Posted on 06/20/2006 8:19:51 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer and son of liberal icon Bobby Kennedy, wrote the article, available, along with supporting research, at rollingstone.com. Kennedy spoke to PRWeek about the story.
PRWeek: How did you come to write this piece?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: I had not paid much attention to this issue. And then a number of books came out, and I read them because I [wanted to use them] to interview people on my radio show. And then I read the [Rep. John] Conyers report, [a 2005 Congressional inquiry into the election], and started talking with people in Ohio. And at one point, I said, "Holy cow, this is real." And then I talked to [RS editor] Jann Wenner about it. I encouraged him to do a piece, and he said "We'll print one if you write it."
PRWeek: Tell me about the process of putting the story together - it obviously took a while.
Kennedy: I read the literature out there, and read the articles. Then I interviewed voters in Ohio, and public officials, and people who were involved in the election from all over the country.
PRWeek: Why do you think this wasn't covered heavily by major media directly after the election?
Kennedy: I think the mainstream media took up the Republican echo chamber, and just echoed the right-wing talking points.
PRWeek: Why didn't the Democrats themselves pursue this?
Kennedy: Well, there was a lot of complaining; there were a lot of lawsuits. But it got very little traction in the media. But you know, the Democrats on this issue have been abysmal as well.
PRWeek: Your story wasn't based on any secret information, correct?
Kennedy: No, that's the whole thing. This was not a secret conspiracy. This was done openly and shamelessly. Across Ohio, there were people who did everything they could to stop this.
PRWeek: Have you had any indication that the national media will take another look at this issue?
Kennedy: I had a good indication [June 7]. The New York Times, as its lead editorial, did a piece on [Ohio secretary of state] Kenneth Blackwell's current efforts to suppress registration drives in Ohio. And the Republicans are doing the same thing in Florida, and the Times talked about that, as well.
PRWeek: What reaction have you seen from the general public?
Kennedy: There's a huge reaction. Rolling Stone told me that it's gotten two and a half times as many e-mails [about this article] as it's ever gotten for any other story in its history. So there's a huge appetite for this story.
PRWeek: This story didn't have a 'smoking gun'; was there one person coordinating this entire operation?
Kennedy: There's never going to be 100% certitude that the election was stolen, because the only way you could get that is by recounting the ballots, and the recount was illegally derailed by Republican operatives. The mastermind behind the efforts in Ohio was Kenneth Blackwell, along with
[Toledo elections official] Bernadette Noe. But on a national level, it's [Republican National Committee chairman] Kenneth Mehlman and Karl Rove.
PRWeek: Have you gotten any reaction from the Republican Party on this?
Kennedy: I've gotten, certainly, reaction in the blogosphere. But most of the reaction has been supportive.
PRWeek: Is there a next step?
Kennedy: I've been meeting with attorneys... to devise a litigation strategy. And I would say that very soon we'll be announcing lawsuits against some of the individuals and companies involved.
PRWeek: Who exactly would that litigation be targeting?
Kennedy: I wouldn't say, right now.
PRWeek: The election is over. Is it too late now?
Kennedy: There's another election soon. And as the Times [just] reported, the same people are up to the same shenanigans.
Name: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Outlet: Rolling Stone
Title: Author
Preferred contact method: nora.haynes@wennermedia.com (Rolling Stone publicist)
Web site: www.rollingstone.com
This Kennedy fellow had better watch how he digs up election dirt. The West Virginia vote for his uncle in 1960 is very much in question. I will always believe Amb Joe Kennedy bought that election for his kid.
In 1983, he was arrested in South Dakota for heroin possession and went into drug treatment for his addiction. Time to pi$$ test the idiot.
He is not very bright, is he?
I am underwhelmed every time I listen to him do an interview on TV.
OK. Let's fix this.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: I had not paid much attention to this issue actually any issue for that matter. And then a number of books came out, and I read them until my lips and finger got tired because I [wanted to use them] to interview people on my radio show when we replace the gerbil that generates the electricity for the transmitter. And then I read the [Rep. John] Conyers report, (such kewl handwriting for using a crayon) [a 2005 Congressional inquiry not actually done by Congress but it makes it sound better into the election], and started talking with people in Ohio and found out that no one I knew voted for George Bush. And at one point, I said, "Holy cow, this is real Ohio is really a state.." And then I talked to [RS editor] Jann Wenner about it over a bong or two. I encouraged him to do a piece, and he said "We've got no morals, We'll print one if you write it."
Ah, to be filthy rich and stupid as a rock.
I think you have it exactly right. The MSM are doing pre-emptive strikes against promising and upcoming conservatives. I lived in PA and our Senator Santorum has been ravaged by the press now for a long time. He is presidential material and they are going after him with a vengence. Sounds like it's happening to Blackwell too. It's the new dem MO, it sounds like.
And it probably cost him his life when Bobby went after the mob.
I know I have made fun of Ted for drinking, but I wonder how much he really drinks. If he in fact had lived up to the legend, you'd think he'd be dead.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer discredited Junior's theory in a column written by Ted Diadiun on Sunday, June 18, 2006, and The Plain Dealer is a lib rag! I don't know how to attach an article (sorry), but if you go to their website, you can read the article.
You are exactly right: Old Joe and his mafia cohorts stole Illinois while Sam Rayburn and LBJ stole Texas. Dick Nixon won that election. Much, much, has been written about the Kennedy's relationship with the mob but very little of it makes its way to the MSM.
JFK was killed by three mob gunmen in Dallas; LBJ and Hoover nearly immediately told Bobby that Castro turned Oswald who RFK was told was being used to get Castro. Bobby nearly lost his mind in grief when he came to believe that his operation killed his brother.
To protect JFK's reputation the Kennedy family went along with the Warren Commission. The people behind the assassination were Johnson, Hoover, Giancanna (thus Hoffa).
Going on forty years and the MSM will still not talk about much of this.
About ten years ago,Teddy was pushing a bill he had proposed to "benefit" pre-natal care and research.There was a press party held at the hospital at which I worked,which is in Massachusetts and is *well* known for its OB/GYN Service and,during that party,I got within two feet of Teddy.
His facial features demonstrated the classic...and I mean *classic*...signs of an Irish alcoholic,including the spider veins (particularly on his nose).
I have no doubt that a closeup,un-retouched color photo of WC Fields (who was,in real life,a serious alcoholic) would have looked very similar.
This is one small bit as to why the dems will continue to lose. they refuse to see and address the real reasons that they are losing so they latch on to these braindead theories(stolen elections, our message not getting out, ect, ect).the problem is they look like sore losers to a majority of people
Salon also ran a piece that totally debunks RFK Jr's article:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/06/03/kennedy/index.html
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