Breath of Dissent

[H2O Man]

41. Some of the personal dynamics

from that campaign changed the party. McCarthy was a longtime supporter of Stevenson; he had advocated for him at the 1960 Democratic Convention (something Robert neither forgot nor forgave). Schlesinger was a Stevenson supporter, too. It was interesting that he switched to JFK in '59. For several years, he didn't care much for Robert, who was rigid and self-righteous as a young man. But Schlesinger recognized that Robert, like Jack, was very capable.

After Dallas, Schlesinger stuck with Robert. He still had a great deal of respect for Gene, but felt McCarthy was perhaps better suited to be a university professor than a Senator. (He was good at both.)

Gene had some petty jealousies regarding JFK; he really believed he, rather than Kennedy, was the most authentic Irish Catholic leader in America. Yet, he was far more above board, when communicating (indirectly) with RFK about the need for someone to challenge LBJ as '68 approached. If Robert would run, he'd stand down. And he believed that Robert had signaled that if Gene ran, he wouldn't.

Between Tet and New Hampshire, Robert became convinced of two things: the nation could not survive another term of LBJ, and that McCarthy could never win the presidency. (In fact, the truculent Senator acted uninterested in his own campaign, and made it clear that he believed he was doing his supporters a huge favor by running. He was given to rather severe mood swings.)

When Teddy sent messages suggesting Robert would likely enter the contest, McCarthy was decent enough to try to set up a coordinated front. But he appeared to view Robert as, at best, his VP. He also made some crude comments about how the contest would be like RFK opposing JFK (Gene as Jack). That rift never healed before June; their supporters would not unite between June and the Convention. It was a split that went on to damage HHH in the general election, and McGovern in '72, for that matter.