Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a declared candidate for the presidency since October of 2023, has a well-documented history of saying things and doing things that are bizarre, despicable, or both. And while none of us is perfect and we all make mistakes, when you repeatedly say and do things for which you then apologize or have to or should apologize—as he has—serious questions arise as to your suitability to sit behind the Resolute Desk.

I have known Bobby Kennedy for over 40 years. In the early 1980’s we were both assistant district attorneys in the same trial bureau at the Manhattan DA’s Office. In particular, I remember that he encouraged a number of us to remain late at a Friday afternoon bureau beer bash because “Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young” were supposedly coming. As it turned out, Stephen Stills showed up moments later, someone handed him a guitar, and he sang blues songs about poor, oppressed, innocent people languishing in prison, much to the consternation of our ex-marine bureau chief’s dismay. Shortly after that, Bobby resigned from the office, was arrested on and pleaded guilty to a felony charge of heroin possession—he had been using the drug for some 14 years—and went into a rehabilitation program.