Journalist, Kennedy Advisor, Recalls Spirit of New Frontier

For John Seigenthaler the New Frontier was more than a cliche. "It was the sense for all of us entering the government in 1960 that the guard was changing, that collectively we would change the nature of public service."

Seiganthaler, editor and president of the Nashville Tennessean served as administrative assistant to Robert F. Kennedy '44 in both the 1960 presidential campaign and in the Attorney General's office.

He is one of 70 dignitaries who yesterday gave commemorative speeches at local high schools as part of the dedication celebrations for the John F. Kennedy library.

Seigenthaler smiles as he speculates that perhaps the spirit and vigor of the Kennedy administration was all in our heads. "But no," he says with more conviction, "there really was that sense of purpose." It was in this spirit that the Justice Department sent Seigenthaler to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1961 to protect the freedom riders, who were protesting segregation in the south. While trying to save three women riders from a "mob attack" he was hit with an iron pipe and knocked unconscious.

Undaunted, he returned to the Justice Department only to leave at the end of 1962 to join the Tennessean. Six years later, he again left what he calls "the high calling of journalism" to help manage Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign. His lucid speech becomes halting as he talks of the campaign that ended before it had a chance to succeed.

Seigenthaler returned to the Tennessean, this time as editor and president.

He doesn't want to comment at this time on the potential presidential candidacy of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54. (D-Mass). "I know, though, it's on everybody's minds." he says.

Seigenthaler questions whether he could abandon journalism to work on another Kennedy presidential campaign. "There's no love like a first love," he explains.