JACQUELINE KENNEDY, HISTORIC CONVERSATIONS: SEVENTH CONVERSATION XVIII
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 asks:
"When would the President see the children?"
Jacqueline Kennedy answers:
"In the morning George Thomas* would rap on our bedroom door about a quarter of 8, & (Jack) would go into his room, & the children would come in.
And they'd either turn on the television, going absolutely full blast, & he'd have his breakfast, sitting in a chair, on a tray....reading the morning papers, going through all his briefing books (&) his agenda for the day."
Mr. Schlesinger asks:
"He'd do that before he got dressed?"
Mrs. Kennedy responds:
"He'd take a bath first & they'd come in while he had a bath. I told you all of John's toys were by the side of his tub. And then he'd....have breakfast in his shirt & underpants."
Mrs. Kennedy continues....
"There'd be cartoons, &....this awful exercise man, Jack La(Lanne). (Jack would) be telling Caroline & John to do what they were doing, so they'd be lying on the floor....he'd have them tumbling around. He loved those children tumbling around him...."
*George Thomas began as JFK's valet in 1947. "Good Morning George" were usually President Kennedy's 1st words of the day, as the valet brought him 4 morning newspapers. Mr. Thomas was with the President in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
