Thursday marks the 100th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s birth. Bobby Kennedy is mostly remembered today as a liberal icon, a tribune of the poor, and a critic of the Vietnam War, which he surely was. But it’s crucial, on this anniversary, to recall that he embodied a special brand of liberal patriotism that is at odds with so much of what the progressive left represents today.
It’s especially important for Democrats to reflect on Kennedy’s unapologetic patriotism as they celebrate their big victories in the November 4 elections. The returns revealed a persistent class gap in voting patterns, which will matter a great deal more in the 2028 presidential election, when noncollege-educated voters are likely to play a much bigger role than they did in the recent odd-year elections.
