>>> WERE BACK.
ITS 8:42. NEXT YEAR WILL MARK 50 YEARS
SINCE THE ASSASSINATION OF
ROBERT F. KENNEDY.
HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL IN LOS ANGELES,
SHORTLY AFTER WINNING THE
CALIFORNIA PRIMARY.
CALIFORNIA PRIMARY. CHRIS MATTHEWS HOSTS "HARDBALL"
LOOKS BEYOND THE TRAGEDY TO THE
MAN HIMSELF, IN A BOOK CALLED "BOBBY KENNEDY: THE RAGINGLED
"BOBBY KENNEDY: THE RAGING SPIRIT."
SPIRIT."
YOURE SUCH A KENNEDY SCHOLAR. LAST WEEK, WE SAW SOME OF THE
KENNEDY FILES OPENED UP.
WHAT STRUCK YOU?
>> I STAYED UP UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
AND I FOUND SOME INTERESTING
STUFF ON BOBBY.
I HAD BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS ON
BOBBY.
BOBBY.
EVEN THOUGH HE WENT ALONG WITH
THE WARREN COMMISSION, HE AND
TED KENNEDY, THEY BELIEVED IN IT
FOR LOGICAL REASONS. THE PARADE ROUTE HADNT BEEN SET
UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE.
HOW COULD ANYBODY BUTTPUT A
CONSPIRACY TOGETHER.
CONSPIRACY TOGETHER. HE SAID, MAYBE GOING AFTER THE
BAD GUYS.
BAD GUYS.
>> BOBBY GOING AFTER THE MOB. >> GOING AFTER THE GOD FATHER.
HE HAD BEEN GOING AFTER CASTRO.
WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS BEHIND
WHAT HAPPENED IN DALLAS?
>> WERE THEY DOING IT IN
RETRIBUTION TO DALLAS?
>> HE WAS SAYING, IT COULD HAVE
BEEN ME.
BEEN ME.
HE WAS DOING THE TOUGH WORK OF CATCHING BAD GUYS, ESPECIALLYF
CATCHING BAD GUYS, ESPECIALLY MOBSTERS.
MOBSTERS.
>> THE BOOK IS SUCH AN INTERESTING READ.CH AN
INTERESTING READ. AND SO MUCH OF BOBBYS LIFE WAS
IN COMPARISON TO JACK, OR
REFERENCE TO JACK.
ILL JUST STICK WITH THAT.
AS LITTLE KIDS, HOW DID THEIR
EXPERIENCES DIFFER?
EXPERIENCES DIFFER? >> JACK WAS A SUNNY PRINCE.
HE WAS A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY,
CHARMING GUY.
IT WAS SAID THAT JACK WAS A REALIST PRETENDING TO BE AA
REALIST PRETENDING TO BE A ROMANTIC.
ROMANTIC.
JACK WAS NOT A ROMANTIC.
HE WAS COLD-BLOODED IN MANY
WAYS.
BUT VERY CHARMING.
BOBBY CAME OFF AS THE RUTHLESS ONE.Y CAME OFF AS THE RUTHLESS
ONE.
BOBBY WAS THE GOOD GUY.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO GOT US
THROUGH THE CUBAN MISSILE
CRISIS.
HE REALLY PUSHED FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS.
HE SAID, GO ON TELEVISION.
YOU HAVE TO DO THIS PING.
HE WAS AT OLE MISS, GEORGE WALLACE.T OLE MISS, GEORGE
WALLACE.
HE DID A LOT OF GOOD THINGS. THIS PICTURE, THE BACK OF THE
BOOK.
BOOK.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS INSPIRED TO
WRITE THIS BOOK ABOUT.
THIS IS A MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY.
THOSE PEOPLE, SALUTING THE GUY. THIS IS THE AMERICA THATS GONE.
THIS IS THE AMERICA THATS GONE NOW.
NOW.
THE UNITY OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS
AND WHITE WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE
TOGETHER, THE SAME TYPE OF
PATRIOTISM TOGETHER.
AND I THINK BOBBY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.NK BOBBY BROUGHT THEM
TOGETHER.
AND SINCE THEN, THEYVE BEEN
DIVIDED.
THATS THE DIVISION IN THIS
COUNTRY, NOW.
>> THAT WAS BOBBY LATER IN HIS POLITICAL CAREER. LATER IN HIS
POLITICAL CAREER. EARLIER IN HIS CAREER, HE DID A
LOT OF THE ENFORCEMENT STUFF.
YOU TELL A STORY, THAT I CRINGE
OVER.
OVER.
THE PART ABOUT LBJ AND HOW JACK KENNEDY DISPATCHED BOBBY AT THE
CONVENTION IN 1960.
>> JACK PICKED LBJ BECAUSE HE
NEEDED THE SOUTH.
HE DIDNT LIKE JOHNSON THAT
MUCH.
MUCH.
I NEED THIS GUY TO CARRY TEXAS, GEORGIA AND THE SOUTHERN STATES.
AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC, I WILL HAVE
A HARD TIME DOWN THERE.
JOHNSON WAS THE ONE SPREADING
RUMORS ABOUT JACK DYING, HE WAS
SICK.
SICK.
SAYING HE WAS PRO-NAZI.
AND BOBBY DID NOT FORGET THIS STUFF.BBY DID NOT FORGET THIS
STUFF.
>> SO, JACK GETS BOBBY INTO LBJS HOTEL ROOM. BOBBY INTO
LBJS HOTEL ROOM. AND TRYING TO SHAKE HIM LOOSE.
AND JACK, OF COURSE, CALLED UP
LATER, AND SAID BOBBY ISNT IN
THE LOOP.
THE LOOP. A LOT OF TIMES HE --
>> HE THREW BOBBY UNDER THE BUS.
>> HE NEEDED HIM.
HE NEEDED HIM TO DO THE JOB.
GOVERNORS, GO IN THE BACK ROOM
WITH A GOVERNOR, AND THEY COME
OUT THINKING, I SPENT TWO HOURS
WITH BOBBY.
WITH BOBBY. BUT JACK WAS ALWAYS LOVED.
YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY TOLD
ME -- A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY.
HE SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE CHASING
BAD GUYS.
BAD GUYS. BUT THE VILLAINS OF THIS WORLD
CREATE THEIR OWN HELLS ON EARTH.
FOCUS ON THE VICTIMS.
>> CHRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE BOOK IS CALLED "BOBBY