--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There in front of me was the Senator on…" description: "\"There in front of me was the Senator on the floor being held by the busboy. There was nobody else around, and I made my first frame, and I forgot to fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/bill-eppridge-70433_bobby-kennedy_there-in-front-of-me-was-the-senator-on_1647468.jpg" --- # There in front of me was the Senator on the floor being… ![“There in front of me was the Senator on the floor being held by the busboy. There was nobody else around, and I made my first frame, and I forgot to focus the camera. The second frame was a little more in focus... then just for a second, while everything was open, the busboy looked up, and he had…” quote by Bill Eppridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/bill-eppridge-70433_bobby-kennedy_there-in-front-of-me-was-the-senator-on_1647468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/bill-eppridge-70433_bobby-kennedy_there-in-front-of-me-was-the-senator-on_1647468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/bill-eppridge-70433_bobby-kennedy_there-in-front-of-me-was-the-senator-on_1647468.jpg) > “There in front of me was the Senator on the floor being held by the busboy. There was nobody else around, and I made my first frame, and I forgot to focus the camera. The second frame was a little more in focus... then just for a second, while everything was open, the busboy looked up, and he had this look in his eye. I made that picture, and then suddenly the whole situation closed in again. And it became bedlam.(On the 1968 shooting of U.S. presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy.)” [Bill Eppridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-eppridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A fleeting, focused moment captured amid chaos reveals deeper emotional truth beyond the event. **In simple terms:** A single image can expose hidden feelings in turmoil. Key Takeaway Seek moments of clarity in disorder. Themes photography history empathy truth Mood poignant introspective Type documentary artistic When to use this quote - documenting protests - journalistic work - personal reflection - educational exhibits Key Concepts visual storytelling human experience political turmoil Questions to Reflect On - What does the busboy’s expression tell us about humanity? - How does focus alter perception of chaos? A Different Perspective Interpretation may be subjective; context can be misread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bedlam 1968](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bedlam-1968-620284/) [Bobby kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bobby-kennedy/) [Busboy Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busboy-frame-620285/) [Busboy Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busboy-looked-620283/) [Busboys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busboys/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Forgot Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgot-focus-471787/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Held Busboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/held-busboy-620286/) [His eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his-eyes/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Presidential candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-candidate/) [Senators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senators/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [“I am happy." 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I was a busboy - girl - when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-odd-jobs-including-waitressing-which-most-actors/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [People treat you like s\*\*\* when you're a doorman or a busboy. I licked envelopes for eight hours a day for this management company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/people-treat-you-like-s-when-you-re-a-doorman-or-a-busboy-i-licked/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [To make money I picked up work as a busboy, valet parker, skateboard shop employee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/to-make-money-i-picked-up-work-as-a-busboy-valet-parker-skateboard/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [Friends come in and out of our lives, like busboys in a restaurant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-come-in-and-out-of-our-lives-like-busboys-in-a-restaurant/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Actually, I used to be a busboy in a strip joint in New York and so I hate strip joints. I'm not that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/actually-i-used-to-be-a-busboy-in-a-strip-joint-in-new-york-and-so-i/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [You used to have to beg and be the busboy to do standup. I got on Community because people saw my videos on YouTube,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-glover/you-used-to-have-to-beg-and-be-the-busboy-to-do-standup-i-got-on/) [Donald Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-glover/) > [I had a lot of different jobs between fifteen and nineteen. I'd moved out of my house way, way younger than I should have.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-had-a-lot-of-different-jobs-between-fifteen-and-nineteen-i-d-moved/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Even the busboys at the restaurants have a script to give you. Everybody is in the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/even-the-busboys-at-the-restaurants-have-a-script-to-give-you/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) ## More by Bill Eppridge > [You are not just a photojournalist, you're a historian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-eppridge/you-are-not-just-a-photojournalist-you-re-a-historian/) [Bill Eppridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-eppridge/) > [I think what makes a picture is a moment that is completely spontaneous and natural and unaffected by the photographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-eppridge/i-think-what-makes-a-picture-is-a-moment-that-is-completely/) [Bill Eppridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-eppridge/) > [Reporters listen, photographers look. If you are doing your job seriously as a photojournalist, your sight must be the primary sense that you use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-eppridge/reporters-listen-photographers-look-if-you-are-doing-your-job/) [Bill Eppridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-eppridge/) [Explore all 4 Bill Eppridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-eppridge/) ## More Bobby kennedy quotes > [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [You cultural sodomite. You were an aide to Bobby Kennedy, which explains your connection to Hasselhoff. I guess you like to hang around guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/you-cultural-sodomite-you-were-an-aide-to-bobby-kennedy-which/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [“Later that same year John F. Kennedy was elected president by a thin margin. The first thing he did was appoint his brother attorney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/later-that-same-year-john-f-kennedy-was-elected-president-by-a-thin/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [“Bobby Kennedy chose the members of the squad himself. He gave the squad a very limited job to do and gave the squad a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/bobby-kennedy-chose-the-members-of-the-squad-himself-he-gave-the/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [I came at age in the '60s, and initially my hopes and dreams were invested in politics and the movements of the time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/i-came-at-age-in-the-60s-and-initially-my-hopes-and-dreams-were/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I just find Bobby Kennedy's short campaign for president so inspiring because his rhetoric identified what America can be like if we care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ryan/i-just-find-bobby-kennedy-s-short-campaign-for-president-so-inspiring/) [Tim Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ryan/) > [Bobby Kennedy's conduct toward Lyndon Johnson was childish and despicable. As the years went on, he displayed nasty, self-pitying, and messianic qualities that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/bobby-kennedy-s-conduct-toward-lyndon-johnson-was-childish-and/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-all-remember-bobby-kennedy-was-assassinated-in-june-in-california/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“When a reporter asked Bobby Kennedy what he would do if Hoffa were acquitted, Bobby Kennedy, who said he had “never considered that possibility”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/when-a-reporter-asked-bobby-kennedy-what-he-would-do-if-hoffa-were/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [We don't really know who killed Martin Luther King. We don't really know who killed Bobby Kennedy. We don't really know who killed John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-mckinney/we-don-t-really-know-who-killed-martin-luther-king-we-don-t-really/) [Cynthia McKinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-mckinney/) > [“Bobby Kennedy gave Cheasty a job with the committee at a salary of $5,000 a year. The FBI planted microphones and set up cameras.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/bobby-kennedy-gave-cheasty-a-job-with-the-committee-at-a-salary-of-5/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [ I was next to Bobby \[Kennedy\] when he was shot. It was hideous. Part of me wanted to crawl away. I couldn't... I still… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/i-was-next-to-bobby-kennedy-when-he-was-shot-it-was-hideous-part-of/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [When people ask what were the qualities of Bobby Kennedy that they most admired, it was first that he was tough. Second, he told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-estevez/when-people-ask-what-were-the-qualities-of-bobby-kennedy-that-they/) [Emilio Estevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-estevez/) > [I had my serious side - I idolized Bobby Kennedy; he was my role model. But so was Jerry Lewis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ritter/i-had-my-serious-side-i-idolized-bobby-kennedy-he-was-my-role-model/) [John Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ritter/) [Browse all 59 Bobby kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bobby-kennedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There in front of me was the Senator on the floor being held by the busboy. There was nobody else around, and I made my first frame, and I forgot to focus the camera. The second frame was a little more in focus... then just for a second, while everything was open, the busboy looked up, and he had this look in his eye. 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