The Last Good Campaign

Two months after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Robert Kennedy traveled to Asia on an itinerary that had originally been planned for J.F.K. During the trip, he visited a girls’ school in the Philippines where the students sang a song they had composed to honor his brother. As he drove away with CBS cameraman Walter Dombrow, he clenched his hands so tightly that they turned white, and tears rolled down his cheeks. He shook his head, signaling that Dombrow should remain silent. Finally he said in a choked voice, “They would have loved my brother.” Dombrow put his arm around him and said, “Bob, you’re going to have to carry on for him.” Kennedy stared straight ahead for half a minute before turning to Dombrow and nodding. It was then, Dombrow said, that he knew Bobby would run for president and realized how much he loved him.

(Read the rest at Vanity Fair.)

This is a must-read piece especially now that the United States is heading up for its presidential elections in November. When Bobby Kennedy decided to run for president, the U.S. was in the midst of the Vietnam War and racial tensions were heating up. 1968 was a year that most Americans would rather forget because of the horror and tragedies that followed right after Bobby Kennedy made his announcement that he would be running for president, including the fact that he, like his brother JFK, was assassinated.

On another note, I am also curious though, if any of those kids in the girls' school mentioned in that first paragraph of the piece, remember Bobby Kennedy's visit. If you're one of those kids, or know anyone of them (now Moms or even young Lolas I suppose), please let me know.

Miley Cyrus and the controversial VF photo

TRUTH to tell, as I'm not 16 years old I knew very little of Miley Cyrus. I vaguely remembered reading about Hannah Montana and her father being the one-hit-wonder Billy Ray Cyrus ("But don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart..."), but that was about it.

And then a few weeks ago, a controversy apparently erupted about Miley's so-called scandalous photo in the latest issue of Vanity Fair and about her apology to her fans about it. Being a Disney Channel talent, I further read, forced her to make the apology considering that she is supposed to have a squeaky-clean image. Parent groups also supposedly took her task for that photo. Anyway, I reserved my judgement until I received my copy of VF. Then quickly forgot about the issue.

So a few days ago, Manong mailman finally delivered my long awaited June issue of VF. I scanned through the pages and came upon the supposedly scandalous photo of this young 15-year-old singer and all I can say, it's gorgeous. It is not even close to erotic or pornographic as people have been led to believe. If you see it up close and in the magazine itself, instead of the small megapixel copies available on the web, you will think it a brilliant work of art, as only Annie Leibowitz can deliver.

Sure there may be questions about her naked back, and tousled hair, but taken all together, nothing in the photo would make you think of "sex" unless you have a sick mind. You remember when you were 15? You weren't exactly a kid anymore who could cuddle in bed in between your parents, but neither were you a full-grown woman who could handle the complexities of sex and relationships.

Now if there were any questions of impropriety at all about the photos, then maybe a Disney representative should have been present at the photo shoot. Her parents were there on the set. And because Miley is a minor, I'm pretty sure Leibowitz and VF editors secured a release form for said photo. (In fact I took more offense at that photo with Miley and her dad Billy Ray in it. Now that was creepy and fugly.)

So Miley had a change of heart? (Is Britney Spears a virgin?) Perhaps Miley and her handlers just couldn't resist the opportunity to raise her publicity level even further. She and her handlers know that the wholesome image for teen celebrities never works in the long-term, so this may be their way of preparing for the time when Miley is "over the hill," so to speak. Just look at Britney, Lindsay Lohan, and Christina Aguilera. I mean really, magaling ba talaga kumanta at umarte itong batang ito?

Btw, there are far more interesting stories in the June issue of VF (cover is the late Bobby Kennedy) than the one on Miley Cyrus.

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On a related front, I can only wonder why Americans are becoming too uptight these days. They see pornography, sexual harrassment, and political incorrectness in just about everything. Only a few days ago, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama apologized to a reporter for calling her "sweetie." WTF?! I call a lot of people "sweetie", or "swit!" It is a term of endearment. Even the reporter herself, Peggy Agar was surprised with the apology, and quipped that she was more insulted that he had not answered her question instead of being called "sweetie."

Naku, masyado nang OA ang mga pipol jan sa States! Mr. Obama, you can call me "sweetie", anytime! In fact you can call me. Period. Right now.