For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 20, 2001
President Dedicates Robert F. Kennedy Justice Building
Remarks by the President At Dedication Of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building
The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building
Washington, D.C.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be
seated. Joe, thank you for those stirring
words. There's nothing quite like the eloquence of a loyal
son. I want to welcome you and all your brothers and
sisters; and your mom; Senator Kennedy. I want to thank the
Attorneys General who are here. I want to thank our current Attorney
General. Thank you for being here, Director. I
want to thank the members of the Congress who are here; the Senators
and members of the House of Representatives for coming, both
Republicans and Democrats. I want to thank Administrator
Perry; ladies and gentlemen.
I'm so very pleased to be with you in giving this building a great
American name. Seventy-nine Americans have held the title of
Attorney General, and 25 of them worked in this
building. But in the history of this department, and in the
memory of our country, we hold a special place for Robert Francis
Kennedy. (Applause.)
He first worked here 50 years ago, as Joe said. Just out
of law school at the University of Virginia, he reported here every
morning to the Criminal Division. He was 26, married, the
father of one; a baby girl who is now the Lieutenant Governor of the
State of Maryland. (Applause.)
Ahead of him were many more accomplishments and a lot more
children. (Laughter.) There's no doubt in my mind that he
would look upon his sons and daughters and his grandkids with such
incredible pride.
America first saw him and heard his voice in the mid-'50s, when he
was Minority Counselor to the Senate committee investigating organized
crime. There was something about him that no one could miss, an
intense intelligence present, a voice that could quiet a
room. As a friend has remembered him, Robert Kennedy was not
a hard man, but he was a tough man. He valued bluntness and precision
and truth. Those under investigation learned those qualities
firsthand.
In the eyes of John F. Kennedy, no man ever had a more faithful
brother. During his presidential campaign, he said, I don't
know what Bobby does, but it always seems to turn out
right. We are told that after the election the younger
brother wasn't sure he wanted to join the Cabinet, and he said so to
the President-elect. Robert tried to make the case
explaining why he should not become attorney general. There
was no reply. The President-elect simply left the room, and casually
returned a few minutes later to say, so that's it,
General. Let's go. (Laughter.)
To this day, visitors to the West Wing, seeing the Rose Garden and
the Colonnade, instantly think of the pictures of the two brothers
together. And from this day, his birthday, everyone who enters this
building or passes by will think of Robert F. Kennedy and what he still
means to this country.
He was not our longest-serving Attorney General; yet none is more
fondly remembered. And few have filled their time here with
so much energy or seen events of such consequence. He was at
his brother's side during the 13 days in October, 1962, where he was
firm, and discerning, and calm.
In this building, he set to work on what would become The Civil
Rights Act of 1964. Here, he gave the orders sending 500
U.S. Marshals to protect the Freedom Riders. He stood for
racial desegregation. And to those on the other side of the
issue, he said this: "My belief doesn't matter. It's the
law. Some of you may believe the decision was
wrong. That doesn't matter. It is the law."
With us today are some of the people who worked for our 64th
Attorney General, each of whom counts it as an experience of a
lifetime. They still look up to him. Time has
done nothing to weaken their loyalty to the valiant and idealistic man
they knew and followed. Robert Kennedy was a serious man,
concerned with serious things. And he loved his
friends. He was a strong man who understood weakness, a man
who knew privilege, but also suffering. He fought to gain
power, chose to use it in the defense of the powerless.
To millions who never knew him, he's still an example of kindness
and courage. America today is passing through a time of
incredible testing. And as we do so, we admire even more the spirit of
Robert Kennedy, a spirit that tolerates no injustice and fears no
evil. That's how this country sees him.
But today and every November 20th, a large and loving family thinks
of the dad they miss. Some of you know your way around this
building because he brought you here. As Joe said, the
Attorney General's conference room was then his office and a
playroom. And as the photos displayed here make it clear, he
also enjoyed one of my favorite perks of office -- you get to bring
your dog to work. (Laughter.)
Of all that he left behind, nothing brings Robert Kennedy more
clearly to mind than his good wife. In the first year of
their marriage, he recorded his feelings by quoting the book of
Ruth: "Whither thou goest, I will go, and we will be
together forever."
For 33 years, Ethel Kennedy has walked with grace and dignity,
faithful to God and to the memory of her husband. Any
tribute to Robert Kennedy must also be a tribute to Mrs. Robert
Kennedy. (Applause.) She shares in all his
achievements. She's added many of her own. Mrs.
Kennedy, America honors you as well.
This great building, and all who work here, serve the public in the
cause of justice. It now bears the name of a good and decent
man, truly devoted to justice. On behalf of the people of
the United States, I proudly dedicate the Robert F. Kennedy Department
of Justice Building. (Applause.)