In the 1960’s two moments forever changed the course of history in America. November 22nd 1963, John Fitzgerald Kennedy also known as “JFK” or “Jack,” the 35th President of the United States was assassinated. 5 year later on June 6th 1968, a still mourning brother, senator of New York, and presidential candidate, Robert Francis Kennedy, also known as “RFK” or “Bobby,” was also assassinated.
These two slain brothers lead very prominent lives before their death. Many consider both of them as two of the greatest speakers of all time. Both men hold sports on AmericanRhetoric.com for greatest speeches on all time. These two men, from the same family, led lives that at points intertwined, eventually leading them to become the brothers that the country knew.
JFK was the Ambassadors son who went into the national spotlight when his boat was sank in World War II. He then went on to become a Congressman and a Senator. His fame and popularity was not quite as high as RFK’s was when RFK decided to run for the same office.
RFK was known as the man who served closely as Attorney General and confidant to his brother, the then President of the United States, when JFK was in some of his most difficult situations, a leader in mourning for the nation when his brother was assassinated, as well as a prominent figure for the Civil Rights Movement.
However to compare these two people on the same playing field that is the life, would be unfair. If one were to compare them as speakers, one would need to compare each man in similar situations. Looking at their lives next, one point, one speech could be determined as the most similar. Looking at each Presidential Announcement, you learn that each follows similar patterns.
Both men use their previously earned credibility, related their political career to other prominent men in time, and warned the nation of things to come in upcoming years. From looking at each of these points, as well as others, you learn that while JFK used many techniques to convey how he wanted the crowd to view him and his political method, RFK used those same techniques, but pushed it a step further. Leaving out JFK as a President, and the notoriety that comes with that and comparing these two men as just speakers and not the life they led, Robert Kennedy was indeed an overall better speaker.
To understand each mans rhetoric, you must first understand the lives the led, and the points in the lives that were reflected in their rhetoric. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the then Senator from Massachusetts ran against Richard Nixon in the 1960 Presidential election. JFK, who was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy in 1917, was the second eldest in the Kennedy family. JFK attended the Choate Preparatory school as a teenager, a private school for elite boys designed to help prepare students for college. Following a brief battle with colitis, JFK Graduated from Choate in 1935 voted by his peers most likely to become President.
In October 1935, JFK then attended Princeton for a brief time before being sidelined an observed with possible leukemia. The following year in October he began attending Harvard University. His father’s political career allowed him to travel the world and see many things, including the impending war. Kennedy began to express his world views in his first thesis “Appeasement in Munich.” Shortly after completing the thesis, JFK graduated cum laude with a degree in International Affairs. Joseph Kennedy urged JFK to publish his thesis, JFK obliged and the thesis went on to become a best seller entitled “Why England Slept.”
Kennedy took business classes at Stanford before traveling with his father and helping him finish his memoirs of his time as ambassador. In the Spring of the same year, 1941, JFK joined the military and served for the Navy during World War Two. JFK was rejected by the army due to his poor health and aching back. JFK gained national attention when his boat was attacked while on patrol. Despite the fact he was thrown onto his hurt back, JFK helped another injured man reach shore. JFK was given several medals including the Purple Heart. Though later he said that he never deserved the medals because, “They sank my ship, and I get a medal.” Following his older brother Joe’s death during the war, the family’s political ambitions were thrust onto him.
JFK ran for the vacant seat in the Congress and won by a large number in a primarily democratic district. Following a period serving in Congress he went on to run for the Senate. JFK while officially being a member of the Senate, married Jacqueline, and had several spinal surgeries. While recovering he wrote “Profiles in Courage.” This book was about senators who stood by their principals. Many claim that this was driven by Kennedy’s own actions while in congressional office. Kennedy often times voted against the large democratic numbers in favor of Harry Truman.
JFK announced on January 2nd 1960 that he would run for the Democratic nomination for the 1960 election. JFK went on to deliver another speech on the 14th of January on what he felt the presidency entailed. At this time in the country, Eisenhower was being forced from office due to the 22nd amendment; JFK claimed that he must jumpstart America’s economy. He made claims that Eisenhower was a “do nothing president,” this idea stuck with Eisenhower after the loss of Richard Nixon, who was Eisenhower’s successor.
JFK’s felt his goal was to connect with the people of the country and unite. This feeling was a strong factor in his decision to run for President. His ideas about the Civil Rights movement perhaps differed from others, with JFK wanting to unite the races. Despite his intention to help in the movement, this hurt his presidential race, losing several southern states in the race. JFK went on to win in the 1960 election by the closest margin in history.
His short presidential career featured both success and failure. JFK suffered through Vietnam and the failed Bay of Pigs event, mentioned as emerging nations in his announcement for the presidency. The Cuban Missile Crisis which he predicted and mention in his Presidential announcement as the burdensome arms race. Also mentioned in his announcement was the stature of American science and education, in other words, the Space Race. JFK Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd 1963 in Dallas, Texas. These moments, along with the relationship that JFK and RFK had, gave rise to RFK’s political aspirations.
Robert Francis Kennedy had many similarities to his brother, but was also very different. He attended some of the finest schools in the country. Graduating from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts in Government, he went on to gain his Law Degree at the University of Virginia school of Law. In 1951 RFK went on a trip throughout Asia with his older brother JFK and they spent 7 weeks together.
This trip created the relationship between the brothers that the country came to know. Before this trip, JFK and RFK never had an extremely close relationship. RFK was much younger than JFK and often ran in different crowds. JFK was the man who had the looks, the athletic ability, and got the girls. RFK was seen as the runt of the family. With the eight year gap in their age, JFK was off to college before RFK was even ten. After the trip and the extended amount of time they spent together they forged the relationship that was seen when JFK ran for office in 1960.
RFK worked as a lawyer investigating alleged Soviet agents in the United States for the Department of Justice. In 1952 RFK began working on his Brothers Senate campaign. RFK than began working on the Senate Rackets Committee in which he squared off with Jimmy Hoffa. He once again resigned his office to work on his brother election, this time for President.
Following JFK’s election, RFK went on to become the Attorney General of the United States and one of JFK’s closest aides and confidants. JFK through his entire presidency used RFK as a moral compass and advisor. RFK took a hard stance against organized crime during this time.
However more important than the attorney general position as well as his fight against crime was RFK’s crusade for equal rights. RFK worked to convince his brother of the benefits of the Civil Rights Movement. He worked closely with Martin Luther King and convinced JFK to allow the masses to congregate in Washington for the “Civil Rights March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.”
Following JFK’s assassination, a grief stricken RFK helped Lyndon Johnson push through the 1964 Civil Rights Bill and resigned as Attorney General. This moment allowed RFK to amass his greatest following in his presidential election, African American voters. He further gained admiration and respect from African American voters for his heart felt spur of the moment eulogy for King after his assassination. 60 cities rioted after the assassination of King, one of them not being Indianapolis, the city in which the eulogy was delivered.
The extreme feud between RFK and Lyndon Johnson forced RFK to leave the position of attorney general. RFK went on to become Senator of New York. Johnson gave support to RFK in his race for senate. However many see this as a ploy to keep Johnsons polls up, knowing that the African American voters supported RFK, and thus Lyndon.
During JFK’s presidency, RFK was torn on what to do with Southeast Asia. Should America keep troops in Vietnam, like his brother had placed years before, or should America remove those troops? RFK always supported his brother’s decisions in Vietnam even following his death. Lyndon Johnson escalated troops in Vietnam on the stance that it was what JFK would have wanted. RFK denied that the large amount of ground troops in Vietnam was not exactly what JFK wanted. RFK as well as Martin Luther King spoke out against Vietnam as part of human rights in 1967.
In January of 1968 RFK had decided not to run for the presidency in 1968 however despite his original claim that he would not run, the events of the Tet-Offensive, he changed his mind and announced his candidacy on March 16th 1968. Much like his brother, RFK quickly followed this announcement up with a platform on his idea of the presidency. In his announcement, RFK claims that he seeks new policies. He speaks of the “crisis in gold, our cities, our farms and ghettos.” Announcing his intentions in all of these fields and groups. RFK spoke to the American people across the country; He spoke to the rich, the all Americans, the average families and the poor families.
RFK won a close primary battle against Eugene McCarthy in California. This victory set up RFK as the favorite for the White House in the 1968 election. However, after his victory in California, RFK delivered his last speech before being shot, in which he reiterates the joining of sides on all issues in which he states his famous words:
“We can work together in the last analysis. What has been going on in the United States in the past three years, the divisions the violence, the disenchantment with out society, between blacks and whites, the poor and more affluent, between age groups or the war in Vietnam, we can start to work together. We are a great country, a selfless country and a compassionate country.” These famous words were his last in the early hours of June 5th 1968. In his final words he reiterated what he had been preaching since his announcement; the union between all groups for a better nation. He died only a day later.
The Kennedys, despite the fact that they were covered in controversy, were admired by the average American. JFK was able to keep us clear of nuclear disaster during the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK and RFK’s fight against organized crime, and RFK’s continual push towards civil rights, continues to keep JFK ranked as one of the best presidents of all time. RFK is seen to have as much if not more potential as president than his brother. RFK portrayed himself as a man of the people; he showed this during his presidential campaign.
The next step in analyzing these two rhetors would be to look at each speech individually. JFK begins his announcement for his presidential by listing off everything that needs to be done in the new decade. He arranges this list in a way that represented his presidency following the election. In his announcement JFK explains many things that will be faced in the 1960 election. JFK states: “For it is in the Executive Branch that the most crucial decisions of this century must be made in the next four years--how to end or alter the burdensome arms race, where Soviet gains already threaten our very existence--how to maintain freedom and order in the newly emerging nations--how to rebuild the stature of American science and education.”
These things were the first three issues he drew attention upon as well as huge points during his presidency. He claimed that they must look to control the arms race (the arms buildup in America,) maintain freedom in newly emerging nations (Cuba,) and rebuild the stature of American science (Space Race.)
Kennedy uses his credibility, showing the nation that he prepared for this presidential election. JFK states that he, “toured every state in the Union and that he feels that he can win the democratic nomination as well as the general election” The purpose of this was to two sided. First it was to show that he has reached out to every state north and south in efforts to gain understanding of the country. Kennedy was very popular in the north among Democrats but not in the south. Despite Kennedy’s lack of popularity in the south, Lyndon Johnsons an extreme favorite in those same states. Second was to instill confidence in the nation that he indeed was prepared and ready for the presidency.
In the final part of his announcement he further backs up his credibility as a strong candidate who has always served his nation. “For 18 years, I have been in the service of the United States, first as a naval officer in the Pacific during World War II and for the past 14 years as a member of Congress.” He does several things in this small quote. He relates not only himself as a hero for serving, but also serving during Americas Great War. Americans still looking so fondly upon the time needed to make the world free of evil. He also shows his experience by stating that he has been in Washington for 14 years, he knows what it takes to be President.
JFK creates the persona of a savior of the country in a time of need. He begins this by using language that creates not only fear of what could happen, but the possibilities of what he could bring to the country. He states initially that, “the Presidency of the United States is the most powerful position in the free world.” This allows the audience to realize what this man could do with the power. He continues by claiming that “all Americans must make their fateful choice for their future.” This allows the audience to realize that if they make the wrong decision it could be disastrous, and that it is their choice to make. He follows that up by saying that he has, “developed an image of America as fulfilling a noble and historic role as the defender of freedom in a time of maximum peril.” JFK states that he knows what could happen to America if the plan that he has created is not realized, America could fall into horrible situations.
JFK pads his persona by relating himself to someone else that brought the country great times, “I believe that the Democratic Party has a historic function to perform in the winning of the 1960 election, comparable to its role in 1932.” With his relation to Franklin Roosevelt, one of the most prominent Democrats, he puts his own name next to his, not to compare, but to allow the audience to remember that Roosevelt brought us into a prosperous time and he wants to do the same. Inherently people will then begin to think of Roosevelt when thinking of Kennedy, with high hopes, creating credibility by association.
Eight years after his brother announced his intentions to run for President, RFK decided to run for the same position. RFK who had a background in the public spotlight more so than his brother (who only had brief moments national spotlight for his military highlights and local spotlight for his role in congress and the senate), used his earned credibility in his announcement for president. He states that, “No one knows what I know about the extraordinary demands of the presidency.” RFK running so close to the time his brother was in office, allows people to remember what he and his brother had done.
RFK continued to use he credibility and his time in the White House by listing off important events that he had been a part of: “The National Security Council during the Cuban Test Ban Treaty, the Berlin crisis of 1961 and 1962, and later the negotiations of Laos.” Lyndon Johnson, the President since JFK assassination in 1963, was controlling an extremely unpopular war to the public.
RFK explained what he felt had to be done, without even ever being in office. He also mentions Laos because many were upset about the state of Vietnam and the Tet-Offensive. Many related the name Laos to the death toll in Vietnam due to the overflows of conflict from Vietnam into Laos.
Later RFK states that he has tried to get us out of Vietnam “before it further saps our spirit and our manpower, further raises the risks of wider war, and furthers destroys the country and the people it was meant to save.” Looking at this quote he is talking to three groups of people. First the worriers about the economic and social aspect of war. RFK claimed that continuing the war in the course that America was on, would tap our military capabilities, which America was known for. Secondly the people with fear of wider war at a time of global conflict between American interests and Soviet interests. A conflict in Vietnam could boil over in escalations in China and eventually the Soviet Union, which would lead to nuclear war. Finally the people still thinking the war in Vietnam is a good thing, RFK explains that at the point they were at in 1968, America was hurting the Vietnamese people more than if they were not there.
RFK in the beginning of his announcement states that, “I run because I am convinced that this country is on a perilous course and because I have such strong feelings about what must be done, and I feel that I’m obliged to do all that I can.” He comes immediately out and says he is here to help the country onto the right track; this was his persona, a man of the people, here to help.
RFK targets his main audience by stating those who really need the help that would stem from the election. He states that he has already seen the horrors of the world and he lists off people that need help. “The children starving, the black citizen riots, the young Indians, the young people of the country as well as the proud families.” These people are placed in their just to show who he was trying to help, but more so to grasp their attention. These people were RFK’s main demographic, the unprivileged.
RFK used the opposing view of light versus dark to show the audience what was happening now, and what will change. “I run for the presidency because I want the Democratic Party and the United States of America to stand for hope instead of despair, for reconciliation of men instead of the growing risk of world war.”
Each Candidate used three main tactics in the announcement. First they used their credibility to create a certain person for the voters of America. JFK presented himself as a national hero who has been serving this nation for years. First he served in the military, then he served for Congress and the Senate, he created the image of a competent politician who has prepared for the election and can win. JFK did not however lash out against the current political state. He stuck by his idea of what the country liked about him, and not what they disliked about the current president or presidential candidates.
RFK took an opposing way of presenting himself to the nation. Bobby presented himself as a man who already served in the White House. His brother was the one that was president, but he was there for all of the important events of the early sixties. Because of this he knows what his brother wanted and he is there to bring that idea to reality. Unlike JFK, RFK attacked the then President Lyndon Johnson. This is actually important in creating the persona that RFK wanted people to see. RFK by attacking Johnson showed the voters that this is something that he feels he must do, despite what people think and how difficult it will be to defeat a incumbent president of his own party. From that he is shown as a person who really cares about the issues and is not in the race because it is an opportune time.
The difference between these two, despite using the same technique of creating a credible persona is the amount of credibility each had to offer. JFK was a young politician who had only been senator and who had lost the Vice Presidential nomination 4 years earlier. RFK was the veteran who served the country in times when they needed him. Also RFK’s attack on Johnson helped him because he put himself on the side of Johnson for things such as the Civil Rights Bill that was initially announced in a speech JFK gave on June 11th 1963. Also he wanted to be faithful to JFK’s idea of what was needed in Vietnam, but he denounced the path Johnson had taken the war. The point of this was to show that he feels that Johnson was smart on the things that RFK was a part of but not so much on other issues.
Beyond what was said, is also how it was said, and the perception that could be conceived of each candidate. JFK was the typical politician, he was distinguished and idealistic. He knew what he could offer the world and he expressed his ideas and stood by them. RFK on the other hand connected with the crowd more. He used raw emotion in everything he said. He was always striving to get his point across to the people using his emotion. In their voices alone they were far different. JFK was calm and strong in his tone of voice, he commanded an audience. RFK joined the audience, rather than just speaking to them. He got onto a topic and stood by what he believed in. He cared not so much about what he said, but how he said it.
JFK was clean and stayed away from really taking a stance on issues or against his opponent in his announcement. This differs from RFK who seems rougher on the edges, a crowd favorite always speaking with more passion then his brother who spoke from his thoughts over his heart, and took his stance on the issues as well as against the incumbent opponent of his own party. It was this passion that really allows RFK’s words to truly move an audience.
The second tactic used by each speaker was what they will do for the country. JFK dived in saying that he will address certain issues like the arms race, emerging nations, science and technology, preventing the collapse of our farm economy as well as helping rebuild the economy. RFK decided rather then just listing off things that he could do to help the country, he will bring everyone together. His announcement was less an announcement for president rather than an airing of grievances with the country. RFK lists everyone he is looking to help, young or old, black or white, rich or poor, he spoke to everyone. He then lists of things that could have been done with the previous president but has not. For example getting out of Vietnam or lending assistance to farmers and to ghettos. RFK took what could be laid out into several speeches and placed them all into one, his announcement for what must be done.
The final thing that was clearly expressed in each of their announcements was what could happen to the country if they were not elected. JFK used words like peril and fateful. He spoke of the things that must be done to prevent these things from occurring, however he did not state what he was going to do to prevent them, other than listing off his plans for the new year. JFK also placed the weight on the voters shoulder. Specifically he states that the people must make their fateful choice in the upcoming election.
RFK again took things a little further, stating like his brother did, that the country is on a perilous course. However RFK’s views of light versus dark to express where he felt the country was going that was previously mention helped put fear into the audience. RFK basically gave the voters an option, here what life will be with or without me. JFK just used the idea life with me and said bad things would happen without.
Looking at these two powerful speakers, you learn a couple of different things. First you learn that they both were extremely similar in using rhetorical tools. Secondly you learn that with very little words they can move an audience through so many different emotions. Both announcements were very brief, yet they covered so much, which can be said for any great speaker.
Most importantly you learn that while JFK is a historically important figure, in terms of his rhetoric, his younger brother was a far superior speaker. RFK created a better persona, laid out the issues for the voters and his stance on each of them, and finally put the fear in the voter for what would happen with him or what would happen without him. RFK took what he believed in and buckled down on those issues. RFK was not the typical politician who made concessions just to gain public approval. RFK did not care what people thought of him, as long as he said what he felt, people would follow. Robert Kennedy deserves more credit for his rhetorical abilities than he is given.
Bibliography
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Kennedy, John. “Announcement For Presidency.” New Hampshire. 2 January 1960.
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