 was said told the world he and shocked the world that he wasn't going to be running for re-election in 68 he did it as an oval office address and he had a clear you know argument uh and line of reasoning he said i need to devote all my energies to ending the vietnam war so i can't do it now there were of course political calculations bobby kennedy had entered the race you know he nearly lost the first primary in new hampshire there were all kinds of other reasons for it