But early on, some historians note, Kennedy's career was less idealistic, his actions less compassionate. He developed a reputation for ruthlessness with enemies and fierce defense of his older brother.
But those close to him, such as Tydings, saw many facets: thoughtful and tough, passionate and strategic, outgoing and introspective.
Tydings, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland, worked closely with Kennedy when he was U.S. attorney general in his brother's administration. Later, they served in the U.S. Senate together and became close friends, with Tydings heading to Kennedy's Hickory Hill estate in northern Virginia on the weekends for touch football games and Kennedy visiting Tydings' farm in Harford County, his daughter Kathleen in tow.
Of all the Kennedy memorabilia lining the walls of his Washington office, Tydings cherishes a photo of him and RFK taken during a hearing of the Senate Committee of the District of Columbia. Home improvement operators were preying on city dwellers, remembers Tydings. In the photo, Kennedy is staring ahead, his eyes penetrating.
"If you look at him, that's the real Bobby Kennedy," he said. "Really worried about protecting those who needed to be protected; willing to wade in where angels fear to tread. Well, there were not many like him."
The last time Tydings saw Kennedy was in 1968, on the campaign trail in Omaha. The pair sat down to dinner, to strategize, Tydings assumed.
"But all he said to me was, 'Don't worry about issues and meeting people. Take your day and fly all over Nebraska and observe the way that Native Americans are treated ... and go back to Washington and figure out a way to do something about it,' " Tydings remembers him saying. "I don't think any other political leader at the time would say such a thing. It was extraordinary."
Two weeks later, Kennedy was shot by Sirhan B. Sirhan with an unregistered handgun.
Tydings responded by becoming a leading advocate of gun control. The NRA lobbied aggressively against his efforts, and Tydings lost his 1970 re-election bid by some 20,000 votes.
"He certainly gave me confidence to take on the difficult, politically unpopular things," Tydings said of Kennedy. "A lot of people called me insane, said it would cost me the election. They were right. But he taught me courage. You have to do what you think is right."
