---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy…"
description: "\"“In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the trial, Joe Louis, who was out of work and deeply in debt at the time, was immediately given..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg"
---

#  In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the…

![“In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the trial, Joe Louis, who was out of work and deeply in debt at the time, was immediately given a well-paying job with a record company that got a $2 million Teamsters pension fund loan. Joe Louis then married the female black lawyer from…” quote by Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg)

> ““In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the trial, Joe Louis, who was out of work and deeply in debt at the time, was immediately given a well-paying job with a record company that got a $2 million Teamsters pension fund loan. Joe Louis then married the female black lawyer from California whom he had met at the trial. When Bobby Kennedy’s right-hand and chief investigator, the future author Walter Sheridan, tried to interview Joe Louis for the McClellan Committee about the record company job, the ex-champ refused to cooperate and said about Bobby Kennedy: “Tell him to go take a jump off the Empire State Building.” Still, Bobby Kennedy expected to have the last laugh by the end of 1957. Hoffa””

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political influence can secure jobs and marriages, but personal defiance can undermine those benefits.

**In simple terms:** Power can arrange opportunities, yet individuals may reject them.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the limits of external influence.

Themes

politics power personal agency

Mood

skeptical reflective

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- political appointments
- legal investigations
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

patronage defiance media scrutiny

Questions to Reflect On

- How does personal pride affect political deals?
- Can power be used ethically?

A Different Perspective

Influence may be fleeting if not backed by genuine respect.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bobby kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bobby-kennedy/) [Empire state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-state/) [Empire state building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-state-building/) [Enemy Bobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-bobby-4552681/) [Enemy within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-within/) [Joe louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joe-louis/) [Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kennedy/) [Last Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-laugh/) [Said Bobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-bobby-4552682/) [Trial Bobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial-bobby-4552680/) [Trial Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial-joe-4552683/)

## Related quotes

> [“On the other hand, in his book, The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy wrote about his experiences and observations as chief counsel for the McClellan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/on-the-other-hand-in-his-book-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-wrote/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“The jury was composed of eight blacks and four whites. Hoffa and his attorney, the legendary Edward Bennett Williams, struck only white jurors in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/the-jury-was-composed-of-eight-blacks-and-four-whites-hoffa-and-his/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Jimmy never met Joe Louis before that trial, only the jury didn’t know that. But Jimmy was strong for civil rights. That part is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/jimmy-never-met-joe-louis-before-that-trial-only-the-jury-didn-t-know/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“I think you’re born with the ability to hit. Rocky Marciano didn’t start boxing until after the war when he was already twenty-six, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/i-think-you-re-born-with-the-ability-to-hit-rocky-marciano-didn-t/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [Black men of our day were never told, The sky's the limit. ... We could aspire to Joe Louis but never Henry Ford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/black-men-of-our-day-were-never-told-the-sky-s-the-limit-we-could/)

[Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/)

> [I forget what the official name of it was, but they did an all-day of roots music - every kind of music you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-moore/i-forget-what-the-official-name-of-it-was-but-they-did-an-all-day-of/)

[Scotty Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-moore/)

> [I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-am-the-astronaut-of-boxing-joe-louis-and-dempsey-were-just-jet/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [Joe Louis was one of my closest friends… I'm a great boxing fan. I used to go to the American Legion Stadium in Hollywood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/joe-louis-was-one-of-my-closest-friends-i-m-a-great-boxing-fan-i-used/)

[Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/)

> [I define fear as standing across the ring from Joe Louis and knowing he wants to go home early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-baer/i-define-fear-as-standing-across-the-ring-from-joe-louis-and-knowing/)

[Max Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-baer/)

> [All the champions - you go and ask Mike Tyson or Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis and myself included, and I'm sorry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladimir-klitschko/all-the-champions-you-go-and-ask-mike-tyson-or-joe-louis-rocky/)

[Wladimir Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladimir-klitschko/)

> [Every time I hear the name Joe Louis my nose starts to bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-farr/every-time-i-hear-the-name-joe-louis-my-nose-starts-to-bleed/)

[Tommy Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-farr/)

> [Joe Louis is a credit to his race - the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cannon/joe-louis-is-a-credit-to-his-race-the-human-race/)

[Jimmy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cannon/)

> [I used to tease Joe Louis by reminding him that I was the greatest of all time. But Joe Louis was the greatest heavyweight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-used-to-tease-joe-louis-by-reminding-him-that-i-was-the-greatest-of/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [Joe Louis and I were the first modern national sports figures who were black... But neither of us could do national advertising because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/joe-louis-and-i-were-the-first-modern-national-sports-figures-who/)

[Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/)

> [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/)

[Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/)

## More by Charles Brandt

> [“You fat fuck,” I said and jumped up and decked him. I broke his jaw, and they expelled me permanently on the spot. Naturally,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/you-fat-fuck-i-said-and-jumped-up-and-decked-him-i-broke-his-jaw-and/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Hoffa and Brennan formed a trucking company called Test Fleet. The “brains” and his partner put that company in their wives’ maiden names. Test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/hoffa-and-brennan-formed-a-trucking-company-called-test-fleet-the/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“People in those days didn’t display affection like they do today. I’m still learning how to be affectionate to my grandchildren. I don’t ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/people-in-those-days-didn-t-display-affection-like-they-do-today-i-m/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Whispers was one of these short Italian guys in his early thirties that you’d see all around South Philly, just trying to get by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/whispers-was-one-of-these-short-italian-guys-in-his-early-thirties/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“And under the contract, management couldn’t fire a Teamster unless they had certain grounds. They had none. Stealing was grounds only if they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/and-under-the-contract-management-couldn-t-fire-a-teamster-unless/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“But back then we had to amuse ourselves, and fighting seemed to be all we had. Looking back, it was good for us. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/but-back-then-we-had-to-amuse-ourselves-and-fighting-seemed-to-be-all/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Mary liked to arrange picnics with the kids, and we’d take them to the Willow Grove Amusement Park. I wasn’t always running. When they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/mary-liked-to-arrange-picnics-with-the-kids-and-we-d-take-them-to-the/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“And on the other side of the ledger, unions like the Teamsters often employed their own muscle, their own reigns of terror, including bombings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/and-on-the-other-side-of-the-ledger-unions-like-the-teamsters-often/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Only in the movies or comic books do people say they want you to go and hit somebody. All they ever say is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/only-in-the-movies-or-comic-books-do-people-say-they-want-you-to-go/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“As I learned the ropes I learned that for many good and sound reasons the bosses and the captains sent a guy to whack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/as-i-learned-the-ropes-i-learned-that-for-many-good-and-sound-reasons/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Russell had taken me with him to Cuba just when Castro was starting to kick everybody out and confiscate their casinos and racetracks and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/russell-had-taken-me-with-him-to-cuba-just-when-castro-was-starting/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“You didn’t know who to trust, but you kept taking cabbies aside and persuading them to sign a card. For some reason there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/you-didn-t-know-who-to-trust-but-you-kept-taking-cabbies-aside-and/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Russ quit smoking on a bet with Jimmy Blue Eyes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/russ-quit-smoking-on-a-bet-with-jimmy-blue-eyes/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“they wanted the guy left right there on the sidewalk as a message to those who needed to know the guy did not get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/they-wanted-the-guy-left-right-there-on-the-sidewalk-as-a-message-to/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [“Carlos Marcello and the war orphans did cross my mind during the drive, and I sat the whole way facing the driver. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/carlos-marcello-and-the-war-orphans-did-cross-my-mind-during-the/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

[Explore all 185 Charles Brandt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

## 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": "“In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the trial, Joe Louis, who was out of work and deeply in debt at the time, was immediately given a well-paying job with a record company that got a $2 million Teamsters pension fund loan. Joe Louis then married the female black lawyer from California whom he had met at the trial. When Bobby Kennedy’s right-hand and chief investigator, the future author Walter Sheridan, tried to interview Joe Louis for the McClellan Committee about the record company job, the ex-champ refused to cooperate and said about Bobby Kennedy: “Tell him to go take a jump off the Empire State Building.” Still, Bobby Kennedy expected to have the last laugh by the end of 1957. Hoffa”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Brandt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-asserted-that-after-the-trial-joe/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bobby kennedy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-asserted-that-after-the-trial-joe/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/charles-brandt-2101_bobby-kennedy_in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-assert_2967720.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy asserted that after the trial, Joe Louis, who was out of work and deeply…” — Charles Brandt",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charles Brandt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In The Enemy Within, Bobby Kennedy...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-asserted-that-after-the-trial-joe/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/in-the-enemy-within-bobby-kennedy-asserted-that-after-the-trial-joe/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
