Aasociated Press The late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy stands in_car to wave to an enthusiastic Los Angeles crowd at the start of his fateful 1968 visit. RFK Remembered L.A. Conference Planned to Revive Spirit ofHis '68 Campaign
By KENNETH REICH, Times Staff Writer A group of campaign workers, supporters and Politics, Ethics and Public Policy. keep, and that we ought to fulfill.·· admirers of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy are A support group includes Dolores Huerta and The meeting will roughly coincide with the planning a two-day conference here to mark the Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers; Ted re-publication this spring of books by Jack 20th anniversary of Kennedy's ill-fated presi Watkins of the Watts Labor Community Action Newfield and Jules Witcover on the Robert dential campaign-and send a message to what Committee; Olympic decathlon gold medalist Kennedy campaign. they regard as this year's less substantive Rafer Johnson; Los Angeles County Supervisor In addition, as Kennedy is remembered thi$ campaigns. Ed Edelman; former Democratic National Com spring, a book of his campaign speeches will be Plans for the April 22-23 meeting at Loyola mitteeman and now U.S. Circuit Court Judge published for the first time, as will an oral Marymount University call for a reunion and Stephen Reinhardt, and famed Kennedy cam history and a book of Kennedy anecdotes by a public speeches by members of the Kennedy paign prankster Dick Tuck. former aide, John Siegenthaler. A Robert Ken family, leading 1968 campaign staff members, Explaining why the gathering is being held in nedy memorial group in Washington is also including Frank Mankiewicz, Adam Walinsky April rather than June, Schrade said: planning ceremonies, including a commemora and Peter Edelman, and Ford Foundation "We wanted to get away from the assassina tive Mass. president Frank Thomas, an associate of Kenne tion, and base it on his campaign and what he The oral history is ~ project long in prepara dy's in his pioneering 1964 Bedford-Stuyvesant stood for. It's a better time to get students tion, constituting Kennedy's tape-recorded re Restoration Project. involved. And it's right in the middle of this sponses to questions about the Administration of The conference is primarily being put togeth year's presidential primaries and will afford us a his brother, President John F. Kennedy, and hi s er by Paul Schrade, a former regional director of chance to challenge the lower expectations that role in it as U.S. attorney general. the United Auto Workers who was wounded in seem to mark this campaign year." Schrade said that in advance of the conference the assassination of Kennedy in the Ambassador Fitzgerald said: "This will not simply be a he, KPFK reporter Zeta Graham and Da vid Hotel on June 5, 1968, and Bill Fitzgerald, remembrance of Robert Kennedy. It will be a Cross, a student helper, have opened an office at director of Loyola-Marymount's new Center for focus on those promises he made but couldn't Please see KENNEDY, Page 10 Watts or the San Joaquin Valley, KENNEDY and no one is creating the excite- ment in office buildings or on Continued from Page 3 assembly lines that Bob Kennedy did." 8033 Sunset Blvd. and are working to track down Kennedy workers It is true, he conceded, that the and supporters from a 20-year-old Kennedy campaign unfolded at a mailing list. People with informa time of tremendous public anxiety tion are invited to write P.O. Box about the Vietnam War- and tense 991, Los Angeles, 90046. racial situations. He said the -organizers also plan "But, regardless, I don't think it's to invite current presidential can going to happen for a Democratic didates to send representatives to candidate this year unless they try observe the proceedings. to define the issues and take strong "We would like to pass the torch stands the way Kennedy did ," and inspire young people," Schrade Schrade added. "They won't get 'Friday, February. 5, 1988 said, "and have some impact on the the turnout and they will lose." election. Kennedy scored a narrow tri "The candidates today are not umph in the California Democratic exciting people like RFK did in presidential primary, getting 1.5 llos Angeles Grimes 1968. No one seems to be going to million votes. AGREED TO ATTEND INVITED
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Ethel Kennedy John Seigenthaler Ted Kennedy Arthur Schlessinger, Jr. Joseph Kennedy III Franklin Thomas Robert Kennedy, Jr. Peter Edelman Marian Wright Edelman Frank Mankiewicz R.F.K Delegates and Staff Ed Guthrnan from California t68 Campaign John Lewis Estaben Torres ..... and others Dick Tuck Rafer Johnson Adam Walinsky Bernard McDonald Bedford-Stuyvesant Board CONFERENCE COMMITTEE and Staff Hilary Goldstone Carolyn Croft Ed Guthman Victor Reuther Dick Tuck Sophie Reuther Stephen Reinhardt Melody Miller Monica Weil Frank Burns Joan Satt Cesar Chavez Donna Gentry Dolores Huerta William Fitzgerald Angie Novello David Bender Jack Newfield Zeta Graham Edwin Edelman David Cross Pete Hamill Ann Berkowitz Ronnie Eldridge Rick Rosen Jimmy Breslin Charles Stein Ted Watkins Helen Stout Midge Cost~anza Judy Martinez Jack Conway Gary Townsend Leonard Lesser Stanley Rogers Stephen Reinhardt Chris Doherty Ken Corey Fernando Marino Ruth Berle Paul Schrade, coordinator Muff Singer Rick Tuttle Norbert Schlei Larry Nagin Robert E. Thompson Andy Williams Liz Whitney