Kennedy stirs memories

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 8

Kennedy stirs memories

NZPA Atlanta Former Presidential contender. Senator Edward Kennedy, yesterday movingly evoked memories of his murdered brother, Bobby, when he said the time was right for Michael Dukakis to be elected President of the United States.

Addressing the Democratic national convention, the Senator from Massachusetts spoke of 1968, when both the civil-rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy, then a prime contender for the Democrat nomination and who had just won the California primary, were assassinated. “These two, these

valiant two, lived for the same dream and were gone only months apart. And if they were here with us, two decades later, I think I know what they would say:

“Now is the time. Some men see things as they are and say . why. We dream things that never were and say why not. Now is the time.”

Senator Kennedy, who was introduced by John Kennedy, jun., son of President John F. Kennedy, lost out to Jimmy Carter in his last bid for the Presidential nomination and since then has become one of the elder statesmen of the party in the Senate. John F. Ken-

nedy, jun., is remembered by America as the three-year-old who bravely saluted his slain father nearly a quarter of a century ago. Mr Kennedy, aged 27, has for years carefully avoided both politics and publicity.

There had been indications earlier in the primary season that Senator Kennedy was less than supportive of Michael Dukakis’ candidacy this year, but yesterday he firmly endorsed the Massachusetts Governor.

“For a long time, I have believed that what this country needs is another President from Massachusetts. And now its going to

happen,” he said. He attacked the Republican Presidential contender, George Bush, as “a dead duck,” a VicePresident who “says he wasn’t there, or can’t recall, or never heard” when decisions were made on selling arms to Iran or dealing with the Panamanian leader. General Noriega, . who is accused of involvement in a cocaine cartel.

. As Senator Kennedy listed the various times Mr Bush was apparently absent when important decisions were made, the thousands of Democrat delegates joyfully took up his chant of “where was George?”