YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO THE KENNEDY LIBRARY

I WILL BE HAPPY TO SAY HELLO

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Dave Powers, former assistant to President John F. Kennedy and then curator of the JFK Presidential Library here in Boston, replied to our letter inquiring about the possibility of meeting him during our visit to the JFK Library.

One of the most memorable days of our lives came on July 21, 1986 when we met Mr. Powers in his office at the JFK Library.  In his reply of June 23, Mr. Powers wrote...

"I am sure you and your wife will enjoy your visit to the Kennedy Library, and you might inquire downstairs to find out if I happen to be here -- in which case I will be happy to say hello."

Upon arriving at the Kennedy Library, we followed Dave's directions and were given passes to go up the elevator to his office.  His secretary greeted us and then ushered us in to his office where a Kennedy rocking chair was sitting in front of Mr. Power's desk & photographs of JFK all around on the walls.

Dave graciously gave us an hour of his time.  It was like talking to someone you had known all your life.  It was easy to see why he became JFK's best friend.
Dave signed a copy of his book which I had bought down in the museum book store & gave us some booklets & photographs which he also signed for us.

He told us to be sure to stop by the Ye Olde Union Oyster House* and ask to sit in the Kennedy Booth (which we did) and as we left, his secretary was kind enough to show us into the private room reserved for members of the Kennedy family

*Ye Olde Union Oyster House is located at 41 Union Street in Boston.  It has been open to the public since 1826 & is one of the oldest restaurants still in operation in the U.S.  Its building dates back to 1704.  The restaurant was a favorite of Daniel Webster & JFK.

John & Beverly White

JFK Library

Boston, Massachusetts

July 21, 1986

                  

Ye Olde Union Oyster House

Boston, Massachusetts

Photo by Sayamindu Dasgupta (2011)

                           

THE WHITE HOUSE II

JUNE 19, 2012

THE WHITE HOUSE II

Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) Today we continue our report of Chapter 10 of the book by Kenneth P. O'Donnell & David F. Powers with Joe McCarthy.  It is published by Little, Brown & Company.

The title of Chapter 10 is THE WHITE HOUSE.


Kenneth O'Donnell writes about DAVE POWERS who he describes as "the President's all-around right hand man" & who also was Kenny's assistant in the White House.


Dave was also a "resident statistician" & "memory bank."  


He could remember election votes in many states & cities....& to the "last digit."


One day JFK asked Dave what his vote had been versus Lodge in the 1952 Senate race & Dave answered without a pause....


"One million, one hundred & forty-one thousand & two hundred & forty-seven."


Kenny tells of the time that Dave was making small talk with Anastas Mikoyan, the Deputy Premier of the USSR, while he was waiting to see JFK.  Dave said to the Soviet leader....


"Tell me, are you the real Mikoyan?"


Dave also made this comment to the Shah of Iran when he visited the White House:


"You're my kind of Shah."*


*I met Dave Powers in the summer of 1986 at the JFK Library in Boston.  I found him to be the friendliest man I've ever met.  He was so cordial & entertaining.  He made you feel like you had known him all your life.  JFK was so lucky to have him around all those years.