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In the shopping centers, on city street corners, in village squares, at campus rallies, with the wind whipping his hair and the venturesome plucking at his clothes, Kennedy has had a difficult time getting across philosophy and pro-rams. In more formal settings and quiet interviews, he has been relatively specific (see box). In Indiana and Nebraska, perhaps fearing a backlash, he emphasized law and order to white audiences—but never failed to mention Negro needs as well. Nor does he shrink from challenging an audience. On campus after campus he has called for draft reform and an end to student deferments. Usually he wins applause. At Omaha's Creighton University, he demanded: "Why should we have a draft system that favors the rich? You should be the last people to accept this." There was stunned silence. For the long run, he wants to abolish the draft and create an all-volunteer military.
When a group of medical students asked who would pay for the additional social services for the poor that Kennedy proposes, he shot back "You!" In Redondo Beach, Calif., he told an audience of aerospace workers: "We can slow down the race to the moon." At Oregon State University, in response to a student who favored "going in and getting the Pueblo crew out," Kennedy suggested: "It's not too late to enlist."
Dad's Message. He has employed banter shrewdly, both to keep his audiences interested and to appear unruthless. In Tecumseh, Neb., the wind tore a scrap of paper from his hand. "That's my farm program," he said. "Give it back quickly." Of course, he has done more to raise farm prices than anyone else; just think, he says, of the milk, eggs and bread his children consume. Are his crowds packed with the young? "I'm going to lower the voting age to seven." What about all that money he's spending? He quotes from Jack: "I have a message from my father: 'I don't mind spending money, but please don't buy one more vote than is necessary.' "
To keep the crowds' attention, Kennedy employs a variety of tactics. At the proper moment, he orders: "Clap!" They do, and they laugh. Occasionally he tries a little antiphony. "Will you vote for me?" "Yeah," says the crowd. "Will you get your friends to vote for me?" "Yeah." "When people say something bad about me, will you say it isn't true?" "Yeah." "Have you read my book?" "Yeah." "You lie."