Bush to Name Justice Dept. BUILDING After Kennedy - DRUDGE BLOWS IT BIG TIME

ABC News ^ | 11/16/01

[11th Earl of Mar]

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush next week is expected to name the Justice Department headquarters after Robert F. Kennedy, a Democratic U.S. attorney general and brother of former President John Kennedy.

"He is expected to sign a document essentially dedicating the Justice Department building for Robert F. Kennedy," a White House official said on Friday. The official had no further information on the decision.

But Newsweek magazine said Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft would hold the renaming ceremony on Tuesday, on what would have been the assassinated New York Democratic senator and presidential candidate's 76th birthday.

Kennedy served as U.S. attorney general to his brother, President John F. Kennedy, then became a U.S. senator and was campaigning for the White House himself when he was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan on June 5, 1968, in Los Angeles after winning the California primary.

There have been unsuccessful efforts in Congress to name the building after Kennedy.

While serving as attorney general from 1961 to 1964, Kennedy gained a reputation for doggedly pursuing organized crime leaders. Ashcroft last month cited that reputation in pledging a similar effort against terrorism.

Newsweek magazine reported on its Internet site that several generations of Kennedys would attend a dedication ceremony.

Copyright 2001 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[11th Earl of Mar]

BUSH TO NAME JUSTICE DEPT AFTER A KENNEDY
Fri Nov 16 2001 17:11:47 ET

President Bush plans to issue an executive order early next week naming the Justice Department after the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, according to sources familiar with the matter.

ROLL CALL Editor Ed Henry is first to break the controversial development.

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism. In recent weeks, current Attorney General John Ashcroft has said the war being waged by the Justice Department is very similar to the war against organized crime that Kennedy launched as attorney general in the 1960s.

"Kennedy, it is said, would arrest a mobster for spitting on the streets if it would help defeat organized crime," Ashcroft said in a recent speech. "In the war on terror, it is the policy of this Department of Justice to be equally aggressive."

Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.) has introduced legislation in the last three Congresses pushing for the department to be named after Kennedy. While the bill has never picked up enough steam to be signed into law, the retiring Roemer has personally lobbied Bush twice in recent months to act on the matter.

Impacting...

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Bush is naming a building, not the department, after Kennedy. It looks like Drudge has started using DEBKA's sources.

[eddie willers]

Here's a pick.
Now you can go out get some more nits.

[Senator Pardek]

Now let's be fair. Drudge probably thinks the Justice Dept. is a physical place, like the complaint or men's dept.

[Savage Beast]

I still think he should have named it after Janet Reno.

[Danette]

Drudge who?

[Savage Beast]

I mean...where's his sense of humor?

[harrowup]

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism. In recent weeks, current Attorney General John Ashcroft has said the war being waged by the Justice Department is very similar to the war against organized crime that Kennedy launched as attorney general in the 1960s.

One can only hope we don't have to rely on the FBI to do the job...could we start a petition to rename FBI Hq? Hoover loved the mob.

[steveo]

I mean...where's his sense of humor?

'ey, do you know where my moose is?

[spycatcher]

Drudge is actually quoting from Roll Call sources. **Not a Drudge exclusive**

[CatoRenasci]

Same same. This is a travesty. Robert Kennedy was an evil man, JFK's thug and fixer. Bush has lost me over this one. No gesture should ever be made to any of that foul clan of power hungry womanizing misanthropes who masquerade as tribunes of the poor.

[Rebelbase]

DUH!

[dts32041]

Easy mass still claims maine.

Doesn't want his family compound to become another kennedy compound.

[MJY1288]

"Why is Bush so anxious to bend over for the Kennedys?

Hey Sherlock, Bush did not write the petition, He is just going to sign it. What would like him to do?.. Say hell no, I thing you all should name it after Bill Clinton.

[Tuco-bad]

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism.

It's ironic because Robert Kennedy was the first victim in the United States of Muslim terrorism.

Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian Arab, assassinated Kennedy because of his support for Israel.

[newzjunkey]

You're waaaaaaaaaay too much of a literalist. I knew exactly what Drudge meant. I'm sure most reasonable people did as well.

[pistola]

I think some of the good folks on this thread are misunderestimating W's strategery.

[rwfromkansas]

It is just a freaking name. Get over it.

[ladyinred]

Ahhh.

[JCG]

Bush is naming a building, not the department, after Kennedy. It looks like Drudge has started using DEBKA's sources.

Eff off.  A distinction without a difference.

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