 Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - Pakusarudzwa kwemutungamiri wenyika muna 1988, Kennedy akatsigira mukwikwidzi weDemocratic, Gavhuna weMassachusetts Michael Dukakis, kubva pakutanga kweshambadziro. Mumatsutso, Dukakis akarasikirwa naGeorge H. W. Bush, asi Kennedy akakunda kusarudzwazve kuSeneti pamusoro peRepublican Joseph D. Malone munhangemutange iri nyore yebasa rake. Kennedy akaramba ari simba rine simba muSeneti. Muna 1988 Kennedy akatsigira shanduko kuFair Housing Act ya1968, iyo inorambidza rusarura mukurenda, kutengesa, kushambadzira, uye kubhadhara dzimba dzenyika; shanduko iyi yakasimbisa kugona kweHofisi yeFair Housing uye Kuenzana Kwemikana kumanikidza Mutemo uye yakawedzera makirasi anodzivirirwa kusanganisira vanhu vakaremara uye mhuri dzine vana. Pashure pokukurukurirana kwenguva refu muna 1989 nomukuru wevashandi vaBush John H. Sununu uye Attorney General Richard Thornburgh kuti vawane mvumo yaBush, akatungamirira kupfuurira kwechiitiko chevaAmerica vane hurema Act of 1990. Kennedy akanga ane fariro yomunhu oga mubhajiro nemhaka yemamiriro ezvinhu ehanzvadzi yake Rosemary uye gumbo rakarasika romwanakomana wake, uye akaona kugadzwa kwaro seimwe yebudiriro dzinokosha zvikuru dzebasa rake. Mukupera kwema1980, Kennedy naHatch vakarwa kwenguva refu neSenator Jesse Helms kuti vape mari yekurwisa chirwere cheAIDS uye kupa kurapwa kune vanhu vane mari shoma vanobatwa; izvi zvaizoguma nekupfuura kweRyan White Care Act. Mukupera kwaNovember 1989, Kennedy akafamba kuti anozvionera oga Rusvingo rweBerlin rwakanga ruchangobva kuwa; akataura paJohn-F.-Kennedy-Platz, nzvimbo yehurukuro yakakurumbira yeIch bin ein Berliner muna 1963, uye akati Nenzira yemanzwiro, ndinongoshuva kuti hama yangu ingadai yakazviona. 