Commentary: How Robert F. Kennedy's assassination altered California politics

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - It was one of those horrific events - everyone remembers where they were, if they were anywhere.

Fifty years ago, I was sitting at a typewriter and writing the lead story for the next morning's Sacramento Union, Mark Twain's old newspaper that, like so many print dailies, no longer exists.

My first paragraph began: "U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy kept his presidential hopes alive Tuesday by winning the California primary ... ."

Then the TV sets and clackity wire service machines began blaring the shocking, depressing news