GIVE JACKIE ANY DAMN THING WE'VE GOT

LBJ DISCUSSES KENNEDYS IN SECRET RECORDED CONVERSATION

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-four years ago, Wednesday, December 11, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson discussed his relationship with the Kennedy family in the privacy of the Oval Office.  

This discussion, however, was recorded for posterity via the hidden taping system installed in the West Wing.  The conversation, along with others, is available at the University of Virginia/Miller Center website.

President Johnson, just two days shy of one month in office, is first heard saying...

"you tell me what to do about Bobby (Robert F. Kennedy, Attorney General)."

LBJ then discusses Sargent Shriver*.  He says that he likes him, gets along with him and that the Peace Corps director "boosted me a little bit."

The President also, in reference to Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, says...

"I love her.  We're thinking of her."

He adds that he believes Mrs. Kennedy "acts like she enjoys" talking with him and offers to give her...

 "any damn thing we've got...while she's here (in the White House)."

*R. Sargent Shriver (1915-2011) was born in Westminster, Maryland & graduated from Yale where he also received his law degree in 1941.  He served in the US Navy in WWII & earned the Purple Heart at Guadalcanal.
RSS was hired by Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. to manage Chicago's Merchandise Mart & served as Peace Corps director from 1961-1966.

SOURCE

"LBJ Discusses Relations with the Kennedy Family", Office Conversation, December 11, 1963, Secret White House Tapes/LBJ Presidency, UVA/Miller Center, www.millercenter.org/

Bob McNamara & LBJ

The Oval Office

November 27, 1967

Photo by Yoichi Okamoto

LBJ Museum & Library Image