we're now looking back at the legacy of jack kennedy. arthur schlesinger reveals letters with kennedy. he is most often identified with his relationship with kennedy. he supported his campaign for president. he was later appointed as special assistant to kennedy. the letters in this book capture the frank and honest relationship they shared and also the trust kennedy placed in schlesing schlesinger. two of schlesinger's sons compiled these letters. i love the book of his diaries, and i'm sure i'm going to love the letters. you guys did a hell of a job. i remember your writing a few years ago called the new democrat. let me ask you about your dad and kennedy. was jack kennedy a liberal by the standards of stevenson and fdr? >> yeah. not only was he a liberal, a self-proclaimed liberal. what democratic president since jack kennedy, maybe lyndon johnson has ever said they were a liberal. yeah. he was. and he was the man who proposed in the 19601960 presidential campaign, he proposed medicare. he proposed the peace corps. he was talking abou

we're now looking back at the legacy of jack kennedy. arthur schlesinger reveals letters with kennedy. he is most often identified with his relationship with kennedy. he supported his campaign for president. he was later appointed as special assistant to kennedy. the letters in this book capture the frank and honest relationship they shared and also the trust kennedy placed in schlesinger. two of schlesinger's sons compiled these letters. i love the book of his diaries, and i'm sure i'm going to love the letters. you guys did a hell of a job. i remember your writing a few years ago called the new democrat. let me ask you about your dad and kennedy. was jack kennedy a liberal by the standards of stevenson and fdr? >> yeah. not only was he a liberal, a self-proclaimed liberal. what democratic president since jack kennedy, maybe lyndon johnson has ever said they were a liberal. yeah. he was. and he was the man who proposed in the 1960 presidential campaign, he proposed medicare, he proposed the peace corps. he was talking about discussions

jack kennedy. >> humphrey dropped out, the newest victim of the kennedy juggernaut. at the democratic convention in july, jack kennedy, a few votes shy of the nomination, fought off a growing challenge from lyndon johnson. johnson's people revealed that kennedy suffered from addison's disease, which, if the kennedy people had not succeeded in denying it, would have killed kennedy's chances. bobby kennedy couldn't contain his anger. >> there were a number of instances over the course of the 1960 convention where he approached the johnson people, waved his finger in someone's face and said, you johnson people are going to get yours. >> i come to you today full of admiration for senator johnson. >> but the "yours" johnson people ended up getting was to be jack's pick for vice president. kennedy had done his political calculus. he needed the texas electoral votes, and he needed the local man on the ticket to get them. with the hard-fought nomination in hand, the kennedy campaign fixed its sights on beating richard nixon. contrasting jack's vitality and promise to get the

that's what we do with jack kennedy. we think, no matter where we stand in the political spectrum, democrats or republicans that this man would have achieved the goals we wanted individually. >> gloria, i know you want to weigh in. >> i know in deciding what to do about afghanistan, the president paid an awful lot of attention to lyndon johnson and jack kennedy and their relationships with the generals. and was very concerned about his own relationships with the generals and whether in fact, you can get overtaken by the military industrial complex if you're the president of the united states and whether things would have turned out differently if jack kennedy had been alive for the rest of vietnam, and the question of whether lbj listened to his generals just a little bit too much. so i know this is something that he thought about in making decisions about the use of force, particularly extending the war in afghanistan, decisions about whether or not to have the surge, for example. >> do you want to -- >> i think it's in

as casket at the capitol she said, what are we doing at jack kennedy's funeral, i can't believe it. we will never laugh again. pat said, you'll laugh again but never be young again. that was another generation that was just hit by this historical event. >> you said last night on the special that it was a loss of innocence. i think that captures it absolutely right. for so many people america seemed to be at peace with the world, we were prospering, we had this sort of sense that we could go anywhere and do anything. and we had then -- that was a dawn of new age, it was tumultuous period that followed. there was a real sense, we often quoted yates in the '60s about things fall apart. after world war i. also something, we were robbed of a sense of the future. it was very different from the lincoln assassination when it was equal amount of grief but there was sense when lincoln died that his work was completed by 1855. the war was basically over. where as with kennedy it was just beginning and there was a sense that somehow the little communist as jacqueline kennedy called him, had sto

as jack kennedy once said party loyalty asks too much. >> you're right. i grew up in colorado out west. we drove through colorado a lot. the thing about people out west, they are conservative. when i was growing up colorado

, an emotional lever, do this for jack kennedy. the civil rights bill at the time ovoidal last was bolted up by the southern democrats and there's a quote in the book -- richard russell says, we should thank lee harvey oswald he was such a poor shot. we beat john kennedy on civil rights. could not have beat lyndon johnson. once again, flip of what richard russell said. we chief beaten kennedy on civil rights but we can't beat johnson. i do think eventually -- i'm not discounting social forces -- that the civil rights movement would have triumphed. simply as everett dirkson, an idea whose time has come, but would have happened less quickly and less successfully. on the domestic side, i believe there would have been no great society program, because that's not how john kennedy thought. that was johnson. who dreamt of being the second fdr and who had grandiose notions what use could do with legislation, and kennedy was more detached in that sense, too. we're going to have medicare and have demonstration programs, but i think it would

i had jack kennedy to thank for it. i will never forget listening on the short wave radio as americans stepped on the moon. that other jfk program that changed everything. senator pat moynihan of new york that worked for president kennedy and loved him once said to me, the country's never gotten over kennedy's death. you, chris, haven't gotten over it. i'll always take that as the deepest, warmest compliment. it was as if the old news frontiersman was welcoming me into a compact of those who would know and live the loss. i'm chris matthews. thank you for joining us. >> the energy, the faith, the devotion, which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. >> welcome it our special evening marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of president john f. kennedy. november 22nd, 1963 forever changed us and whale we remember tonight what jack kennedy achieved in his lifetime we mark too the role of his brothers robert and edward kennedy. >

well, when jack kennedy ran for the presidency, it wasn't supposed to be him. it was supposed to be his older brother, joe, who was killed in the war. after jack kennedy was assassinated, the torch passed to bobby kennedy. he was assassinated. ted kennedy ran for president and never quite made it. but you have the legislative perspective. and the republicans who served with him, don't disagree with this, the most accomplished united states senator in our lifetime. the lifetime of anybody watching the program tonight. the kennedy family has been with this country politically and has been at the forefront, whether it's civil rights, gay rights. president obama mentioned in that brief speech tonight, ted kennedy's fight for affordable health care. it's hard if you look back at the political history, jack kennedy serving in the cold war days. and ted kennedy in the post-9/11 days. and there's a young kennedy in the united states congress. and caroline kennedy as ambassador. and they're with us -- it's still the american family in politics. >> i want to talk about t

when jack kennedy was assassinated the torch passed. from a legislative perspective and republicans that served with him don't disagree, the most accomplished legislatively senator in the lifetime of anybody watching the program tonight. the kennedy family has been with this country politically and the forefront, whether civil rights, gay rights, president obama mentioned in that brief speech tonight, ted kennedy's fight for affordable health care. it's hard if you look back at the political history, jack kennedy served in the cold war days and the post 9/11 days and a young congressman kennedy now, again a kennedy in the united states congress and a caroline kennedy as ambassador. it's still in someways, fewer of them with us, sadly, but still the royal family of american politics. >> i want to talk about that when we come back. we'll be joined by douglas brinkly to talk about the legacy, including the controversial argument that jfk should not be seen as a fallen liberal. first, friday will mark the day 50 years ago president kennedy

kennedy and a picture of jesus christ.

as jack kennedy once said party loyalty asks too much. >> you're right. i grew up in colorado out west. we drove through colorado a lot. the thing about people out west, they are conservative. when i was growing up colorado was very conservative. people prize family and individuality. which is the reason that dick cheney coming from wyoming, he was a former congressman there although by the way he did live in texas from 1993 until weeks before becoming bush's running mate. i digress. they like someone supporting their own. and if liz cheney had the -- nobody takes anything away from him as a conservative. the problem for liz cheney is she's pretending to be a tea party and primary mike enzi when she is a neocon. and neo-conservative which is known for wanting to bomb the hell out of the middle east but not caring about social issues. she's trying to do something by being something she's fundamentally not which is a tea partier. >> and with only 69,000 people voting out there in the last primary, she's nickel and diming her way. fig yush there's only so ma

but the truth of the matter is, bobby kennedy was as pro-tax cuts and growth as was jack kennedy. the problem with the younger kennedys is they never got to get the direct experience from their fathers. they never did. they were told about their dads from all sorts of other people because their dads were killed. and what happened is i took joe kennedy in to patrick moynahan's office to explain to him what bobby kennedy was going to run on in that race, which was really going to be reagan's tax cuts. >> i know you worked on joe. i remember that period. >> joe was wonderful. joe is great. >> joe's a great guy. it didn't really rub off. >> oh, it did. i think it did. >> ira stoll, what are you hearing? your book is out there. you're getting good reviews, getting a lot of ink on this. john f. kennedy conservative. first of all, have you heard anything from the kennedy family? >> well, bobby kennedy, jr., was on another network the other night making some disparaging comments. and i think what art said is exactly right. it's sad these guys did not get to know their parents because of t

hardball chris matthews, author of "jack kennedy, elusive hero." you've talked to great american minds and heroes about where they were when he was assassinated. where were you? >> i was in omaha, nebraska, first year of my job as morning news editor. had to do three "today" show cut-ins, write the noon news and do part of them. it was a long day. at about 12:30 i was cleaning all the bills and the teletype machine started going crazy. i wandered over there and read that memorable merriman smith first bulletin dictated from the motorcade, shots fired at the presidential motorcade, the president perhaps fatally wounded. and i stood there staring at that thinking this doesn't happen in america. by the time we got on the air, we knew how grave it was and we knew he was dead. the network would give back to the local stations an hour of local programming. so we had responsibility for omaha. the network got up and got its act together and they were able to tell people. i want to strategic headquarters to see what kind of alert they were on. i couldn't ge

certainty i can say it was the mob who killed jack kennedy. context, there was involvement of others in our government and what not, but principally the mob. the fbi was following these people. ,he fbi failed, in many ways hugely. to this day, they would rather not own up to that. jack was the cellmate with carlos marcello. he was an informant for the fbi. they were taping his conversations. carlos marcello basically laid out he did everything he read fairly straightforward. >> why doesn't matter now? think, for twoi reasons. one, the killing of jack kennedy was a consequential change in the political future of america. --ber two, it is in port and import than we know our own history, even if it is not pretty. important we know our own history, even if it is not pretty. , thank you forn being here. nationally syndicated radio host of the thom hartmann program. he is the author of two books. one of them was test published, "the crash of 2016: the plot to destroy america--and what we can do to stop it." his book about the kennedy assassination i

up next, how jack kennedy risked southern votes in his political career for southern votes, you got to believe it. this is "hardball," a place for politics. >>> a big loss today for abortion rights advocates. a court order that advocates say will effectively shut down about a third of the abortion clinics in texas tuesday. part of the abortion law requires doctors to have admitting privileges. women's groups and doctors challenged the law. >>> we're back. when president kennedy ran for president in 1960, he was careful not to talk too much about -- the bet paid off in kennedy's narrow victory managed to beat vice president -- assaulted by white mobs and bull counter out there said -- white americans were awakened to the horrific racial injustice of the south. kennedy faced with a tough political and more decision made a choice. he presented the most sweeping civil rights legislation. president kennedy flew to texas to heal a rift down there. the trip would cost kennedy his life. joining me to discuss jack kennedy's -- and kathleen kennedy town send is the former lieutenant governor of

this was a city that was in turmoil and filled with a lot of anger when jack kennedy arrived. a full-page ad in the newspaper greeted him calling him essentially a treen sonnyer and traitor. i think today, they did an admirable job of focusing on what they should which is the life of this man in many ways because as we're talking right now, you bring yourself back 50 years ago, john kennedy is at parkland hospital, young doctors in their 20s, good doctors are working furiously to try to get a sign of life in him. in just another hour, jacqui kennedy who our heart goes out to because we see her with her husband is going to take an ambulance ride with four secret service agents and a brigadier general to air force one with her husband but her husband is in a casket and 20 minutes after that stands next to president johnson in stunned silence. we've seen that as he is sworn in as president. then for the entire ride back to washington, she sits in the back of the plane with the casket. there's no way you can go through the emotions of the day without wanting to turn the car around

so one of the evening during interests jack kennedy a half a century earlier? because jfk was cut down in his prime we will always -- there will be a sense of an unfinished dream. the dream the media is all too happy to keep revisiting. is this where tv is headed? how much can we gorge on at once? >>> time now for our digital download. amazon post ad new video series called "alpha house." part of a trend that's bypassing television for the web. >> amazon is joining netflix and others in creating original programming. had one a comedy about four republican senators who share a group house. starring john goodman. >> look, i have been through this. the time i knocked [ bleep ], that video [ bleep ] exploded. on every station. the next morning, zip, gone. over. >> what? why? >> i caught a break. a hurricane wiped out carolina beach. but that's the way it works, lewis. the media always moved on. >> that's so, so true. isn't it? >> i really like this series. it captures the cynicism of washington and it is a very funny moment. what i also like is that amazon had a se

. >>> up next, how jack kennedy risked southern votes and his political career for civil rights. you got to believe it. this is "hardball," the place for politics. life's an adventure when you're with her. and it always has been. but your erectile dysfunction - it could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if

president barack obama was introduced by the grandson of president kennedy and 20-year- old jack kennedy is the son of caroline. >> for send ares. 50 years ago he found an extraordinary civilian group. >> and women's rights acts and talk show hosts oprah whimphrey was there as well. >>> a passer made this discovery while shopping in the valley. a bible was posted there with the caption, costco has bible under the fix area. >> members of the pastor's church should be treated as holy and not fix and costco reached out and said they were a result of a dismuting error and later said the words were changed. >>> we went 40 feet below the ground to get a look amount the tunnels and that says it approaches a milestone that could come as early as today. one of the two massive machines will pass between them on market street. >> the most progress was made in one day as we did install 100 feet of sun until and some bart trains may slow down as the big train passes underneath. >> sal, any problems? >>> nothing major but we are watching because they tend to change as we watch with the morning commute

attorney and best selling author makes the case that lee harvey oswald alone killed jack kennedy. >>> finally, anchorman ron burgundy had fun last night on conan at rob ford's expense. >> my dear, dear friend mayor rob ford of toronto is running for re-election. i hold him in the highest regard. he is the best. >> i watched that last night. it was so good. this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> well, a little travel note. i'll be down south this weekend in the great miami book fair international. i'll be presenting a book that's true to the season. it's about how great politicians can compromise to get things done. it's really the story of my political coming of age. and therefore a great companion book for "hardball" fans. tomorrow i'll be back in d.c. downtown barnes & noble to sign books. back in a minute. >>> welcome back to "hardball." the republican party's now engaging in an organized relentless attack to destroy the affordable care act. we know that. but now the "new york times" has obtained this smoke gun to the attack. a republican memo that maps it out. it highligh

he was jack kennedy's enforcer, his closer counselor, a tough guy behind the scenes. it was always bobby putting his finger in somebody's chest. obviously in 1968 because of war and civil rights movement and social consciousness that could you see develop on the fly almost he became the most interesting politician after this year. >> jon: when you are talking to people who were down there, as you speak to them, are their memories do they feel personal or almost a narrative created from the day, from all the experience they have experienced from that day? is it difficult to separate those things? >> i think for them it's very personal. they reserved a pat of their -- part of their memory bank and emotion from that day. john brew year who you saw there he did make its possible to get oswald early because he followed him to the movie theater. he changed his life. he got out of dallas, went in the navy for a while. it's just been recently tham it was the idea of john brewer that found oswald and he could have a life. nfl football players with who didn't want to play on th

attorney and best selling author makes the case that lee harvey oswald alone killed jack kennedy. >>> finally, anchorman ron burgundy had fun last night on conan at rob ford's expense. >> my dear, dear friend mayor rob ford of toronto is running for re-election. i hold him in the highest regard. he is the best. >> i watched that last night. it was so good. this is "hardball," the place for politics. mine was earned orbiting the moon in 1971. afghanistan in 2009. on the u.s.s. saratoga in 1982. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. >>> well, a little travel note. i'll be down south this weekend in the great miami book fair international. i'll be presenting a book that's true to the season. it's about how great politicians can compromise to get things done. it's really the st

for jack kennedy that's a problem. but in many respects, you know, that decision is what sort of lead to the communists coming into vietnam which then lead to i guess you could say ultimately the movie "forrest gump" beating "pulp fiction" at the oscars which i think we all agree was the real tragedy of this entire debacle. was she in any way still frightened? was she paranoid that forces were going to be out to get her? >> sure. so by the time i found her, i had to swear up and down that i was not a government agent. i was not married to a government agent. no one in my family belonged to the cia. and she really didn't trust me at first. and i can understand why. she had been burned before. so it took a long time to earn her trust. >> jon: and you had set up many different meetings with her. you went to paris this year. but she never actually shows up. >> no. she doesn't. and at the end of the day i think she likes to think of herself as this powerful, beautiful woman. and so for her to show herself as sort of an olde

jack kennedy was tenacious. >> now it is time to take longer strides. time for a great new american enterprise. time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement which, in many ways, may hold the could i to -- the key to our future on earth. >> this is a chimpanzee who was flying in space. took off at 10:08. reports everything is perfect and working well. >> kennedy saw the need to have a program that would excite the american people, and then he got all involved in it himself, all the way up to the time he died, he saw this was coming along and saw that the american people themselves were behind the program. >> colonel? this is colonel glenn. >> listen, colonel, we're really proud of you, and i must say you did a wonderful job. >> thank you, mr. president. >> i believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out, of landing man on the map and return -- on the moon and returning him safely to earth. no single project will be more impressive to nankai or more important for the long-range ex

kennedy. president obama did joke about that when he was giving an award to a noted psychologist earlier in the ceremony. >> all of us have moments when we look back and wonder what the heck was i thinking? i have that quite a bit. >> no specific medication of the healthcare.gov website, but -- >> self-deprecating humor, that's the road back. he can laugh at himself. >> kennedy trait, right? >> what did you read into that? >> i think it's a tough time. no question about it. i think about two years ago in the fall of 2011, up with year before the election, the president's job approval rating dipped. everyone was worried about his re-election prospects, and he came through with over 50% of the vote. i mean, when you think about c.t. vivian, and bayard rusten, he can straw strength from those who can march on. this was a good day for him to go in with so many heroes and sheroes. >> bill clinton no, sir something about being a comeback kid. he had some comebacks during his time in the white house.

so one of the evening during interests jack kennedy a half a century earlier? because jfk was cut down in his prime we will always -- there will be a sense of an unfinished dream. the dream the media is all too happy to keep revisiting. is this where tv is headed? how much can we gorge on at once? okay, listen up! i'm re-workin' the menu. mayo? corn dogs? you are so outta here! aah! [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of great-tasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 9 grams of protein. [ bottle ] ensure®. nutrition inharge™. >>> time now for our digital download. amazon post ad new video series called "alpha house." part of a trend that's bypassing television for the web. >> amazon is joining netflix and others in creating original programming. had one a comedy about four republican senators who share a group house. starring john goodman. >> look, i have been through this. the time i knocked [ bleep ], that video [ bleep ] exploded. on every station. the next morning, zip, gone. over. >> what? why? >> i caught a break. a

so one of the evening during interests jack kennedy a half a century earlier? because jfk was cut down in his prime we will always -- there will be a sense of an unfinished dream. the dream the media is all too happy to keep revisiting. is this where tv is headed? how much can we gorge on at once? my mantra? family first. but with less energy, moodiness, and a low sex drive, i saw my doctor. a blood test showed it was low testosterone, not age. we talked about axiron. the only underarm low t treatment that can restore t levels to rmal in about 2 weeks in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than8 or men with prostate or breast caer. and children should avoido are contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puber in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. report these symptoms to your doctor. tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medication serious side effects could include increased risk decreased sperm count; ankle, feet or body swelling; enlarged or painful breasts; problems breathin

and he regards him as sickly, you know, he says this is a quote from lyndon johnson about jack kennedy. he was pathetic as a senator. he didn't know how to address the chair. and he was sickly. he wasn't the man's man. so johnson doesn't realize, he's the mighty majority leader. he thinks he's going to have the nomination in 1960. he doesn't realize that this young senator is a lot tougher and a lot smarter than he thinks he is. >> rose: and so then they off and campaign and win the presidency. >> yes. >> rose: and then -- >> and then johnson finds out how tough jack kennedy really is. because when he becomes president he takes johnson at basically under the kennedy administration, johnson is completely he mass you can lated. all power, all power is removed from him. he doesn't even have the right to order an airplane to take him on a trip without robert kennedy or one of robert ken doe's aides signing off on it. every speech is supposed to be created-- . >> rose: robert ken doe is to the working at the white house. he's in the justice department, or attorney general. >> yes. >> rose:

and the lasting legacy of jack kennedy, our elusive hero and his short presidency influenced so many others after he was gone. and texas congressman has topped himself with his latest conspiracy theory. this one about, well the president's health care. and this is "hardball," the place for politics. [ male announcer ] 1.21 gigawatts. today, that's easy. ge is revolutionizing power. supercharging turbines with advanced hardware and innovative software. using data predictively to help power entire cities. so the turbines of today... will power us all... into the future. ♪ [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat? campbell's healthy request soup lets you hear it in your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. [ m'm... ] great taste. [ tapping ] sounds good. campbell's healthy request. m'm! m'm! good.® >>> jeb bush wants to make sure he's not left out of the conversation about 2016. bush told the milwaukee journal sentinel quote i'm not going to think about it until the middle of next year then i'm going to think about it really hard

kennedy. ron burgundy had fun last night on conan, and toronto mayor rob ford's expense. >> my dear, dear, dear friend, mayor rob ford of toronto is running for re-election. and i hold him in the highest regard. he is the best. >> okay. >> i watched that last night. so good on conan. this is "hardball," the place for politics. congested. beat down. crushed. as if the weight of the world is resting on your face. but sudafed gives you maximum strength sinus pressure and pain relief. so you feel free. liberated. released. decongested. open for business. [ inhales, exhales ] [ male announcer ] powerful sinus relief from the #1 pharmacist recommended brand. sudafed. open up. >>> welcome back. the republican party is now engaging in an organized relentless attack to destroy the affordable care act. now the "new york times" has obtained a smoking gun to the attack. an internal memo that maps it all out. it highlights themes they'll use to urge republicans to collect stories about the impact of policy

if jack kennedy had run against goldwater in 1964, he would have won in a landslide -- >> but he almost didn't beat nixon. how close was that election? >> that was the closest ever had. 49.8% of the volt to 49.7% of the vote. >> because people believe kennedy as this huge figure, they think he must have won by a landslide but it was close. >> everybody thought he was going to win by a landslide. all of the experts, all of the journalists were convinced. but in the end -- and i think it's because lots of americans weren't yet ready to vote for an irish catholic. >> is the family cursed? >> no. the family cursed itself because these men and women were risk takers. they grew up with glamour, with education, with privilege. they thought at moments that they were immoral; that they could do anything. they took risks that lead to tragedies much too often. >> thank you very much. and you are going to continue to be with us. we wanted to tell you time line right now. on november 21st, the president and his wife flew to texas. the two-day five-city tour was a campaign trip of sorts. it was also

kennedy. a veterans day celebration -- ceremony at the world war ii memorial. ♪ >> i think every first lady should do something in this tradition to help the thing that she cares about. i just think that everything in the white house should be the best. the entertainment that is given here. >> children are the same the world over and so is our feeling for children. i think it is good in the world, there is quite enough to divide people, so we should cherish the language and the emotion that unites us. >> jacqueline kennedy's 1000 days as first lady was defined by images, young mother, advocate for the arts, fashion icon. footage of the assassination of president kennedy and his funeral cemented her in the public consciousness. welcome to the c-span series, first ladies, influence and image. we have two guests at the table, to tell you more about her story. he has a special focus on the cold war era and the kennedy administration. robert parry is a political scientist and as part of the moder

kennedy. we encourage you to take part once again tonight, there are three ways to do this, you can tweet us, at first ladies, or on our facebook page, or you can call us. our numbers are -- mountan/pacific -- we will get to your calls in just a bit. i start with a phone conversation with president johnson. i want to ask about why we have them, before we listen very >> he takes his telephone conversations, as eisenhower and roosevelt -- with johnson this was about 650 hours over five years. and in most cases this was without the knowledge that would include jacqueline kennedy. at that point, there was a very good relationship with lbj. >> this is the phone conversation was just 10 days after the death of her husband. this is a phone conversation with lyndon johnson. >> >> you just have to give me strength. >> i wasn't going to come over. >> you just come over and put your arm around me, let's walk around the backyard. let me tell you how much you mean to all of us, and how we can carry on, --

those of us on the right were saying we are going to get our jack kennedy. the whole new generation of real change. >> let's move on. there's a lot to talk about. was it a conspiracy? >> i certainly have doubts that he was motivated by himself. i'm not sure if anybody else was involved. i don't go down that road with respect to the grassy knoll theory and all of that. but i have questions about whether they got down to the bottom of oswald's time. >> secretary of state john kerry is not the only one to harbor questions about the motives of the assassin lee harvey oswald who also wounded texas governor john connelly. oswald himself was shot two days later as he was held in the dallas city jail. the shooter was jack ruby. a local nightclub owner. 52% of the public thought lee harvey oswald had not acted alone. today, 61% think oswald had coconspirators. that is down from a high of 81% who thought so in the 1990s after oliver stone's film jfk. true the tragedy has all the makings of a conspiracy. oswald was a former u.s. marine. he had earlier defected to the s

kennedy. and she really did not campaign for the president at all until october 1960 because she insisted that he change his civil rights stance and that he publicly discuss mccarthy and so she and adam clayton powell and herbert leeman had a big conference in new york at the baptist church and come up with about a dozen recommendations that they want the president to endorse before, you know, to really say to the world, this is once and for all where i stand on civil rights. and president kennedy against the advice of his advisers goes and meets with her and she gives him the recommendations. and that's where he issues the famous declaration that i will ban discrimination in federally financed housing with one stroke of the pen. and so, she campaigns for him then for the last 16 days of the election and she goes to new york, atlanta, detroit, los angeles, san francisco. places where there are significant african-american populations and major labor unions because labor unions and then john ke

kennedy. and she really did not campaign for the president at all until october 1960 because she insisted that he change his civil rights stance and that he publicly discuss mccarthy and so she and adam clayton powell and herbert lehman had a big conference in new york at the baptist church and come up with about a dozen recommendations that they want the president to endorse before, you know, to really say to the world, this is once and for all where i stand on civil rights. and president kennedy against the advice of his advisers goes and meets with her and she gives him the recommendations. and that's where he issues the famous declaration that i will ban discrimination in federally financed housing with one stroke of the pen. and so, she campaigns for him then for the last 16 days of the election and she goes to new york, atlanta, detroit, los angeles, san francisco. places where there are significant african-american populations and major labor unions because labor unions and then john ke

kennedy. and she really did not campaign for the president at all until october 1960 because she insisted that he change his civil rights stance and that he publicly discuss mccarthy, and so she and adam clayton powell and herbert lehman had a big conference in new york at the baptist church. and they come up with about a dozen recommendations that they want the president to endorse before -- you know, to really say to the world, this once in for all, is where i stand on civil rights. and president kennedy against the advice of his advisers goes and meets with her, and she gives him the recommendations. and that's where he issues the famous declaration that i will ban discrimination in federally financed housing with one stroke of the pen. and so, she campaigns for him then for the last 16 days of the election. and she goes to new york, atlanta, detroit, los angeles, san francisco, places where there are significant african-american populations and major labor unions, because labor unions and