JFK ASKED IF HE IS GOING TO "EAT THOSE WORDS"
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 7, 1962, President John F. Kennedy held his 26th news conference in the State Department Auditorium here in the Nation's Capital. The conference began at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
The President was asked...
"You have said, and I think more than once, that heads of government should not go to the summit to negotiate agreements, but only to approve agreements negotiated at a lower level. Now its being said and written that you are going to eat those words, and go to a summit without any agreement at a lower level. Has your position changed, sir?
President Kennedy was more than ready to reply...
"Well, I'm going to have a dinner for all of the people who've written it, and we'll see who eats what."
The President went on to say that it would be appropriate for him to go to a summit without agreements made at a lower level if faced with a very dangerous situation or to avert a war.
"The President's News Conference of March 7, 1962," Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, January 1 to December 31, 1962, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1963.
Khrushchev & Kennedy
Vienna, Austria
June 3 1961
U.S. Dept of State
JFK Library Image
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 7, 1962, President John F. Kennedy held his 26th news conference in the State Department Auditorium here in the Nation's Capital. The conference began at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
The President was asked...
"You have said, and I think more than once, that heads of government should not go to the summit to negotiate agreements, but only to approve agreements negotiated at a lower level. Now its being said and written that you are going to eat those words, and go to a summit without any agreement at a lower level. Has your position changed, sir?
President Kennedy was more than ready to reply...
"Well, I'm going to have a dinner for all of the people who've written it, and we'll see who eats what."
The President went on to say that it would be appropriate for him to go to a summit without agreements made at a lower level if faced with a very dangerous situation or to avert a war.
SOURCE
"The President's News Conference of March 7, 1962," Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, January 1 to December 31, 1962, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1963.
Khrushchev & Kennedy
Vienna, Austria
June 3 1961
U.S. Dept of State
JFK Library Image
