The Administration: More Than a Brother

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Wherever he went in Japan, Bob Kennedy made it plain that he spoke for the President of the U.S. Arriving at Tokyo's Haneda airport, Kennedy tried out two sentences in Japanese. The first was: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are very happy to visit your country." The second—and it sounded a theme that Kennedy was to repeat over and over again—was: "My brother, who is the President, wishes me to convey to you all his very best regards." Next day, calling upon Minister of Justice Koshiro Ueki, Kennedy commented on the "fair" way in which Japanese judges are appointed.* Said he: "This is quite different in the United States. I have made recommendations for more than 100 candidates for federal judgeships. A man asked for a judgeship for his brother. I declined. I received the inevitable telephone call. He said: 'After all, your brother appointed you Attorney General.' I answered: 'We only serve the will of the President.' "

It was to serve the will of the President that Bob Kennedy became Attorney General. From the moment of his election to office, Jack Kennedy knew that he wanted his younger brother in his Administration—not merely as a White House adviser, but as a top official of Government who could get things done. The Attorney General's job was the obvious one for Lawyer Bobby, who had already served for six years as a Senate committee investigator. Bob Kennedy was reluctant to take the post; he argued forcibly that his appointment would leave the President open to devastating charges of nepotism. He accepted the job only after John Kennedy strongly urged him to do so.

Of all President Kennedy's Cabinet appointments, Bobby's was by far the worst received. Many lawyers were shocked. Democrats groaned at the "kid brother" liability, and Republicans turned it into a political battle cry. Today it is a measure of Bobby Kennedy's energy, guts, brains and increasingly mature judgment that the bar generally rates him a good Attorney General, and politicians of both parties rank him among the strongest and ablest members of the Kennedy Cabinet. Barely a year in office, the kid brother is one of the President's solidest assets.