JACQUELINE KENNEDY, HISTORIC CONVERSATIONS: SEVENTH CONVERSATION VII
Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) Today JFK+50 continues our report on the seventh conversation from "Jacqueline Kennedy, Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy," published by Hyperion.
The seventh conversation was recorded on June 3, 1964.
Arthur Schlesinger says:
"Clare Luce* wrote very favorable pieces about you, remember?"
Jacqueline Kennedy responds:
"Yeah, but (she) had come to lunch with Jack once in the White House (but) she wanted to see him in his office. And apparently, all through that lunch, Mrs. Luce....just....lit into him & told him all these things."
Mrs. Kennedy continues...
"(Jack finally said) 'I'm sorry, Mrs. Luce, but unfortunately you're not in a position to do anything about these things, & I am.' And that's how it ended. Then she went back to Arizona & made little mosaic tables...."
Schlesinger says "And Harry Luce** remained friendly."
Mrs. Kennedy follows....
"Yeah, I.....know Jack saw him a couple of times &....it was all right."
Mr. Schlesinger asks:
"How did Luce happen to write the introduction to 'Why England Slept'?"
Mrs. Kennedy answers:
"Oh, that was (Joe) Kennedy, because Jack had gotten Arthur Krock to do it. And then Mr. Kennedy thought that it might look as if Arthur...had written the book....because he'd been an old friend....& that's one thing Arthur Krock never forgave Jack for."
*Clare Boothe Luce (1903-1987), an American playwright, journalist, editor of Vanity Fair, & Republican congresswoman from Connecticut, was born in New York City.
She was a critic of FDR's foreign policy, supported Eisenhower in 1952 & was named U.S. ambassador to Italy. In 1964, she supported Barry Goldwater.
**Henry Luce (1898-1967) was publisher of Time, Life & Fortune magazines. He was born in Tengchow, China, the son of a missionary. A graduate of Yale, Luce was a big supporter of the Republican Party. He married Clare Boothe in 1935.
Clare & Henry Luce
New York City (1954)
Photo by Phil Stanziola
Library of Congress Image
