</s>June 17, 1968 FOR Joe Califano FROM Matt Ninetes As you requested I checked the President's statement of June 5, 1968, concerning the shooting of Senator Kennedy, to see whether Jack Valenti's comments about it were justified. Jack got the impression that the speech emphasized the "sickness" of our society -- an attitude that we have been hearing from some commentary. In particular, Jack was troubled by a theme that recured in the body of the speech, the notion that our society is disfigured, that we are sick and violent and that this assassin- tion somehow, that are sick of that affection. I can see how Jack got his impression, although the President actually went out of his way to disclaim this view of America. The key out, I believe, the following! "Tonight this Nation faces once again the consequences be wrong, hatred and self-once upon the midnight. It would be wrong. Hatred by self-acceptance and ignore the connection between lawlessness, hatred, and hatred and this act of violence. It would be just as wrong, and just as self-depreciate, to conclude from this act that our country itself is sick, that it has lost its balance, that our Country lost its sense of direction, even its common decency. "1200 million Americans did not strike down Robert Kennedy last night and more than they struck down John F. Kennedy in 1963 or Dr. Martin Luther King in April of this year ... " This passage is a clear statement against the "sicickness of America" thesis, which blames the deaths on the American people. However, the President did emphasize that a high level of violence in our society does set the stage for many of the unhappy events of 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The text includes multiple documents related to President Lyndon B. Johnson's response to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968. A memo from Matt Ninetees to Joe Califano discusses Johnson’s speech, which rejects the notion that American society is "sick" or responsible for the violence, while acknowledging societal violence as a contributing factor to such events. The President emphasizes the need to address lawlessness and violence without blaming the nation itself. A separate memorandum from James C. Gaither outlines state funeral protocols, noting that only Presidents, ex-Presidents, and specific officials receive state funerals. Another memo details arrangements for RFK’s funeral in New York and Washington, involving Bert Harding and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. The White House statement from June 5, 1968, condemns violence, rejects the "sickness of America" narrative, and appoints a Commission on Violence to investigate causes of societal violence, including political, ideological, and psychological factors.  

Key People  
- Lyndon B. Johnson (President)  
- Joe Califano (White House aide)  
- Matt Ninetees (White House official)  
- Jack Valenti (White House advisor)  
- James C. Gaither (White House official)  
- Bert Harding (White House aide)  
- Dean Rusk (Secretary of State)  
- Robert F. Kennedy (assassinated Senator)  
- John F. Kennedy (former President, referenced in context)  
- Martin Luther King Jr. (referenced in context)  

Key Locations  
- Washington, D.C. (White House, military district offices)  
- New York City (RFK funeral arrangements)  
- Capitol Rotunda (state funeral protocol reference)  

Key Events  
- Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968  
- President Johnson’s public statement condemning violence and rejecting the "sickness of America" narrative  
- Appointment of the Commission on Violence to study causes of societal violence  
- Discussions regarding state funeral protocols and arrangements for RFK’s services  

Key Organizations  
- White House (U.S. government)  
- Commission on Violence (established by President Johnson)  
- Military District of Washington (involved in funeral protocol discussions)  
- Office of the Press Secretary (released statements related to the assassination)

RFK Declassified Files

12034693_lbj_aides_files_james_gaither_b017_f10.pdf

Document Summary

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