Episode 8 The Kennedys

-Previously:

-We're over there to beat the Commies.

Your tremendous grasp of the obvious is contributing nothing.

On the contrary, if you had a better grasp, we'd get some work done.

It hasn't always been easy,

and it's never been boring.

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

GUNSHOT HE GROANS

The president has been shot.

When I get more details, I'll call you back.

Does this mean that you're gonna be president now?

CHOIR: # O holy spirit

# Who didst brood

# Upon the waters dark and rude

# And bid their angry tumult cease

# And give for wild confusion... #

MAN: over 100 presidents, kings, and ministers

from nearly every country in the world

have come to Arlington cemetery

to bury John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

The details of these last three days of mourning,

even to the bier upon which the president's casket

was displayed in the Capitol, were modelled after the funeral

of another fallen president, Abraham Lincoln,

this at the instruction of the first lady.

Having lit the eternal flame

at the head of her husband's grave,

Mrs Kennedy, still composed, still dignified,

leaves the gravesite with the attorney general.

Hovering over this sombre day, the question still lingers-

why was president Kennedy killed?

Did lee Harvey Oswald act alone,

or was he part of a larger conspiracy?

A reasonable man cannot honestly believe you, Mr Giancana,

when you say that you- you can't recall that.

Would you tell us about the murder of Leon Marcus?

Uh, did-did you have any connection with that?

I decline to answer because I honestly believe my answer

might tend to incriminate me.

Well, would you tell us anything, anything at all,

about any of your operations,

or will you just, er, giggle every time I ask you a question?

CHUCKLES: I decline to answer because I honestly believe

my answer might tend to incriminate me.

I thought only little girls giggled, Mr Giancana.

Others have speculated that foreign enemies of the United States

could have been responsible for the assassination.

Well, it's called Operation Mongoose.

It won't be run out of the White House or CIA.

"The overthrow and elimination of Fidel Castro."

Jack, CIA's got people in pipelines everywhere. They'll figure this out.

I don't care. I don't trust the bastards, not after the Bay of Pigs.

You're gonna run point on this, Bobby, through Justice.

Well, let's hope we get the bastard this time.

Well, you may only get one shot, so if you get him in your sights,

don't miss, or else we may end up in his sights.

On Sunday, John F. Kennedy's fellow citizens paid their respects

in the great rotunda of the Capitol,

most of them unaware that another murder had taken place

in Dallas, as nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot and killed

Lee Harvey Oswald, the president's assassin,

in the basement of police...

I was watching that.

It's enough. Come to bed.

I'm not tired.

Bobby, you're exhausted.

I...do they expect us to believe

that he just walked in there, and shot him like that?

WHISPERS: Bobby...

CRYING: Oh, god.

Ethel, I've made so many enemies...

..they killed my brother because of me.

No. No. Look at me. What happened had nothing- nothing to do with you.

Don't ever say that.

Is that from my brother's casket?

Jackie brought it last week.

Bobby's here to see you. Hmm?

Thank you.

Hi, Dad.

I heard, er...

Jackie brought this by for you.

That was nice.

These, er, stars remind me of "Romeo and Juliet."

You remember your Shakespeare, Dad?

"When he shall die,

"take him and cut him out in little stars,

"and he shall make the face of heaven so fine

"that all the world will be in love with night,

and pay no worship to the garish sun."

SIGHS

OBJECT RATTLES

I made...

So many mistakes.

I always thought that I could do whatever I wanted.

As long as we were on the side of the angels...

That nothing else mattered.

No-one could touch us.

But I was wrong.

I was arrogant.

I'm so sorry, Dad.

I'm so terribly sorry.

HE CRIES

SNIFFLES

SNIFFLES

CRIES

SOBBING

Mother.

Come with me, Bobby.

HE SIGHS

I've spoken to Ethel,

and she says that she's tried to get you

to accept the solace of the church, but you won't.

No, I want to accept it, mother.

It's-it's just not...

There anymore.

Joe Jr..

Rosemary...

With all I've seen, how could I bear it if it wasn't for my faith?

His means may be mysterious, but his ends aren't.

Pray the rosary with me.

I believe in God, the father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ,

his only son, our lord,

who was conceived by the holy spirit,

born of the virgin Mary...

Mrs Kennedy shouldn't be too long, sir.

Thank you.

General, I... The president meant a lot to me, sir,

and I will miss him for the rest of my life.

He cared for you a great deal, Abraham.

Excuse me, sir.

I'm glad you're here.

They're packing things up already.

TAPS OBJECT

I don't know where... We're going to go.

I don't want you to worry about any of that.

I'll find you a home.

You have enough to worry about.

Jackie, I'll never be too busy for you.

It's the least I can do.

Make up for Jack not being here.

You don't have to make up for it.

I've been going through, er, everything in my head...

How things might have turned out differently.

That's all I've been able to think about.

If I had just leaned in...

An inch closer...

If I'd turned to him a second sooner...

Why did we have to have the top down?

You dedicated your life to him, Bobby.

Uh, you- you don't have to make it up to anybody,

least of all me.

Jackie, you're my family.

You're my responsibility now.

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Excuse me, Ma'am.

Whenever you're ready.

SHE SIGHS

STAFF WHISPER INDISTINCTLY

At first I...

I didn't want to come to this house.

Now I can't seem to leave.

Thank you.

Mrs Kennedy.

Mrs Kennedy.

Thank you, sir.

Mrs Kennedy.

Thank you, Abraham.

Jackie.

Another sad day, my dear.

This house will never be the same.

It was so nice of you

to let the children and I stay on these past two weeks.

You served our country with nobility and grace,

and I hope that when you're ready, you continue to serve.

I know I'm a just a caretaker.

You're the true keeper of his memory.

Thank you, Lyndon.

I'm sorry.

Mr President.

Lyndon.

Always.

God bless you.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Mrs Kennedy! Mrs Kennedy! ...America wants to know.

Jackie. Jackie. Right here! Excuse me. Mrs Kennedy!

sir! Sir, get out of the way.

Step back. Right there. Sir, step back.

Did you see President Johnson?

Is it true that the president wanted you to leave?

Everybody, back up.

Can we get a shot of you and the children?

Get off of there!

Just one shot, please!

Let her through. Officer, get these people out of here.

I want you people out of here.

This is private property.

Go home. Go home! Mrs Kennedy, how does it feel to leave the white house?

She's a private citizen now! Mrs Kennedy!

She's a private citizen! Go home. Go home!

I want that road blocked off whenever Mrs Kennedy is in residence.

We can't do that.

I don't want to hear about what you can't do.

I want you to take care of it!

I'm sorry, sir.

Damn you. She's the First Lady of the United States!

It's your job to protect her! I need you to help me protect her!

Bobby. Don't.

I'm sorry. Mr Kennedy didn't mean that.

I'll be outside, Ma'am.

It's OK, my darlings.

Take them upstairs.

HE SIGHS

Bobby.

Whatever needs to be done, Jackie, I will take care of you.

Hey, kid.

Hi, you.

I miss you, Bobby.

I miss being close to you.

I miss you, too.

I'm so sorry.

I... I'm...

No, it's OK. It's OK.

TELEPHONE RINGS

TELEPHONE RINGS

Hello?

Bobby...

There were people here.

What. Where?

On the property. Photographers.

Jackie, let's have a look.

Jackie, are you OK. Were they inside the house with you?

No. No, the secret service chased them away.

I'll be right there.

'No, it's OK. It just spooked me a little. I'm not used to this.'

No, no, no. No, it's no-no problem.

OK, I'll be there in ten minutes.

OK.

OK.

Photographers outside her house. Bastards.

She all right?

Yeah, I think she's fine.

Then why are you going?

She's all alone, Ethel.

Bobby, she has the secret service.

I know. It's not the same. She needs family right now.

Tell her you'll see her in the morning.

She needs me now.

So do I.

Please don't.

Please don't do that.

See her in the morning.

I'm sorry it's so late.

I don't mind.

Thank you for coming over.

How are the children doing?

They're much more resilient than we are.

Caroline loves her new school.

I have a parents' night next week.

That'll be awkward.

Jackie, I can go with you, if you...

Need someone there.

It's no trouble.

Bobby, I'm so grateful...

For everything.

It's fine.

No.

You have a family.

You're my family.

It's gonna be OK.

SHE SNIFFLES

How's Jackie?

She's fine.

How are you?

Great.

Ethel, I know you've been hurting.

Ever since Jack died, I've been...

Feeling the same in my own heart.

I've been hiding from you and the children.

But I want you to know that I'm here for you.

I'm here for you now.

You haven't been hiding.

You've been mourning,

and there's a difference.

Well...

Whatever it is, it's over now.

I'm thinking about Jack.

If he saw me right now, he'd say,

"Bobby, get off your ass and do something."

I don't think I have a choice, really.

I have to carry on for him.

I think I owe it to him to...

Make an effort to ensure

what he envisioned for this country really happens.

SETS PICTURE DOWN

'And it is now obvious that this is going to be

'a huge election victory for president Johnson'

over senator Goldwater -

perhaps the largest landslide in American history.

In the senate race in new York, which attracted

almost as much attention as the national race,

Robert Kennedy, the former attorney general

and brother of the late president,

won over the incumbent, senator Kenneth Keating.

Thank you. Thank you.

Senator from New York!

Little runt couldn't even vote for himself cos he's registered in Massachusetts.

Contrary to what, er, was said during the campaign,

I do know where the Hudson River is.

LAUGHTER

You and lady bird should be celebrating, Mr President.

Don't let this bother you.

He rode in on my coattails.

When it looked like he might lose, I campaigned for him.

I shall devote all of my efforts

and whatever talents I possess to the state of New York.

CHEERING

Bastard's gonna use the senate to come gunnin' for me in '68.

I am announcing today

my candidacy for the presidency of the United States.

'I run because it is now unmistakably clear'

that we can change these disastrous,

divisive policies only by changing the men who are now making them.

I do not lightly dismiss the difficulties and the dangers of challenging an incumbent president,

but these are not ordinary times, and this is not an ordinary election.

Finally, my decision reflects

no personal animosity or disrespect

towards president Johnson.

I shall not seek

and I will not accept

the nomination of my party

for another term as your president.

It's unbelievable.

'But let men everywhere, however...'

It's gonna be ours, Bobby.

There's nothing in our way now.

'It's now clear that senator Eugene McCarthy

'will defeat senator Kennedy in the Oregon primary.

'Despite spending roughly 1 million a week, Kennedy was unable to appeal

'to the state's largely white, largely protestant,

'and largely middle-class voters.

'This is the first electoral defeat

'ever suffered by a member of the Kennedy family,

'and it makes the upcoming California primary...'

Could you, er, turn that off, please?

'...For the senator from new York.'

Well, I think it's clear

that we, er, lost here, all by ourselves.

It had nothing to do with the, er, protestants.

This was our responsibility.

This was our effort, and we dropped the ball.

We had lousy polling information,

we didn't motivate the precinct captains to get out the vote,

and we can do better. We can do more.

So I want, er, each of you on planes tonight to California,

and make, er, damn sure that we rally here,

that we show some balls,

that we go in there and we win this thing.

Because if I have anything to do with it,

this is the last election a Kennedy's gonna lose.

All right, now go. Go. Each of you, go.

we'll get it right in California.

I know.

I'm going back to our room. Are you coming?

No. You go.

I'm gonna...stay here and get some work done.

Night.

You know, this wouldn't have, er, happened to Jack.

Bobby...

Jack had you.

Thanks.

Henry Cabot Lodge is beating us by two touchdowns.

What the hell are you doing, Bobby? You're the campaign manager.

I know, Dad, and I'd appreciate if you would actually let me manage it.

Oh, so it's my fault we're behind?

No, but we're running a state-wide race here,

and you brought in your old cronies from Charleston.

How am I supposed to work with that?

Half of them think that Wilson is still president.

You've got them going around the neighbourhoods,

handing out 20 bucks for coal. It worked when Jack ran for congress.

I know, but that was right after the war.

The world's a different place now, Dad. Money still talks, Bobby.

If the day ever comes when I don't get my money's worth...

Well, the day is here, and we need to recognise it, Dad.

TELEPHONE RINGS That's precisely the reason why we're losing.

RING

Well, what do you suggest?

RING

Well, I think we've got a lot of dead weight around here and I wanna get rid of it.

If you don't wanna tell 'em, I will. I'll do it.

And we got, er, Jack crisscrossing the state.

He's in Springfield in the morning, Plymouth in the afternoon, back up to Northampton at night.

We're killing him.

We need to conserve his energy,

make the schedule more efficient.

It still doesn't get us more votes. I know. Let me finish.

We have the best resource in the world,

and we're not even using it.

What's that? Us, family.

We should get mother out there,

get her telling stories about when Jack was little.

People love her, Dad.

They love that. They wanna know that we're a real family.

CHUCKLES

Your mother's a natural campaigner. We'll have tea parties.

"Tea with Rose Kennedy."

TELEPHONE DIAL CLICKING

That's a good idea, Dad.

CHEERING

when Lodge called to concede, he said, "I coulda beaten you.

"I coulda beaten you and the old man"...

"but that damn mother of yours...

"And those Kennedy tea parties..."

LAUGHTER

Thank you. Thank you.

You made the difference.

Hey, boys. Boys, come on. Come on over here.

You, er, take a photograph of this.

One day it may be worth something.

Mother, it's Bobby. No, I'm fine, but I need you again.

Pack your bags?

Of course, I could tell you about all the times that he was naughty

and I had to spank him with a ruler.

LAUGHING

Well, it must have worked,

because Ethel tells me he's not naughty anymore.

LAUGHTER

It-it-it-it's very important that you vote for him for president.

He has ten children, you know, and Ethel is pregnant again,

and the White House is the only place large enough.

LAUGHING

So it gives me great pleasure to introduce my seventh child-

Robert Francis Kennedy.

I'd like to thank my mother for the kind introduction.

that's what it's gotten down to in this, er, campaign,

when, er, some of the polls came out that we weren't doing so well.

We-we-we took Mother.

Make sure you tell 'em about my ideas for improving public schools.

I'm gonna tell 'em.

Because-because it's very important to capture children's imaginations.

Yes, I know. I know, Mother.

I'm gonna tell 'em. Why don't you give your own speech?

I-that's just it- my brother and I- that's the reason she never introduced us before is,

we wouldn't go on the same platform with her.

You couldn't possibly compete with that.

No, no, I'm fine. I'm just, er...

A little lonely, I suppose.

All the, er, hotel rooms start to look the same after a while.

How are the kids? I miss them.

They're fine. They miss you, too.

The campaign looks like it's going great.

Yeah, the, er, polling here in California is great.

Um, the crowds have been unbelievable, really.

I'm so glad for you.

Mm-hmm. Is everything OK with you?

I wanted to talk to you about something.

Sure. Anything. What is it?

You know Onassis and I have been seeing each other

for quite some time.

Yes, I know. I know you have.

And he's asked me to marry him.

That d-doesn't come as a great surprise to me.

I know you don't...

Approve of him.

No, I don't...Jackie. I think he's a collector.

He collects things, and that's what you are to him.

You-you are the most desirable, beautiful thing in the world

to, er, to him.

I just don't believe that in your heart you could possibly love him.

I was in love with Jack.

I'll never feel that way again.

Then why are you doing this?

I have to keep my children safe.

He can protect them.

His island is...

A private world where no-one can get to them.

I mean, they've been hounded by photographers

and people all their lives.

Don't they deserve... A chance to just be children?

Of course they do. I just want you to be happy.

Jackie, you deserve to be happy.

Thank you, Bobby.

Could you, er, delay the announcement

until after the election?

You could cost me five states, you know.

Of course.

I wasn't going to say anything,

and I already spoke to Ari about it.

He's not going to say anything until after you're president.

I admire your optimism.

I love you, Jackie.

I love you, Bobby.

'I gotta go.'

Well, um, I'll talk to you soon.

Bye-bye.

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis,

and that what's been going on within the United States over the period of the last three years -

the divisions, the violence,

the disenchantment with our society,

the divisions, whether it's between blacks and whites,

between the poor and the more affluent,

or between age groups or the war in Vietnam - is that we can start to work together.

We're a great country and a selfless country

and a compassionate country,

and I intend to make that my basis for running over the period of the next few months.

CHEERING

So it's my-my thanks to all of you,

and now it's on to Chicago, and let's win there.

CHEERING

This way, senator.

We want Bobby! We want Bobby!

We want Bobby. We want Bobby!

Out of the way. Out of the way.

Right this way, sir.

Everybody out of the way. Hey, get out of the way.

Thank you. How are you? Thank you very much.

Bobby, this is our time.

You are the Kennedys to me.

Bobby!

Bobby!

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

GUNSHOTS, SCREAMS

PEOPLE SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY

Hail Mary, full of grace...

Bobby. Bobby!

Bobby. Breathe, baby. Breathe.

I love you, Ethel.

CRYING

Is everyone else OK?

SNIFFLES

I love you.

Oh, god!

Somebody get a doctor! Get a doctor!

Bobby. Bobby.

Bobby!

Bobby. Bobby!

SOBBING

SOBBING FADES

SPEAKS INAUDIBLY

BOTH SPEAKING INAUDIBLY

The car's waiting, Mrs Onassis.

I want them to plant new roses.

Don't you think that would be nice,

to have new roses next year?

There you are, Jack.

All right.

Well, Dad?

Your house, Mr President,

your office.

Well, I say, to, er, interesting times

and, er, to the United States of America.

To my husband.

To a, er, re-election campaign that I don't have to manage.

LAUGHS

To another baby.

Our lord makes all things possible.

May we work for his greater glory.

Amen.

To this family.

If I knew its secret, I'd bottle it and sell it.

I believe we do know the secret, Dad.

It's you.

I'll drink to that. Hear, hear.

GLASSES CLINK