Costner may be tapped for research and teaching purposes at all levels of education. It is organized around three large themes: Costner’s baseball films and their connection to Americana; Costner’s films through the more critical lenses of gender and new western scholarship; and Costner’s teaching of teachers, the pedagogical possibilities of his work. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Promise and the Dream David Margolick, 2018-04-03 “A fascinating, elegiac account” of the bond between two of the Civil Rights Era’s most important leaders—from the journalist and author of Strange Fruit (Chicago Tribune). With vision and political savvy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy set the United States on a path toward fulfilling its promise of liberty and justice for all. In The Promise and the Dream, Margolick examines their unique bond, both in life and in their tragic assassinations, just sixty-two days apart in 1968. Through original interviews, oral histories, FBI files, and previously untapped contemporaneous accounts, Margolick offers a revealing portrait of these two men and the mutual assistance, awkwardness, antagonism, and admiration that existed between them. MLK and RFK cut distinct but converging paths toward lasting change. Even when they weren’t interacting directly, they monitored and learned from one another. Their joint story, a story each man took pains to hide during their lives, is not just gripping history but a window into the challenges we continue to face in America. Complemented by award-winning historian Douglas Brinkley’s foreword and more than eighty revealing photos by the foremost photojournalists of the period, The Promise and the Dream offers a compelling look at one of the most consequential but misunderstood relationships in our nation’s history. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Justice Rising Patricia Sullivan, 2021-06-08 A leading civil rights historian places Robert Kennedy for the first time at the center of the movement for racial justice of the 1960sÑand shows how many of todayÕs issues can be traced back to that pivotal time. History, race, and politics converged in the 1960s in ways that indelibly changed America. In Justice Rising, a landmark reconsideration of Robert KennedyÕs life and legacy, Patricia Sullivan draws on government files, personal papers, and oral interviews to reveal how he grasped the moment to emerge as a transformational leader. When protests broke out across the South, the young attorney general confronted escalating demands for racial justice. What began as a political problem soon became a moral one. In the face of vehement pushback from Southern Democrats bent on massive resistance, he put the weight of the federal government behind school desegregation and voter registration. Bobby KennedyÕs youthful energy, moral vision, and capacity to lead created a momentum for change. He helped shape the 1964 Civil Rights Act but knew no law would end racism. When the Watts uprising brought calls for more aggressive policing, he pushed back, pointing to the root causes of urban unrest: entrenched poverty, substandard schools, and few job opportunities. RFK strongly opposed the military buildup in Vietnam, but nothing was more important to him than Òthe revolution within our gates, the struggle of the American Negro for full equality and full freedom.Ó On the night of Martin Luther KingÕs assassination, KennedyÕs anguished appeal captured the hopes of a turbulent decade: ÒIn this difficult time for the United States it is perhaps well to ask what kind of nation we are and what direction we want to move in.Ó It is a question that remains urgent and unanswered. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: All This Marvelous Potential Matthew Algeo, 2021-10-05 In the winter of 1967-68, Robert F. Kennedy, then a US Senator from New York, ventured deep into the heart of Appalachia on what was dubbed a poverty tour. He toured a strip mine, visited one-room schoolhouses and dilapidated homes, and held a public hearing in a ramshackle high school gymnasium. As acting chairman of a Senate subcommittee on poverty, RFK went to eastern Kentucky to gauge the progress of the War on Poverty. He was deeply disillusioned by what he found. Kennedy learned that job training programs were useless, welfare programs proved insufficient, and jobs were scarce and getting scarcer. Before he'd even left the state, Kennedy had determined the War on Poverty was a failure--and he blamed Lyndon Johnson. Robert Kennedy wasn't merely on a fact-finding mission, however; he was considering challenging Johnson for the Democratic presidential nomination, but he needed support from rural white voters to win it. His trip to eastern Kentucky was an opportunity to test his antiwar and antipoverty message with hardscrabble whites. Kennedy encountered deep resentment in the mountains, and a special disdain for establishment politicians. We can't eat your fancy promises, read a large banner that greeted Kennedy at one stop. A month after his visit, RFK officially announced he was challenging Johnson for the Democratic nomination. Four months after his visit, he was murdered. He was 42. All This Marvelous Potential meticulously retraces RFK's tour of eastern Kentucky, visiting the places he visited and meeting with the people he met with. The similarities between then and now are astonishing: vicious, divisive politics; bitter racial strife; economic uncertainty; environmental alarm. Author Matthew Algeo explains how and why the region has changed since Robert Kennedy visited the area in 1968; how and why it hasn't; and why it matters--immensely--for the rest of the country. Kennedy, for all his faults--and there were many--was a politician who gave people hope, and he was unafraid to stand up to a president from his own party. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Bobby Kennedy Larry Tye, 2017-05-09 “A multilayered, inspiring portrait of RFK . . . [the] most in-depth look at an extraordinary figure whose transformational story shaped America.”—Joe Scarborough, The Washington Post NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Soon to be a Hulu original series starring Chris Pine. Larry Tye appears on CNN’s American Dynasties: The Kennedys. “We are in Larry Tye’s debt for bringing back to life the young presidential candidate who . . . almost half a century ago, instilled hope for the future in angry, fearful Americans.”—David Nasaw, The New York Times Book Review Bare-knuckle operative, cynical White House insider, romantic visionary—Robert F. Kennedy was all of these things at one time or another, and each of these aspects of his personality emerges in the pages of this powerful and perceptive biography. History remembers RFK as a racial healer, a tribune for the poor, and the last progressive knight of a bygone era of American politics. But Kennedy’s enshrinement in the liberal pantheon was actually the final stage of a journey that began with his service as counsel to the red-baiting senator Joseph McCarthy. In Bobby Kennedy, Larry Tye peels away layers of myth and misconception to capture the full arc of his subject’s life. Tye draws on unpublished memoirs, unreleased government files, and fifty-eight boxes of papers that had been under lock and key for forty years. He conducted hundreds of interviews with RFK intimates, many of whom have never spoken publicly, including Bobby’s widow, Ethel, and his sister, Jean. Tye’s determination to sift through the tangle of often contradictory opinions means that Bobby Kennedy will stand as the definitive biography about the most complex and controversial member of the Kennedy family. Praise for Bobby Kennedy “A compelling story of how idealism can be cultivated and liberalism learned . . . Tye does an exemplary job of capturing not just the chronology of Bobby’s life, but also the sense of him as a person.”—Los Angeles Review of Books “Captures RFK’s rise and fall with straightforward prose bolstered by impressive research.”—USA Today “[Tye] has a keen gift for narrative storytelling and an ability to depict his subject with almost novelistic emotional detail.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times “Nuanced and thorough . . . [RFK’s] vision echoes through the decades.”—The Economist |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Hope and History William J. vanden Heuvel, 2019-05-15 Hope and History is both a memoir and a call-to-action for the renewal of faith in democracy and America. US Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel presents his most important public speeches and writings, compiled and presented over eight decades of adventure and public service, woven together with anecdotes of his colorful life as a second-generation American, a soldier, a lawyer, a political activist, and a diplomat. He touches upon themes that resonate as much today as they did when he first encountered them: the impact of heroes and mentors; the tragedy of the Vietnam War; the problems of racism and desegregation in America; tackling the crisis in America's prisons; America and the Holocaust; and the plight and promise of the United Nations. Along the way, he allows us to share his journey with some of the great characters of American history: Eleanor Roosevelt, William J. Wild Bill Donovan, President John F. Kennedy and RFK, Harry S. Truman, and Jimmy Carter. Throughout, vanden Heuvel persuades us that there is still room for optimism in public life. He shows how individuals, himself among them, have tackled some of America's most intractable domestic and foreign policy issues with ingenuity and goodwill, particularly under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and those who sought and still seek to follow in his footsteps. He is not afraid to challenge the hatred and bigotry that are an unfortunate but undeniable part of the American fabric. He exhorts us to embrace all the challenges and opportunities that life in the United States can offer. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Averting ‘The Final Failure’ Sheldon M. Stern, 2003 A comprehensive account of the ExComm meetings provides running commentary on the issues and options that were discussed, explaining in accessible terms their specific themes and the roles of individual participants while offering insight into how JFK steered policy makers away from a nuclear conflict. (History) |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Last Campaign Thurston Clarke, 2008-05-27 The definitive account of Robert Kennedy’s exhilarating and tragic 1968 campaign for president—a revelatory history that is especially resonant now After John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Robert Kennedy—formerly Jack’s no-holds-barred political warrior—almost lost hope. He was haunted by his brother’s murder, and by the nation’s seeming inabilities to solve its problems of race, poverty, and the war in Vietnam. Bobby sensed the country’s pain, and when he announced that he was running for president, the country united behind his hopes. Over the action-packed eighty-two days of his campaign, Americans were inspired by Kennedy’s promise to lead them toward a better time. And after an assassin’s bullet stopped this last great stirring public figure of the 1960s, crowds lined up along the country’s railroad tracks to say goodbye to Bobby. With new research, interviews, and an intimate sense of Kennedy, Thurston Clarke provides an absorbing historical narrative that goes right to the heart of America’s deepest despairs—and most fiercely held dreams—and tells us more than we had understood before about this complicated man and the heightened personal, racial, political, and national dramas of his times. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: When Sorrow Comes Melissa M. Matthes, 2021-04-13 Since World War II, Protestant sermons have been an influential tool for defining American citizenship in the wake of national crises. In the aftermath of national tragedies, Americans often turn to churches for solace. Because even secular citizens attend these services, they are also significant opportunities for the Protestant religious majority to define and redefine national identity and, in the process, to invest the nation-state with divinity. The sermons delivered in the wake of crises become integral to historical and communal memory—it matters greatly who is mourned and who is overlooked. Melissa M. Matthes conceives of these sermons as theo-political texts. In When Sorrow Comes, she explores the continuities and discontinuities they reveal in the balance of state power and divine authority following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assassinations of JFK and MLK, the Rodney King verdict, the Oklahoma City bombing, the September 11 attacks, the Newtown shootings, and the Black Lives Matter movement. She argues that Protestant preachers use these moments to address questions about Christianity and citizenship and about the responsibilities of the Church and the State to respond to a national crisis. She also shows how post-crisis sermons have codified whiteness in ritual narratives of American history, excluding others from the collective account. These civic liturgies therefore illustrate the evolution of modern American politics and society. Despite perceptions of the decline of religious authority in the twentieth century, the pulpit retains power after national tragedies. Sermons preached in such intense times of mourning and reckoning serve as a form of civic education with consequences for how Americans understand who belongs to the nation and how to imagine its future. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Carlos Marcello Stefano Vaccara, 2013-11-15 Like getting a pebble out my shoe. New Orleans is the true birthplace of the Sicilian mafia in America. Carlos Marcello controlled organized crime in Louisiana and across the Southeast in the 1950s and '60s. He was untouchable until he met the Kennedy Brothers. Once Robert Kennedy became attorney general, Marcello was deported to Guatemala and swore to seek revenge. It became a duel to the death. Marcello found his patsy, a former marine with a Russian wife. Lee Harvey Oswald was the perfect fall guy but he never pulled the trigger. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Newsweek , 2007 |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Before the Storm Rick Perlstein, 2009-03-17 Acclaimed historian Rick Perlstein chronicles the rise of the conservative movement in the liberal 1960s. At the heart of the story is Barry Goldwater, the renegade Republican from Arizona who loathed federal government, despised liberals, and mocked peaceful coexistence with the USSR. Perlstein's narrative shines a light on a whole world of conservatives and their antagonists, including William F. Buckley, Nelson Rockefeller, and Bill Moyers. Vividly written, Before the Storm is an essential book about the 1960s. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Goddess Anthony Summers, 2013-10-17 The classic, definitive biography of Marilyn Monroe, now updated in the year of the 60th anniversary of the iconic star's death - now a major Netflix film, The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Untold Tapes 'Gets as near to the heart of the mystery as anyone ever will' Guardian More than half a century after her death, Marilyn Monroe is arguably still one of the most famous people in the world. Her life was a contrast of public brilliance and private misery, her death a tragedy suffused by dark questions - about her relations with President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert. Drawing on more than 600 first-hand interviews, Anthony Summers offers the classic, definitive biography of a woman who captivated the world. Marilyn's tragic story is clouded by gossip-reporting more than almost any other. GODDESS, however, delivers new, fully documented yet exciting fact. 'Gets as near to the heart of the mystery as anyone ever will' Guardian 'The fullest factual account of Monroe's life and death we're likely to get' Evening Standard 'The definitive story of the legend' Irish Times 'A remarkable performance...The ghost of Marilyn Monroe cries out in these pages' New York Times |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Victim Matthew Smith, 2011-08-31 Suicide? Or murder? Marilyn Monroe's death in August 1962, apparently a suicide, shocked the world. A Hollywood star, a global icon, why would she have killed herself? Yet the coroner's report stated her death was due to a massive overdose of 47 Nembutal capsules. But what about the discrepancies between the official report and the scene of her death? What about the forensic evidence that went missing shortly after she died? Matthew Smith has constructed a startling new version of events. His interpretation is based not only on the full and true forensic evidence from the time, but also on the tapes that Marilyn made for her psychiatrist in the days and weeks before her death, tapes that portray a woman in full charge of her life and looking forward to a bright, busy, successful future. Forty years after her death, Marilyn remains an icon and a mystery. Matthew Smith's investigation into her death will lead to a new understanding of what really happened on the night of August 5th 1962 and in the weeks leading up to it. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Make Gentle the Life of this World Robert F. Kennedy, 1998 Maxwell Taylor Kennedy read through his father Robert F. Kennedy's speeches, letters, personal journal or daybook, and books about RFK in which his father was quoted to assemble this collection of RFK's ideas. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Bad Blood Jeffrey K. Smith, 2010-11 The tumultuous decade of the 1960s began with promise and hope when John F. Kennedy (JFK) became the youngest elected President in American history. Kennedy's New Frontier promised youthful and dynamic leadership, heading into the latter half of the century. A thousand days into the Kennedy presidency, an assassin's bullets shattered the dreams of an idealistic generation. After the Kennedy assassination, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) was catapulted into the Oval Office, much to the chagrin of JFK's younger brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy. His idyllic life disrupted by fate, RFK viewed Johnson as a petty interloper, who had seized JFK's rightful place in history. Ever fearful that Robert Kennedy would attempt to regain the presidential throne, LBJ's paranoia ultimately compromised his judgment and contributed to his downfall. Bad Blood: Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy, and the Tumultuous 1960s chronicles the personal and political feud between two powerful and controversial twentieth century icons. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Reclaiming Parkland James DiEugenio, 2013-10-01 New foreword by J.F.K. director Oliver Stone Reclaiming Parkland details the failed attempt of Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks and producer Gary Goetzman to make Vincent Bugliosi’s mammoth book about the Kennedy assassination, Reclaiming History, into a miniseries. It exposes the questionable origins of Reclaiming History in a dubious mock trial for cable television, in which Bugliosi played the role of an attorney prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for murder, and how this formed the basis for the epic tome. Author James DiEugenio details the myriad problems with Bugliosi’s book, and explores the cooperation of the mainstream press in concealing many facts during the publicity campaign for the book and how this lack of scrutiny led Hanks and Goetzman—cofounders of the production company Playtone—to purchase the film rights. DiEugenio then shows how the film adapted from that book, entitled Parkland, does not resemble Bugliosi’s book and examines why. This book reveals the connections between Washington and Hollywood, as well as the CIA influence in the film colony today. It includes an extended look at the little-known aspects of the lives and careers of Bugliosi, Hanks, and Goetzman. Reclaiming Parkland sheds light on the Kennedy assassination, New Hollywood, and the political influence on media in America. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: An American Insurrection William Doyle, 2003-01-07 In 1961, a black veteran named James Meredith applied for admission to the University of Mississippi — and launched a legal revolt against white supremacy in the most segregated state in America. Meredith’s challenge ultimately triggered what Time magazine called “the gravest conflict between federal and state authority since the Civil War,” a crisis that on September 30, 1962, exploded into a chaotic battle between thousands of white civilians and a small corps of federal marshals. To crush the insurrection, President John F. Kennedy ordered a lightning invasion of Mississippi by over 20,000 U.S. combat infantry, paratroopers, military police, and National Guard troops. Based on years of intensive research, including over 500 interviews, JFK’s White House tapes, and 9,000 pages of FBI files, An American Insurrection is a minute-by-minute account of the crisis. William Doyle offers intimate portraits of the key players, from James Meredith to the segregationist Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett, to President John F. Kennedy and the federal marshals and soldiers who risked their lives to uphold the Constitution. The defeat of the segregationist uprising in Oxford was a turning point in the civil rights struggle, and An American Insurrection brings this largely forgotten event to life in all its drama, stunning detail, and historical importance. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Anthony Summers Collection Anthony Summers, 2018-04-10 Marilyn, JFK, Hoover: Three provocative works of investigative journalism by a New York Times–bestselling author and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. New York Times–bestselling author Anthony Summers was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for his acclaimed account of the 9/11 attacks, The Eleventh Day. In these three exposés, Summers uncovers the truth behind the myth-making, cover-ups, and lies surrounding the death of Marilyn Monroe, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the career of infamous FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. Goddess: In this “remarkable” New York Times–bestselling biography of the iconic star’s brief life and tragic end, Summers establishes, after years of rumors, that President Kennedy and his brother Robert were both intimately involved with Monroe in life—and in covering up the circumstances of her death (The New York Times). “Convincing evidence of a crude but effective cover-up which was designed to protect Robert Kennedy.” —The Times Literary Supplement Not in Your Lifetime: Updated fifty years after the JFK assassination, Summers’s extensively researched account is comprehensive and candid, shedding new light on Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby in particular, providing “the closest we have to that literary chimera, a definitive work on the events in Dallas” (The Boston Globe). “Fresh and important . . . We rush on through [Summers’s] narrative as if we were reading an artful thriller.” —The New York Times “An awesome work, with the power of a plea as from Zola for justice.” —Los Angeles Times Official and Confidential: This “enthralling” New York Times–bestselling portrait of J. Edgar Hoover plumbs the depths of a man who possessed—and abused—enormous power as the director of the FBI for fifty years, persecuting political enemies, blackmailing politicians, and living his own surprising secret life, haunted by paranoia (Paul Theroux). “An important book that should give us all pause, especially policy makers.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “Summers’ book is not just a history of a single hero-sized hypocrite, it is a history of a vast national delusion.” —The Spectator |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Poison Patriarch Mark Shaw, 2013-10-01 Focusing for the first time on why attorney general Robert F. Kennedy wasn’t killed in 1963 instead of on why President John F. Kennedy was, Mark Shaw offers a stunning and provocative assassination theory that leads directly to the family patriarch, Joseph P. Kennedy. Mining fresh information and more than forty new interviews, Shaw weaves a spellbinding narrative involving Mafia don Carlos Marcello; Jack Ruby (Lee Harvey Oswald’s killer); Ruby’s attorney, Melvin Belli; and, ultimately, the Kennedy brothers and their father. Shaw addresses these tantalizing questions: Why, shortly after his brother’s death, did a grief-stricken RFK tell a colleague, “I thought they would get one of us . . . I thought it would be me”? Why was Belli, an attorney with almost no defense experience (but proven ties to the Mafia), chosen as Jack Ruby’s attorney? How does Belli’s Mafia connection call into question his legal strategy, which ultimately led to the Ruby’s first-degree murder conviction and death sentence? What was Joseph Kennedy’s relationship to organized crime? And how was his insistence that JFK appoint RFK as attorney general tantamount to signing the president’s death warrant? For fifty years, Shaw maintains, researchers investigating the president’s murder in Dallas have been looking at the wrong motives and actors. The Poison Patriarch offers a shocking reassessment—one that is sure to alter the course of future assassination debates. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: Bombshell Mike Rothmiller, Douglas Thompson, 2021-07-08 ‘Bobby called. He’s coming to California. He wants to see me.’ Drawing on secret police files, Marilyn Monroe's private diary and never before published first-hand testimony, this book proves that Robert Kennedy was directly responsible for her death. It details the legendary star's tumultuous personal involvement with him and his brother, President John Kennedy, and how they sought to silence her. The new evidence and testimony is provided by Mike Rothmiller who, as a detective of the Organized Crime Intelligence Division (OCID) of the LAPD, had direct personal access to hundreds of secret LAPD files on exactly what happened at Marilyn Monroe’s Californian home on August 5, 1962. With his training and investigator’s knowledge, Rothmiller used that secret information to get to the heart of the matter, to the people who were there the night Marilyn died – two of whom played major roles in the cover-up – and the wider conspiracy to protect the Kennedys at all costs. There will be those with doubts, but to them, the lawman – who directed international intelligence operations targeting organized crime – says the printed, forensic and oral evidence are totally convincing. He insists: ‘If I presented my evidence in any court of law, I’d get a conviction.’ |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin, 2012-01-03 A searing account of how vaccine opponents have used the media to spread their message of panic, despite no scientific evidence to support them. |
| what s wrong with rfk s voice: The Cuban Missile Crisis in American Memory Sheldon M Stern, 2012-09-05 “Marshals irrefutable evidence to succinctly demolish the mythic version of the crisis . . . sober analysis.” —The Atlantic This book exposes the misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies that have shaped the still dominant but largely mythical version of what happened in the White House during those harrowing two weeks of secret Cuban missile crisis deliberations. More than a half-century after the event, it is surely time to demonstrate, once and for all, that Robert F. Kennedy’s Thirteen Days and the personal memoirs of other ExComm members cannot be taken seriously as historically accurate accounts of the ExComm meetings. This book, from the first historian to listen to and evaluate the White House tapes made during the crisis, does exactly that. “Stern is not alone in questioning the precision of the transcripts offered, but he has made the most painstaking attempt to clarify what was really said and done.” —Journal of American History |
