An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 (130 page)

p. 314: On Bruce, see Guthman and Shulman, 5.

p. 314: “thought he had some brains”: Ibid., 36-37. Also see Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
139-40; Parmet,
JFK,
67-68.

p. 315: On JFK’s appointment of Rusk: Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
119-20, 140-41; Parmet,
JFK,
67-69; Brauer, 88-90; Cohen. Dean Rusk, “The President,”
Foreign Affairs,
April 1960.

p. 315: “hard-working, tough guy”: RFK to O’Donnell, Jan. 4, 1961, Box 1066, PPP.

p. 316: On RFK: Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
228-32.

p. 316: “I have now watched you”: Ribicoff OH.

p. 316: “he did not know”: Acheson OH.

p. 316: “be a great mistake”: Ibid.

pp. 316-17: “That would be impossible”: Quoted in Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
228-29.

p. 317: “would not appoint”: “Fletcher Knebel is reporting that you told him that if you were elected President, you would not appoint any relative to the White House staff.” Notes, n.d., 1960, Box 7, Evelyn Lincoln Papers, JFKL.

p. 317: “It would be the ‘Kennedy brothers’”: Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
230. Acheson OH; Clifford, 335-36.

p. 317: Others reinforced: Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
229; Rayburn to JFK, Dec. 15, 1960, Box 32, POF;
New York Times,
Nov. 24, 1960.

p. 317: “just wanted to give”: Quoted in Evan Thomas, 110-11.

pp. 317-18: “truly a strange assignment”: Clifford, 336-37.

p. 318: “This will kill”: Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
231-33. Evan Thomas, 109-10. John Seigenthaler OH.

p. 318: “I made up my mind”: RFK to Drew Pearson, Dec. 15, 1960, Box 23, RFK Attorney General’s Papers, JFKL. RFK said, “My father always told me never write it down” (RFK to John McCone, May 2, 1962, Personal Correspondence, RFK Attorney General’s Papers). But in this instance, RFK did.

p. 319: “tried to persuade”: Lincoln Diary, Dec. 15, 1960, Box 2, Lincoln Papers, JFKL. JFK and RFK also brought Philip Graham, the publisher of the
Washington Post,
into the discussion about the appointment. “Bobby came to my office for an hour and a half of good talk. I think we began to see some new light after much frank discussion. If you want to call me for a report, it might help you give him a little guidance.” Philip L. Graham to JFK, Dec. 13, 1960, Box 30, POF.

p. 319: “‘We did it.’”: Helen Thomas, 22-23.

p. 319: Criticism: Schlesinger,
Robert Kennedy,
233-36.

p. 319: “Dick Russell”: Baker, 120-21.

p. 319: “Kennedy wanted”: Sorensen, 284.

pp. 319-20: On the Hodges, Goldberg, Udall, and Ribicoff appointments, see Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
130-31, 141-42. Also Ribicoff OH.

p. 320: “We are going down”: Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
143.

p. 320: “opening prayers”: Ibid.,136.

p. 320: “could make or break”: Sorensen, 285.

p. 320: He fell asleep: Ibid., 287.

p. 321: Cabinet selections and press conferences: Dec. 7, 8, 13, 15, 16, 20, 27, 31, 1960, and Jan. 1, 1961, Box 1060, PPP.

p. 321: Task force reports: See Boxes 1071-1074 and 1076-1077, PPP.

p. 321: “There is no evidence”: Bartlett, “News Focus,” Nov. 27, 1960, Box 30, POF.

p. 321: “Reporters are not”: Quoted in Evan Thomas, 114-15.

p. 322: “a plethora of specifics”: Louis Harris to JFK, Jan. 14, 1961, Box 30, POF.

p. 322: “Didn’t you get the word?”
New York Times,
Jan. 21, 1961.

p. 322: On JFK’s pills: Lincoln Diary, Jan. 2, 4, 11, 16, 20, 1961, Lincoln Papers.

p. 322: “My God”: Lincoln Diary, Jan. 20, 1961, Lincoln Papers.

p. 322: “excellent” health:
New York Times,
Jan. 21, 1961.

p. 323: “the picture of health”: Ibid.

p. 323: “He looked like”: Lincoln Diary, Jan. 20, 1961, Box 4, Lincoln Papers.

p. 323: “grace under pressure”: Mary McGrory,
Washington Evening Star,
Jan. 20, 1961.

p. 323: On Frost and JFK: Stewart Udall OH.

p. 324: The Inaugural speech: Sorensen, 269-73. Ted Sorensen told me that JFK wanted the speech to defuse rather than intensify the Cold War: Interview, Feb. 25, 2002. As one sample of the advice to JFK, see Louis Harris to JFK, Jan. 14, 1961, Box 30, POF.

p. 324: On the length, see
New York Times,
Jan. 21, 1961.

p. 324: “going over and over”: Lincoln Diary, Jan. 20, 1961, Box 4, Lincoln Papers.

pp. 325-26: Inaugural Address:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
1-3.

p. 326: “fine, very fine” and the other quotes are in the
New York Times,
Jan. 21, 1961.

p. 326: “You have truly”: Emmet J. Hughes to JFK, Jan. 23, 1961, Box 30, POF.

p. 326: Krock told Kennedy: Arthur Krock OH.

p. 327: “impressed [n]or stirred”:
The Reporter,
Feb. 2, 1961, 10.

p. 327: “disturbed”: Evelyn Lincoln to JFK, n.d., 1961 (“Doug Cater called. Wanted me to bring this editorial to your attention, since you were disturbed over Ascoli’s editorial on your inauguration speech”). Box 7, Evelyn Lincoln Papers.

p. 327: As good as Jefferson’s: Parmet,
JFK,
82.

p. 327: Burns told Jack: Burns told me this.

p. 327: JFK on Jefferson:
PPP: JFK, 1962,
347.

p. 327: Public response to the Inaugural and to JFK: Gallup, 1707-8.

Chapter 10: The Schooling of a President

p. 328: “Well, because”:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
15-16.

p. 329: The House: White,
Making, 1960,
361-62.

p. 329: On the Rules Committee: Bernstein, 227-28.

p. 329: “letting their judgments”:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
11.

p. 329: “Bullshit, buddy”: Richard Bolling OH, Columbia University.

p. 330: Executive Order:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
10.

p. 330: Expending political capital: JFK to Sen. A. Willis Robertson, Feb. 7, 1961, POF.

p. 330: On Weaver: Robert C. Weaver OH; Parmet,
JFK,
77-78.

pp. 330-31: On the CEEO and LBJ, see Dallek,
Flawed Giant,
11-12.

p. 331: On the Coast Guard and the Cabinet: Bernstein, 52-58.

p. 331: First black ambassador to a white nation: Sheldon Stern to Author, April 19, 2002.

p. 331: “It may be proper”: JFK to Mike Feldman, Feb. 16, 1961, Box 63, POF.

pp. 331-32: Civil Rights Commission: Wofford, 130-33; Bernstein, 50-51; Richard Reeves, 59-63.

p. 332: “Look, Father”: Quoted in Richard Reeves, 60.

p. 333: “We take office”:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
19-20.

p. 333: “With the seven percent”: Robert Nathan OH.

p. 333: On interest rates and Martin: Bernstein, 131-32.

pp. 333-34: Feb. 2 message:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
41-53.

p. 334: “second-stage”: Walter Heller to JFK, Mar. 17, 1961, Box 73, POF.

p. 334: “The Secretary of Treasury”: Gridiron speech, Mar. 11, 1961, Box 61, Theodore Sorensen Papers, JFKL.

p. 334: But liberal economists: Paul Samuelson to JFK and CEA, Mar. 21, 1961, ibid.

p. 334: “Kennedy never thought”: Leon Keyserling OH, Columbia University.

p. 334: “The financial program”: CEA, Memo: “The Administration’s Financial Program Thus Far,” April 6, 1961; Heller to JFK, May 27, 1961, Box 73, POF.

pp. 334-35: Administration proposals being enacted: Parmet,
JFK,
97.

p. 335: The polls: Louis Harris to JFK, “A Word About This Report,” Mar. 22, 1961, Box 105, POF; Gallup, 1708, 1715-16.

p. 335: “new, young”:
Newsweek,
Mar. 13, 1961.

p. 335: The polls: Parmet,
JFK,
98; Gallup, 1707, 1712.

p. 335: “I don’t think”: Joe Alsop to JFK, n.d., Box 27, POF.

p. 335: “the simple fact”: Memorandum, n.d., 1961, Box 27, POF.

p. 335: Press conferences: Sorensen, 361-65.

p. 335: Dismissing fears: News Conference, Jan. 25, 1961,
PPP: JFK, 1961,
10.

p. 335: “a superb show”: Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
717.

p. 336: “The 6 O’Clock”: Sorensen, 362. Also see
National Observer
clipping, n.d., “Kennedy’s Press Conferences: A Refined Tool in Skillful Hands,” Box 28, POF.

p. 336: “we couldn’t survive”: Sorensen, 364.

p. 336: Public approval: Gallup, 1765-66.

p. 336: U.S. patrol plane: Ambrose,
Eisenhower,
584-86.

p. 336: “step by step” and “cooperate with all”:
FRUS: Kennedy-Khrushchev Exchanges,
2-3.

pp. 336-37: Press Conferences, Jan. 25, and Feb. 8, 1961:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
8-9, 70.

pp. 336-37: “he would set himself in right”: Evelyn Lincoln to JFK, Feb. 25, 1961 (“Senator Gore called”), Box 125, POF.

p. 337: DDE speech, Jan. 17, 1961:
Public Papers of the Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1960,
1038.

p. 337: On Burke: Arthur Sylvester OH;
PPP: JFK, 1961,
32, 73, 94;
New York Times,
Jan. 28, 1961. A Burke interview with Greek journalist Elias P. Demetracopoulos, in which the admiral freely expressed his views, got him into trouble with the White House. The interview also brought Demetracopoulos under CIA scrutiny: Demetracopoulos, “Muzzling Admiral Burke,” U.S. Naval Institute
Proceedings,
Jan. 2000, and “Admirals Strike a Blow for the Press,”
Proceedings,
May 2001; Demetracopoulos conversation with Author.

pp. 337-38: The missile gap: JFK to McGeorge Bundy, Feb. 8, 1961, Box 62, POF.
U.S. News & World Report,
Feb. 27, 1961, 43. Excerpts from Hearings of Defense Dept., April 6, 1961, Box 51, Sorensen Papers. Edward R. Murrow to McGeorge Bundy, Mar. 8, 1961, Box 290, NSF. Beschloss,
Crisis Years,
65-66; Shapley, 97-99. Gallup, 1662, 1704, 1705, 1721.

pp. 338-39: Origins of the Peace Corps: Wilbur Cohen OH, Columbia University;
PPP: JFK, 1961,
134-36; Sorensen, 208; Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
165, 605-7.

p. 339: Public response: Gallup, 1704, 1791.

pp. 339-40: On Shriver: Sargent Shriver OH, LBJL; Anthony Lewis, “Shriver Moves into the Front Rank,”
New York Times Magazine,
Mar. 15, 1964; A. H. Raskin, “Generalissimo of the War on Poverty,” ibid., Nov. 22, 1964; Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
606-7.

p. 340: “wars of national liberation”: Beschloss,
Crisis Years,
60-61.

p. 340: “made clear”:
FRUS: National Security Policy,
240.

p. 340: “Latin America required”:
FRUS: American Republics,
880. Also see Stephen G. Rabe, “John F. Kennedy and Latin America,”
Diplomatic History
(Summer 1999), 545.

p. 340: More documents: Stephanie Fawcett, Senior Foreign Policy Archivist, JFKL, remarks at Cold War Documentation Conference, National Archives, II, College Park, Md., Sept. 25, 1998.

p. 340: “that, with all its pretensions”: Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
201.

p. 341: “Never in the long history”:
PPP: JFK, 1961,
170-75.

p. 341: JFK’s Spanish: Richard Goodwin, 156-59.

p. 342: On the Latin reaction, see Thomas Mann OH; Schlesinger,
A Thousand Days,
205; and Schlesinger to JFK, Feb. 6, 1961, Box 65, POF.

p. 342: Khrushchev’s views:
FRUS: Soviet Union,
39-46.

p. 342: Feb.11, 1961 meeting: Ibid., 63-67.

p. 342: “a mentality”: Charles Bohlen OH.

p. 342: “a sustained offensive”: Barbara Jackson to JFK, Mar. 5, 1961, and “ Outline for a Possible Address,” Box 33, POF.

p. 343: “find another forum”: JFK to Jackson, n.d., ibid.

p. 343: “greatest nightmare”: White House Staff OH, LBJL.

p. 343: “I have been greatly”: JFK to DDE, Mar. 30, 1960, Box 29A, POF.

p. 343: “in the overall interest”: John J. McCloy to JFK, Mar. 8, 1961, Box 100, POF.

p. 343: “stand at Geneva”: JFK-Macmillan talks, April 6, 1961, 3:45
P.M.
, Box 175, POF.

p. 343: “every approach”: Roswell L. Gilpatric OH.

p. 343: “only in the light”: JFK-Adenauer Talks, April 13, 1961, 10:30
A.M.
, Box 255A, NSF.

p. 343: “a war-fighting capability”: Rand Research Memorandum, “Political Implications of Posture Choices,” Dec. 1960, Box 64, POF.

p. 344: “a subordinate commander”: McGeorge Bundy to JFK, Jan. 30, 1961, Box 313, NSF.

p. 344: “whether he was not”: Brandon Diary, Jan. 16, 1961, Box 5, Henry Brandon Papers, LC.

p. 344: “We became increasingly”: Gilpatric OH. Memorandum, Feb. 24, 1961; JFK conference with military chiefs, Feb. 27, 1961, Box 345, NSF.