TFN Ep 1 - Bobby Gets a Call
Putin realized Bobby could work with him in 2024
Episode 1.
See the Backstory to this Series at the Continuance AI summary.
By late summer of 2024 it became apparent that Bobby Kennedy was about to become President Robert F. Kennedy Jr almost by acclamation, as the polls had predicted 60% of Americans would vote for him - and Kennedy’s landslide might eclipse Reagan’s in 1980. With two months to go Kennedy was on his usual ‘retail politics’ trap line near Seattle when he received a diplomatic invitation to speak with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, relayed to him by the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
Kennedy took the call in his tour bus, over a secure app during a campaign stop. He was surprised by Putin’s knowledge of English, who intermittently spoke some phrases in English, perhaps to an aide—otherwise the translation of his words was in good colloquial English.
“Next time we can speak with a proper translation” offered Bobby, but what Putin had to discuss was clear enough in any language.
“I learned a little English listening to Johnny Cash records in Germany,” Putin confided. “We do not know when these things may someday be important. I am seeking opinion regarding our situations in Europe, America in the UN, and of your personal security in America.”
Kennedy was taken aback by the latter comment.
“My own security?” he asked— painfully aware that his political opponents frequently criticized his candidacy on the grounds that he would likely end up dead…sooner or later. Biden had refused to grant him Secret Service protection, and Bobby consequently had to devote a considerable piece of his funding toward private security.
“I can offer you the services of our own intelligence agencies regarding any threats to yourself or your entourage.” Putin continued.
Bobby chose not to mention that Canada’s RCMP had been doing the same for him, via their new Prime Minister Poilievre, in relation to persistent social media threats to his life. There had been so many schemes reported to him, his main worry now was that the police would keep releasing those who had already been arrested, some of whom had returned to intrude a second time. This was the barbarous state of the US election just two months before decision day on November 5th.
Putin continued.
“I believe that we shall rebuild Europe and UN together and I simply want you to know that my security resources are your own, in regard to your personal safety—if you so choose that. My motivation in calling you is to gain a personal agreement with you that will allow Russia to finalize the status of Ukraine, and try to stabilize Israel in the Middle East. Of special interest to me was your commitment to the American people that you will ‘bring the troops home’ as you term it, and I would like to propose that during that process the United Nations becomes the framework for military security around the world.”
Kennedy knew that Putin’s magnanimous offers were to be expected of him—he had, with Xi Jinping often been the only adults in the room during the events since 2014 — the abrogation of the Minsk Accords, then the disastrous proxy war with half a million dead.
Bobby thought for a moment, and then replied.
“In the spirit of the peacekeeping that was in evidence between Khrushchev and my uncle John Kennedy in 1962, it would be a privilege to continue that dialogue with the Russian people of today.”
Putin voiced his relief.
“Thank you for your understanding. I fully realize that America has serious debt problems, most world leaders are attempting to deal with debt, and there is one proviso that I would like to include—that I have discussed already with President Xi of China. His most important provision is that the United Nations would together compensate America for the repatriation of its military bases around the world, rebadged to the UN, in exchange for annual payments toward your national debt. The intention is to reduce the cost of national security so that humanity is not impoverished further by the curse of militarism, and of course nuclear weapons—they have no place in human governance.”
Bobby was elated by the positive developments that this phone call could bring, both to the tone of his campaign for the presidency—this promise of a broad path to economic recovery in America—perhaps the same for the world as a whole. He constructed an answer that would be in keeping with his own, rare knowledge of Putin’s ideas on world democracy—to lay the basis for the cooperation being suggested.
Always a Kennedy gentleman, he was gracious.
“I was impressed by your own recent analysis of how the world is actually comprised of ‘civilizations’—more than simply into nations defined by borders. You mentioned the civilizations of the Arabs, the Europeans, of Russia, of the West and of China in the east, citing those of Brazil and Africa as worthy of recognition in this same light. That is a worthwhile contribution to the integrity of all human cultures regardless of their political or military histories. I do of course believe that we can reconstruct the United Nations to provide such military security as you suggest, and at the same time be the center of delegated democracy that enables every human to be in control of their own fate.”
There was a distinct pause on the other end of the line, and Bobby worried that he had gone a step too far—let this whole conversation slide off the rails.
He needn’t have worried, once Putin answered.
“Yes, humanity is a family of civilizations and each is deserving of security and respect without the threat of military incursions, or colonial policies that steal their legacies. I would of course hope to continue our discussion within your presidency, but I do want to assure you that Russia will take every measure to reduce the desecrations of war in the meantime. Can we study these issues together in the coming months, at a high diplomatic level? I can forward you instructions to contact me at anytime.”
Bobby quickly assured Putin that his big Irish ears would be open to all topics with him. Putin then signed off with a puzzling request.
“You are in Seattle today? Is it true that Johnny Cash lives there? Have you seen him?”
Bobby was puzzled, yet delighted by the small talk, and replied that “Johnny’s not in my circle at the moment, but I will mention your interest if I come across him here.”
Putin chuckled, and the call concluded with a firm date to reconvene the conversation.