NEW YORK — Patrick Kennedy, son of Sen. Ted Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, remembers being a young state legislator in Rhode Island some 30 years ago and hearing encouraging words from the opposition leader at the time.
“I just want you to know that no matter what you do, nothing’s going to take away from everyone’s memory and appreciation of what your family has done for this country,” Republican David Dumas told him.
“He meant that ‘Don’t preoccupy yourself with worrying about whether you’re a good representative of your family or not,’” Patrick Kennedy, now a former congressman, said in a recent interview.
Kennedy spoke shortly before the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, a seismic national event that predates most American lives but remains an inflection point in the country’s history — as a wellspring of modern conspiracy theories, as a debate over what JFK might have achieved, as an emotional cornerstone of the Kennedy story.
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The anniversary arrives at an unusual moment for the Kennedys. It is a moment when the family’s mission to uphold a legacy of public service and high ideals competes for attention with the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose anti-vaccine advocacy and inflammatory comments about everything from the Holocaust to the pandemic have led to a rare public family breach.
Robert’s sister, Kerry Kennedy, has cited her differences with him “on many issues,” while Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President Kennedy, has called Robert’s candidacy “an embarrassment.”
“We haven’t seen this happening before in the Kennedy family,” says historian Thurston Clarke, author of books on President Kennedy and his brother Robert. “In the past,” Clarke says, “they were very reluctant to attack each other.”
Tradition in public eye
The current prominence of Robert Kennedy Jr. — what Patrick expects will be a footnote to a larger narrative — doesn’t stand out merely because of what he says and how it departs from family history. It stands out because he is the rare Kennedy these days engaged in national electoral politics.
For generations, the Kennedy dynasty ranked with the Adamses, the Roosevelts and the Bushes. Their time in public office dates to the 1890s, to Rep. (and future Boston Mayor) John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, JFK’s grandfather, and grew throughout the first half of the 20th century.
During JFK’s 1960-63 presidency, governing was decidedly a family affair. Robert Kennedy was attorney general and the president’s closest adviser, brother-in-law Sargent Shriver was heading the newly formed Peace Corps and brother-in-law Stephen Smith was White House chief of staff. Youngest brother Ted Kennedy was elected to John F. Kennedy’s former Senate seat in Massachusetts.
The death of President Kennedy, and Jacqueline Kennedy’s remembrance of his administration as a lost golden age, “Camelot,” intensified feelings about the family and longings for their presence. Ted Kennedy became a revered liberal voice and legislator, while Shriver was chosen as George McGovern’s running mate in their unsuccessful 1972 presidential campaign.
Patrick Kennedy was an eight-term congressman from Rhode Island; Joseph Kennedy II, Robert’s son, served six terms as a congressman from Massachusetts; and Joseph’s sibling Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was a two-term Maryland lieutenant governor. Arnold Schwarzenegger, married at the time to JFK’s niece Maria Shriver, was California’s governor for two terms.
But the Kennedys have mostly withdrawn from electoral politics in the 21st century; no Kennedy or Kennedy in-law currently serves in Congress or as a governor. Caroline Kennedy, JFK’s daughter and only surviving child, had been open in 2009 to replacing Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate after Clinton was appointed secretary of state by President Barack Obama. She soon stepped back amid signs New York Gov. David Paterson would not select her. He didn’t.
“Given what happened to their father and uncle, and given the tough road Ted Kennedy had to travel, who can blame them for finding another road?” “ says historian Sean Wilentz. He says the assassinations of JFK and Robert Kennedy may have led to there being “too much of a burden on the next generation to carry on and complete what was left unfinished.”
Patrick Kennedy, who left Congress in 2011 amid struggles with substance abuse and bipolar disorder, agrees the current political atmosphere is far removed from the 1960s, when leaders such as JFK had a sense of “common purpose.” But he still believes public office is worth pursuing and notes that his wife Amy ran for Congress in 2020 — unsuccessfully.
“When we got out there and campaigned, it was very inspiring,” Patrick Kennedy said. “There were tons of people in the grassroots who were so inspiring — to see how they were so passionate about changing the world.”
Administration remembered in spirit
The Kennedy administration now lives on more in spirit than in firsthand memory. One of the last prominent White House aides, speechwriter Richard Goodwin, died in 2018. The last of President Kennedy’s surviving siblings, former U.S. ambassador to Ireland Jean Smith, died in 2020. Robert F. Kennedy’s widow, Ethel, is in her 90s and rarely comments publicly.
Starting in 1968, after the assassination of Robert Kennedy, Ted Kennedy was the family’s standard bearer and chosen orator. But no one has succeeded him since his death in 2009. The death of Caroline’s brother John F. Kennedy Jr. in a 1999 plane crash ended the life of his generation’s most prominent family member, the one most discussed as a possible presidential candidate. Caroline Kennedy has maintained a low profile as ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration and ambassador to Australia in the Biden administration.
“That’s an awesome responsibility and a huge yoke around your neck to try and have to carry that,” Patrick Kennedy says of his father’s stature. “And Dad really did it — he really kept it together. But it was an incredible personal toll it took on him.”
Asked if he would have liked to take on his father’s role, Kennedy says no: “That chapter is closed.”
In the absence of any old-style family elder, the Kennedy most talked about is RFK Jr., who has attracted a larger following than most independent candidates. Historian Julian E. Zelizer, author of numerous works on contemporary politics, sees JFK and his brother Robert as “unifying figures” while finding Robert Jr. a symbol of “division, distrust and a kind of skepticism about the public culture.”
Patrick Kennedy, who otherwise declined to discuss his cousin at length, called Zelizer’s comments “a pretty fair statement.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not immediately respond to requests for comment but issued a statement on the anniversary and on his uncle’s legacy.
“During his term in office, he upheld a vision of America as a nation of peace, a vision that was abandoned after his death,” said Kennedy, who promised to “put us back on the road to peace.”
Other family members remain active in various causes, though in a less publicized way than in JFK’s time.
Besides Caroline, several Kennedys hold positions in the Biden administration, including Joseph Kennedy III, grandson of Robert Kennedy, who is special envoy to Northern Ireland; and Victoria Reggie Kennedy, Ted Kennedy’s widow and now ambassador to Austria.
Patrick Kennedy is founder of the mental health advocacy group Alignment for Progress and notes that the last bill signed into law by JFK, the Community Mental Health Act, is “the foundation of a modern day movement to restore a community based approach to our mental health and addiction crisis.”
Timothy Shriver chairs the board of the Special Olympics, which his mother (and President Kennedy’s sister) Eunice Shriver helped establish in the 1960s. Kerry Kennedy, Robert’s daughter, is a human rights lawyer who heads the non-profit RFK Human Rights. Kerry’s sister Rory Kennedy is a prize-winning documentary maker whose subjects have ranged from rural Mississippi and the Iraq War to a film about her mother, Ethel.
“There are many other ways to serve the public than running for elective office,” says political analyst Larry Sabato. “No one could say the Kennedy family hasn’t made many contributions to public life — and sacrifices, too.”
“I can literally go through all of my family and there isn’t one who’s not out there doing something,” says Patrick Kennedy, who finds his name still holds great influence in his current work. “I’ve been out of office since 2011, and I can get anyone to return my call.”
JFK by the numbers: 24 things to know about the 35th president
JFK: 24 essential facts
The life of JFK and the American Camelot has found immortality in the memories and imagination of Americans. From plays and films to alternative futures and a time-traveling web series (based on a book by Stephen King), the image of President John F. Kennedy remains ingrained in American culture. Recent revelations regarding his notorious infidelity still make headlines in the 21st century, more than 50 years after his assassination.
One must move beyond the tabloids in order to grasp his place in history. Despite his presidency lasting fewer than three years, Kennedy and his leadership during the height of the Cold War remains iconic of a bygone time in American history. His powerful speeches, contribution to Civil Rights and skillful diplomacy abroad are small pieces of what defined his time in office.
Looking beyond the myth, data site InsideGov pulled 24 essential facts about this Democratic leader from its presidential database. From cigars and ponies to the brink of nuclear war, we explore the unique intricacies of JFK's life.
1 Pulitzer Prize
Long before he was the president of the United States, Kennedy won the 1957 Pulitzer Prize in Biography for his work titled "Profiles in Courage." This best-seller provided biographical profiles on eight U.S. senators who displayed what Kennedy considered great political courage.
1.18 Percent Inflation
The American economy experienced a 1.18 percent inflation rate in 1962, the highest during Kennedy's presidency. This is shy of the ideal inflation rate of 2 percent, which indicates a growing economy.
1.2 Percent Drop
From February 1961 to November 1963, the workforce grew with a 1.2 percent drop in unemployment rates. In his 1961 State of the Union address, Kennedy proposed: "We must show the world what a free economy can do -- to reduce unemployment, to put unused capacity to work, to spur new productivity and to foster higher economic growth within a range of sound fiscal policies and relative price stability."
2 WWII Medals
Although Kennedy struggled to pass physicals for military service due to a variety of health issues, he went on to serve in the Navy during World War II. His honorable service earned him a Purple Heart and a Navy Marine Corps Medal.
2 Supreme Court Appointments
Both of Kennedy's Supreme Court nominations, Byron Raymond White and Arthur Joseph Goldberg, were successfully approved by the Senate. Goldberg resigned from the Supreme Court after three years after being appointed as the Ambassador to the United Nations by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
3.1 Percent Growth
During the Kennedy administration, the U.S. experienced, on average, 3.1 percent annual GDP growth. This moderate growth indicates how the U.S. economy recovered from the 1958 recession.
4 Children
John and Jacqueline Kennedy had a total of four children together, two of whom died in infancy. Caroline Kennedy currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. In 1999, John Jr. died at the age of 38 along with his wife in a plane crash.
5 Dogs
The Kennedys were known for owning a variety of animals during their time in the White House. They had five dogs, five horses, two parakeets, two hamsters, a cat, and a rabbit named Zsa Zsa. One of the dogs, Pushinka, was a gift from then-Premier of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev.
6 European Countries
During his presidency, Kennedy visited six European countries and Vatican City. These countries were the U.K., Ireland, France, Italy, Austria and West Germany. As the only Roman Catholic president, Kennedy's meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican retains special significance.
6'0"
At a height of 6 feet, Kennedy is one of the taller American presidents.
9 Oval Office Speeches
During his time in the White House, Kennedy made nine Oval Office speeches. One of his most memorable speeches occurred on Oct. 22, 1962, when he informed the public about the unfolding events of the ongoing Cuban Missile Crisis. He stated, "The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender or submission."
13 Days
The Cuban Missile Crisis went on for 13 days during October 1962. This diplomatic crisis, remembered as "the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war," consisted of a direct confrontation between the U.S. and Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba. A year after its peaceful conclusion, both the United States and Soviet Union signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited most aboveground nuclear tests.
21 Vetoes
During his presidency, Kennedy vetoed a total of 21 pieces of legislation, with nine pocket vetoes and 12 regular vetoes. President Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record for issuing the most vetoes, with a whopping 635.
29 Years Old
The Kennedys are well-known for their notable careers in public service. JFK successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House at the age of 29. He would serve three terms before setting his ambitions on the Senate in 1952.
80 Percent Approval
Kennedy was a relatively popular president, with his highest approval rating reaching 80 percent in April 1961 and once again in March 1962. His notable popularity with the American public continues into the 21st century.
162 Miles
The Kennedy administration accomplished sending the first American into earth's orbit when the Friendship 7 reached a record altitude of 162 miles. This accomplishment served as a testament to JFK's contributions to the space race, where he was determined to have Americans on the moon "before the decade is out." John Glenn Jr., the astronaut aboard the Friendship 7, went on to serve as a U.S. Senator for Ohio and earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
214 Executive Orders
Kennedy issued a total of 214 executive orders during his presidency. Executive Order 10924, issued on March 1, 1961, established the Peace Corps. He envisioned that the international service organization would consist of a "pool of trained men and women sent overseas by the United States government or through private institutions and organizations to help foreign countries meet their urgent needs for skilled manpower."
260 Hours of Recordings
Starting in the spring of 1962, Kennedy began recording meetings and telephone conversations, reportedly for keeping records for his memoirs. A total of 260 hours of recordings have been released by the Miller Center, an affiliate of the University of Virginia.
303 Electoral Votes
In the 1960 general election, Kennedy received 303 electoral votes and 49.72 percent of the popular vote. The Republican nominee opposing Kennedy was then-Vice President Richard Nixon (Nixon was later elected president in 1968).
888 Pages
President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an investigation into Kennedy's assassination, which resulted in the 888-page Warren Commission Report. The analysis of evidence concluded Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole assassin on Nov. 22, 1963. The contents and scenarios included in the report provided fodder for years of conspiracy theories regarding the true circumstances of Kennedy's death.
1,200 Cuban Cigars
Kennedy, a renowned cigar smoker, allegedly ordered 1,200 Cuban cigars the day before the beginning of the Cuban embargo.
1,400 Cuban Expatriates
On April 17, 1961, a group of over 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles landed on the beach of Cuba's Bay of Pigs. Their mission was to conduct a military intervention that would overthrow the communist regime of then-Prime Minister Fidel Castro. The plan failed and the majority of militants were captured. This botched covert operation was initially planned under President Dwight Eisenhower, but was signed off by Kennedy.
16,300 U.S. Advisers
There were 16,300 U.S. advisers working in South Vietnam at the time of JFK's death. This reflected the support Kennedy pledged to South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem in their combined efforts to contain communism. This partnership ended abruptly as Diem was assassinated by Vietnamese forces on Nov. 2, 1963, a few weeks before Kennedy's untimely fate. Recordings of private conversations suggest Kennedy felt guilty for Diem's death and felt "we must bear a good deal of responsibility for it."
$50,000 Budget
First lady Jackie Kennedy took full control over the $50,000 budget reserved for White House renovations. She ushered in a new era of style and added historically significant antiques. Upon completion of the renovations, the first lady gave a televised tour of the White House on CBS. Her part in the TV special earned her an Emmy Award.
