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I have a 1968 RFK campaign booklet, "The Robert F. Kennedy Story -- The Man & His Dream." It has some wonderful photographs and articles in it, including an interview with then-14 year old RFK, Jr.
The following is taken from the article/interview. I hope that DUers enjoy it.
"In this exclusive interview with Bobby, Jr., now 14, the boy talks candidly about his father’s character – his sense of humor, his seriousness, his feeling for children, his generosity, and the way he expresses his love for his family."
Q; Of the many memorable events in your father’s life, which one do you consider the most important?
A: I think that his becoming Attorney General ….and then becoming a Senator.
Q: Would you describe the outstanding personal activity you shared with your father?
A: When he gave me my reptiles and the reptile house downstairs. There are about 40 reptiles in it.
Q: Are the reptiles your father’s favorite pets in the house?
A: No, I think the dogs are. The Newfoundland is the one he likes best of all. I like the Newfoundland, too, because I certainly feel sorry for him. He is really so big, and he used to bite everybody, and he’s got such sad eyes.
Q: What characteristics of your father do you most admire?
A: I think he’s sort of convincing ….well, in the way he says things.
Q: How does he show this?
A: Once when I got a bad report card, he convinced me to do better next time. He looked at the report card, and he got real mad, and he said I’d better do better the next time or else …..
Q: Would you recount incidents that best illustrate your father’s sense of humor?
A: Well, when he was telling us about his mountain climb …. Jim Whitaker asked him, "How did you practice for the climb? What exercises did you do?" And my father answered, "I practiced yelling, ‘Help!’ and ‘Pull me up!’ and things like that."
Q: What are his favorite sports?
A: Football and skiing.
Q: Do you play football with him a lot?
A: Yes, we play touch football. And we usually play with many people, so everything’s unorganized. He just says, "Go out for a pass," or something like that.
Q: What would you like to be? Something like your father?
A: No. I want to be a veterinarian. Now, I’m collecting animals. An owl, a hawk.
Q: And the dogs?
A: I like the dogs a lot, but I pay more attention to the hawk and the owl and the reptiles. Because the dogs are fed anyway, and I feed my hawk and owl, and my little brother feeds the reptiles.
Q: Would you describe your father’s most sentimental act?
A: Well, a lot of times we go up on the roof and jump off. It’s about 20 feet into the middle of everything. You have to land in a certain placenot to get hurt. When we’re up there, we sometimes play a chasing game. When my father sees us do that, he gets a pained look on his face or shuts his eyes. Once, when my sister and I got hurt, we had to go to the hospital. My parents were out on a boat trip, and when they found out that we got hurt, my father swam about 150 yards to get to the Coast Guard boat – it was really rough water – so they could take him back to see us. When he got back, he wrote on my other foot, not the one in the cast, "Next time don’t ruin my vacation. Keep this foot out of the glass,’ ‘cause I accidentally shoved it through a glass window.
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