Camelot's Court: Inside the Kennedy White House
Page 53
nuclear war and, 223
opinion of JFK, 316–17, 330–31
ousting Castro and, 220
Vietnam and, 166, 236–37, 240, 245, 260–61, 340, 343, 395
Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP), 74
Kattenburg, Paul, 404
Katzenbach, Nicholas, 365
Kaysen, Carl, 93
Kazin, Alfred, 82
Keating, Kenneth, 293, 366–67
Kefauver, Estes, 48–49
Kennan, George F., 28, 182, 191–92, 228
Kennedy (Sorensen), 425
Kennedy, Caroline, 422–23
Kennedy, Edward “Ted,” 7, 12, 32, 207
Kennedy, Ethel Skakel, 41, 207, 279
Kennedy, Jacqueline Bouvier, 29–30, 124–25, 186, 423
on Acheson, 205
on Bundy, 333
Cuban exiles speech, 364–65
Cuban missile crisis and, 329–30
JFK’s memory preserved by, 422
on JFK’s opinion of Joint Chiefs, 149
on JFK’s opinion of Rusk, 140
on JFK’s reactions to Bay of Pigs failure, 143, 144
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 125
on Khrushchev, 330
on LBJ and JFK, 27, 297
Schlesinger interviews, 422–23
Vienna summit, 186, 194, 196
White House Historical Association, 125
White interview, 422
Kennedy, John F., ix, xi, xii
Addison’s disease, 2, 11, 56–57, 79, 308–9
ambition to be a historical figure, 188
America’s reverence for, ix–x, 433
appearance, 15, 21
assassination of, ix, 421
as author, 12, 14, 120
character and personality, 12, 29, 35, 36, 39, 41, 102, 103, 207, 307
childhood, 31
“devoted to idea of great men,” 187–88
European travel of, 12
Georgetown house, 84, 98
Glen Ora, Virginia estate, 2
as good listener, 28, 188
health problems, 2, 3, 10, 11, 16–17, 248–49, 257–58, 308–9
health problems, hiding of, 2–3, 11–12, 64, 79
marriage of, 29–30, 124–25
medications taken by, 11, 224, 308
mother, Rose, and, 6
national honoring of, 422
Palm Beach retreat, 260, 338
personal weaknesses, 33
poem often quoted by, 75
premonition of short life, 258
public service as a calling, 29
romanticized picture of, 422
unanswered questions left by his death, 433
as war hero, 37
winning and staying on top, family motto, 12, 36, 306
as womanizer, 29–33, 76, 330
appointments and principal advisers, x, xii, 24, 76, 126, 266
Acheson, 135, 183, 184, 203–5, 228, 315, 317–18
advisers on Bay of Pigs, 133–51
advisers on Berlin, 180–86, 201–5, 221–29
advisers on Castro, 213–21, 253–54, 360–77, 383–90
advisers on civil rights, 119–23
advisers on Cuba and Soviet military build-up, 287–91, 292–93
advisers on Cuban missile crisis, 292–329
advisers on Khrushchev and summit, 185–86, 187, 189–94
advisers on test ban treaty, 209–13, 255–57, 356–60, 379–83
advisers on Vietnam, 162–72, 229–49, 260–78, 280–87, 336–52, 354–56, 390–419
Ball, 103–4, 155, 232, 240–41, 269, 297, 309–10, 314, 328, 341, 391, 396, 400–401, 414–15
Bay of Pigs reprisals and removal of Bowles, Dulles, and Bissell, 149–51, 153–56, 216
the “best and the brightest,” 126
Bowles, 101–3, 139, 153–55, 271, 272–73
Bundy, 74, 89–91, 102, 126, 146, 149, 216, 228, 232, 243–44, 279, 297, 302, 304–5, 315, 317, 318, 323, 328, 332–33, 360, 364, 386, 389, 414, 415
Burke, 122–23, 174, 427
bypassing of Joint Chiefs in decisions on national security, 70–71, 315
chief of staff and, 61–62
CIA chief chosen, 22, 76, 102, 132
conflict among advisers, x, 81, 111, 368–70, 373, 401
consequences of open opposition to presidential policy, 155–56
Defense Secretary candidates, 83–88, 95–101
Deputy National Security Adviser post created, 91
Dillon, 116–18, 126, 297, 309–10, 318, 371
diminished confidence in, 279, 315
distrust of military advisers, 322, 331, 332, 381, 395
domestic problems and, 283
economic posts, 116–19
father as early adviser to, 35–36, 47, 67
FBI’s Hoover, 22, 76, 102, 121
Forrestal (Michael), 281–82, 285–86, 337, 391, 392–93
Galbraith, 106, 166, 232–33, 234, 269–71, 273, 341
Harriman, 155, 192–94, 242–43, 245, 269, 271–72, 322–23, 336–37, 380, 391, 396, 415
Harvard University and, 82, 93
Hilsman, 262, 273, 278, 289, 336, 346–47, 391, 398, 399–401, 415
identifying and convincing people to serve, 3, 29, 35, 67, 68, 75–76, 83–88, 116, 119, 172
Irish Mafia, 81, 112
Joint Chiefs, 69–74, 138, 149, 158–59, 162, 166, 202–3, 209, 210, 211, 220, 240, 260–61, 301, 303, 311, 315–16, 381–82
judicial appointments, 251, 292
LBJ, 123–24, 168–70
McCone, 209, 217, 288–89, 292–93, 314, 318, 367, 368, 371, 374–77
McNamara, 71, 85, 86–89, 102, 126, 146, 149, 162, 179, 185, 216, 240, 245, 279, 282, 297, 298–99, 302, 310–11, 318, 328, 332, 333, 375, 386
as “a ministry of talent,” x, xii, 76, 126
model for managing, 27, 111–12
national security team, 67–76, 162, 222, 225–26, 409
O’Brien, 109, 112–14
O’Donnell, 42–43, 81, 109, 110–12, 226, 227, 317, 339, 351, 364, 369
Powers, 32, 109–10, 136, 144, 335
reliance on himself vs. advisers, x, 25, 27, 35, 58, 105, 111, 144, 149, 156–57, 187, 188–89, 279, 323, 432
Republicans among, 22, 76, 82, 85, 89, 102, 104, 116–17, 288
RFK as principal adviser, xi, 38–65, 67, 141, 142, 145–46, 173, 175, 279, 283, 318, 320, 321, 328, 333–34, 357, 373 (see also Kennedy, Robert “Bobby”)
Rostow, 91–93, 126, 136, 146, 164–65, 170–71, 229–30, 232, 234–36, 238, 243, 277–78, 279
Rusk, 97–101, 133, 139–40, 143, 150–51, 162, 179, 227–28, 240, 245, 279, 300, 302–3, 304, 323, 328–29, 333, 364, 371, 398
Salinger, 109, 110, 111, 114–16, 153, 203, 229
Schlesinger, 76, 81–83, 126, 136–37, 140–41, 142, 143, 146, 279–80, 288–89, 360, 389
Sorensen, x, 76, 80–81, 109, 126, 165–66, 177, 279, 302, 318, 323, 359–60
Stevenson, 94–95, 142–43, 211, 228, 301, 302, 308, 386
swearing in of, 126
Taylor, 157–58, 228, 232, 234, 235, 238, 239–40, 279, 284, 297, 298, 299, 305, 311, 315, 317–18, 346, 398, 400–401
Thompson, 311, 312, 313–14, 328, 333, 358, 367–68
Treasury Secretary candidates, 83, 116
White House staff, 108–16
women missing from, 104
Congressional years, 2
advantages of family, 4–6
congressional primary (1946), 37–38
as congressman, 13, 38
father’s ambitions and, 12–13
father’s influence and, 37–38
father’s money and, 4, 37–38, 42
Galbraith as adviser, 19, 21
Goodwin and, 130
interest in vice presidency (1956), 46–49
military service emphasized, 37
national exposure, working for Stevenson (1956), 50
O’
Brien and, 112
O’Donnell and, 42
political connections and, 4, 37
reluctance to seek office, 12–13
Senate campaigns, 42–44, 112
as Senator, 14–15
Sorensen and, 78–79, 80
speechmaking, 36
domestic issues, xi, 106–8
backseat to national security, 17
campaign promises, 17–18
civil rights and racial issues, xi, 1, 60, 62, 107, 108, 122, 173–76, 205, 251, 258–59, 282–83, 291–92, 352–54, 402–3
convention acceptance speech and, 107
economy, 1, 20, 107, 116, 121
education, 107
FDR’s New Deal and, 18
health care, 107–8
legislative record, 335–36
lost national purpose and, 107
New Frontier, 19, 26, 251
poverty, 107
seniors, 107–8
space race, 177–80
State of the Union (1962), 251
steel industry and, 259–60
tax reform, 107, 108
unemployment, 107
foreign policy issues, x, xi, 105
anti-colonialism, 102–3, 159
Bay of Pigs and, xi, 133–56
Berlin and, 67, 180–86, 201–5, 221–29
Berlin Wall and, 225–26
Cold War, 16, 22, 78, 180–86, 177, 179, 190–200, 209, 212, 235–36, 243, 359–60, 382–83
containment of communism and, xi, 67, 96–97, 128, 169 (see also specific issues)
control of, from White House not State Department, 99, 103, 139
Cuba and Castro, 156–57, 213–21, 253–54, 331, 360–77, 383–90
Cuban missile crisis, 287–329
de Gaulle and, 186–89
Eisenhower and, 23–24
idealistic plan, 120
Inaugural Address and, 106
Khrushchev and, 194–200, 201, 210–11, 228–29, 246, 255
lack of clear agenda, 17
Laos, 23, 67, 158–60, 232, 233
Latin America and Alliance for Progress, 128, 130–31, 139, 167, 216, 252–53
“missile gap” and, 20, 67
national security organization and, 23
nuclear war concerns, xi, 1, 17, 67–68, 70, 72, 93, 105, 158, 185, 191, 201, 205, 207–13, 223, 363 (see also Cuban missile crisis)
prioritizing of, 16–17, 28, 106, 121, 260
response to the JSCP, 74
Soviet Union and, 105–6, 186–201
State of the Union address (1962) and, 251–52
test ban treaty and, 207–13, 255–57, 336, 356–60, 379–83
U. S. as defender of freedom and, 252
Vietnam, 160–67, 218, 229–49, 260–78, 280–87, 336–52, 390–419
presidency (see also specific events)
as activist president, 27–28
approval ratings, 258–59, 335, 373
assumptions about national defense, 88
as Camelot, 422
censorship of press, 141
close victory and response to narrow margin, 21–24, 105, 108
Congress and, 113–14
cynicism and, 2
decision-making, x, 25, 27, 35, 58, 105, 111, 112, 156–57, 422
de Gaulle meeting, 186–89
distrust of U.S. military establishment, 68–71, 149, 270, 381
first day in office, 127
first use of live televised press conferences and, 115–16, 127–28
“fog of uncertainty” beginning, 1–2
four-nation trip (1963), 391
Inaugural Address, 104–6, 126, 127, 130
LBJ as vice president and, 26–27, 114, 167, 245, 297, 353
leadership seen as weak, 198, 202, 203, 204, 222, 247, 254–55, 283, 292, 295
legislative agenda, 114
legislative record, 335–36
liberals and, 78, 79, 84, 94, 151, 153, 155, 251
Meredith’s enrollment in Ole Miss and, 282–83
moon landing and, 177–80
muzzling of military speechmakers, 71, 72
nationally televised address on West Berlin (July 25, 1961), 222–25
national security and, 177
Nixon meeting post-election, 22
Peace Corps and, 121, 128–30, 131
“peace speech,” 359–60, 380
political realities and policy, 247–48, 255, 273, 350
pressures of the job, 248–49
re-election plans, 335–36, 354, 377, 419
reporters, the media, and, 153, 205, 276, 277, 286, 292, 296, 337, 338–39, 393, 394–95, 412
sensitivity to “the soldier’s role,” 75
speech to Cuban exiles, 364–65
speech to joint session of Congress (May 25, 1961), 176–77
speechwriters for, 92, 251, 279–80 (see also Schlesinger, Arthur; Sorensen, Theodore)
State of the Union address (1962), 251
State of the Union address (1963), 342
transition plan and, 24
use of humor and, 1–2, 379
Vienna summit, 186–200, 210
youthfulness and, 2, 15
as yo-yo form of government, 71
presidential campaign, 16–21
campaign song, 15
The Catholic Question, 18–19, 54, 55
debate with Nixon, 20–21, 115
dirty tricks and, 56
exhaustion and, 2
father and, 3–4, 10, 50–51
funding and budget for, 54
Goodwin and, 130–31
health problems and, 11
image of youthful energy, 15
LBJ as running mate, 57–58, 102
liberals’ support and, 58, 81
“missile gap” and, 20
negative campaigning by, 19–20, 55–56
nomination fight, 52–57
O’Brien and, 113
Oregon primary, 104
RFK as campaign manager, 39, 51–61
Rostow and, 92
Salinger and, 114
Sorensen and, 80
start of, 50–51
television used by, 55
Texas and, 18–19
West Virginia primary, 17–18, 19, 54–55, 86
Wisconsin primary, 53–54, 86, 102
Wofford and, 120
Kennedy, Joseph P., Jr., 7, 9–10, 11, 36
Kennedy, Joseph P., Sr., 6–9, 31
as adviser to JFK, 35–36, 47
as ambassador to Britain, 7–8
character and personality, 44–45
on Dillon, 117
financing campaigns, 4, 36–37, 42
JFK’s presidential campaign, 50–51
Joe Jr.’s death and, 10
as Lovett booster, 84
political ambitions for JFK, 3–4, 10, 12–13, 37
political ambitions for Joe, Jr., 9, 10, 11
political views of, 43
quote on businessmen, 259
repairing his image, 36–37
reputation as Nazi appeaser and anti-Semite, 8, 57
RFK as “another able son,” 44
stroke of, 258
womanizing of, 29, 30
Kennedy, Kathleen, 39, 40
Kennedy, Patrick Joseph “P.J.,” 4
Kennedy, Robert “Bobby,” xi, 35–65, 38–65
anniversary party (1961), 207
anti-communism of, 44, 46, 142
appearance, 39
assassination of, 427
at Boston Post, 40
character and personality, 39, 40, 41, 44–45, 49, 51, 52, 61
childhood, 38–39
children of, 41
civil rights and, 60–61, 62, 122, 173, 175–76, 258, 353
family loyalty, 39
father and, 7
focus on domestic corruption, 45–46, 51, 111
foreign travel, 40
hardball approach of, 53–54, 59
at Har
vard, 40
integrity of, 45
JFK’s congressional campaign and (1946), 40
JFK’s interest in vice presidency (1956) and, 46–49
JFK’s memory preserved by, 422, 426
JFK’s presidential campaign, 51–61
JFK’s Senate campaign, 42–44, 58
law school and degree, 40–41
as LBJ’s attorney general, 426–27
marriage to Ethel Skakel, 41
Martin Luther King, Jr. and, 60–61
Middle East-Asia trip (1951), 41
military service, 39
at Milton Academy, 39
morality and principles of, 60–61
national recognition (1957), 50
oral history interviews by, 427
presidential ambitions, 336
religious orthodoxy of, 39, 41
Senate seat won by (1964), 427
Soviet Union trip (1955), 46
Stevenson’s campaign (1956) and, 49–50
JFK’s presidency and
anti-Castro campaign, 215–17, 219–20, 253, 287, 301, 306, 365, 368, 370, 373, 376
appointed attorney general, 62–65
Bay of Pigs and, 137–38, 141, 145–46, 151, 152–53, 156–57
Bay of Pigs captives, commitment to, 364
Bay of Pigs failure study, 213
Bohlen, anger at, 312–13
Bowles and, 153–55, 369
on Bundy, 332–33
conflict among advisers and Vietnam, 401
Corbin and, 54, 56, 59
Cuban missile crisis and, 294, 296, 300–302, 305–7, 312–14, 318, 320, 321, 328, 329, 332–34, 361
Cuban policy softens, 386
on Dillon, 117
Dobrynin and, 333–34, 357, 361, 373
Fulbright appointment opposed, 96–97
Harriman and, 193
JFK bypasses as chief of staff, 61–62
on JFK’s health and strains of office, 248–49
on JFK’s opinion of Acheson, 204–5
as JFK’s principal adviser, xi, 38–65, 67, 141, 142, 145–46, 173, 175, 279, 283, 318, 320, 321, 328, 333–34, 357, 373
JFK’s reaction to Khrushchev and, 199
LBJ and, 45, 48, 56, 57–58, 175, 369
as manager of presidential transition, 61–62
Marshall and, 123
McCarthy and, 44–46
McCone and, 288
McNamara and, 85
Meredith’s enrollment in Ole Miss and, 282–83
nuclear test ban treaty and, 357
nuclear war fears and anti-Soviet position, 40
O’Donnell and, 111
Operation Mongoose, 215–17
pool party hijinks, 279
on Rusk, 300, 333
on Schlesinger, 82
Soviet Union and, 254
Stevenson and JFK’s post offers, 95
use of IRS and FBI to threaten opponents, 260
Vienna summit, JFK’s reaction and, 199
Vietnam and, 242, 399, 408, 416