The Kennedys

by Thomas Maier

  The Irish Republican history of the Kennedys and Ryans from Dunganstown is based on the author’s interviews with Mary Ann Ryan, Patrick Grennan,Thomas Grennan, Patrick Kennedy (Ryan’s cousin), John Pierce, all conducted in Ireland. It is also alluded to briefly in Pierce’s The Kennedys Who Left and the Kennedys Who Stayed, privately published by the Kennedy Homestead. Both in interviews and a follow-up note to the author, Patrick Grennan underlined that the old IRA of his grandfather “fought for Irish freedom and no control of an area” and was far different than the IRA of today. Other details are from John Henry Cutler, Honey Fitz; and Arthur Mitchell, JFK and His Irish Heritage. Additional historical background about the IRA and its women’s auxiliary, Cumann na mBan, during the 1920s and 1930s (when Mary Kennedy Ryan and her family were active) was supplied by Robert Kee, The Green Flag; Tim Pat Coogan, The IRA:A History; Dan Breen, My Fight for Irish Freedom; and R. F. Foster, Modern Ireland 1600–1972. Details about Kathleen Kennedy’s death were taken from Lynne McTaggart, Kathleen Kennedy; Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Fitzgeralds and The Kennedys; Rose Kennedy, Times to Remember; as well as letters from Enrico Galeazzi, dated June 18, 1948 and June 26, 1948, in JPK papers.

  Part III: Rise to the Presidency

  Archbishop John Ireland was quoted in John Tracy Ellis, American Catholicism.

  Chapter Seventeen: The Irish Brahmin

  The prominent family history of Henry Cabot Lodge was traced in “Case History Of a Senate Race,” Cabell Phillips, New York Times Magazine, October 26, 1952; Time August 18, 1952; and Thomas Oliphant,“Revisiting JFK’s ‘52 Race,” Boston Globe,March 27, 2000. Joe Kennedy’s support of his son’s position about the possible release of James Michael Curley was reflected in a letter he wrote on July 30, 1947, contained in JPK papers. Joe tells Dave Powers how good Jack looks and to keep him healthy if they want to win in his letter dated February 14, 1952, in the JPK papers. A description of the formidable Kennedy publicity machine during the campign was explained in the Thomas P. O’Neill Oral History at the JFK Library, in which he also says Jack, like some Irish chieftain,“had a real yen for patronage—he wanted to take care of this one; take care of that one.” Futher background information about the 1952 Senate race was found in Thomas J. Whalen, Kennedy vs. Lodge; Jack Beatty, The Rascal King; Herbert S. Parmet, Jack; James MacGregor Burns, John Kennedy:A Political Profile; John Henry Cutler, Cardinal Cushing of Boston;Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys; Kenneth P. O’Donnell and David Powers, Johnny,We Hardly Knew Ye; Jean Stein and George Plimpton, American Journey:The Times of Robert Kennedy; John Henry Cutler, Honey Fitz;William Shannon, The American Irish; Nigel Hamilton, JFK: Reckless Youth; and Joe McCarthy, The Remarkable Kennedys.

  Robert Kennedy’s sense of faith and family were mentioned in numerous works, including Evan Thomas, Robert Kennedy: His Life; and Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Robert Kennedy and His Times. Bobby talks about entering the navy in a letter (circa 1944) at the JFK Library. RFK’s confrontation with Father Feeney is mentioned in Richard Goodwin, Remembering America; Evan Thomas, Robert Kennedy: His Life; and in interview with Joseph Gargan.“My God, he’s unassimilated,” says the Brahmin poet, Robert Lowell, in Peter Collier and David Horowitz, The Kennedys: An American Drama; and Michael Beschloss, The Crisis Years. Also see, “What Drives Bobby Kennedy,” New York Times Magazine, April 7, 1963, and Hendrik Hertzberg, “Scaling Mt. Kennedy,” New Yorker, November 20, 2000, RFK “came from some deeper Celtic root” is in Pete Hamill,“JFK:The Real Thing,” New Yorker,November 28, 1988. RFK and JFK didn’t always agree with Joe Kennedy because “he doesn’t require it,” based on author interview with Edwin Guthman. Joe Kane was interested in Bobby as a potential political candidate in 1952, but Joe Kennedy dissuaded him saying “we have one good contest coming up this year,” letter dated February 14, 1952, in JPK papers. During fall campaign, Joe solicits donation help from Bobby’s father-in-law, George Skakel, asking him to line up twenty people who will give $5,000 each, from Kennedy letter dated September 6, 1952, in JPK papers. John McCormack’s phony story to placate the Jewish voters in his district so they’d support JFK is told in the Thomas P. O’Neill Oral History, JFK Library. Joe Kennedy’s prediction that Eisenhower would lose in 1952 was in a letter to Mark Dalton dated February 14, 1952, in JPK papers. In follow-up, he sees little worth to a James A. Farley presidential bid, according to February 26, 1952, letter in JPK papers. After 1952 Senate victory, Joe Kennedy predicts,“Jack will be president of the United States now, no doubt of it,” in Francis X.Morrissey Oral History, JFK Library. Father Sheehy writes to Joe about Jack’s success and says “how proud his brother Joe would have been of him! Jack is destined to do great things for his country and his Church,” in Sheehy letter dated December 12, 1952, in JPK papers. Joe Kennedy comments that the press feels “Jack has commited the unpardonable social error of beating Lodge” in November 14, 1952, letter contained in JPK papers.

  Chapter Eighteen: A Child of Fate

  Robert Kennedy’s letter to his father about a friend’s marriage annulment (“As a Papal Count Married To a Countesss, I Am Sure You Will Have an Answer”) was dated February 8, 1958, in JPK papers. The rancorous debate surrounding Catholic intellectual life, the cultural barriers remaining from the Irish immigrant experience and the sharp criticisms of Paul Blanshard are discussed in numerous books, notably Paul Blanshard, American Freedom and Catholic Power; Mark S. Massa, Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day and the Notre Dame Football Team; John T. McGreevy,“Thinking on One’s Own: Catholicism in the American Imagination —1928–1960,” Journal of American History, June 1997;“Liberalism and Catholicism,” American Prospect,March 13, 2000; Peter Steinfels, “Beliefs,” New York Times, May 3, 1997; and Lance Morrow,“The Rise and Fall of Anti-Catholicism,” Time, October 15, 1979.

  Sargeant Shriver’s December 21, 1956, letter in JPK papers thanks his father-in-law for all that he has done. A description of Shriver’s Maryland family was in David E. Koskoff, Joseph P. Kennedy:A Life and Times. In undated letter, Eunice writes to Dad “Jack is right—We may all get our ‘drive’ from our mother but from whom better could we receive the gift of generousity than you,” in JPK papers. In February 1957 speech to South Side Catholic Women’s Club, Eunice underlines the religious underpinnings of the family’s work with the Kennedy Foundation, a copy of which is in the JPK papers. Pat Lawford writes about the OB-GYN physician she’s trying to select in Los Angeles, and whether the doctor is a Catholic is clearly a factor, in 1954 letter in JPK papers. Joe Kennedy offers career counseling to Peter Lawford but urges Pat to focus on her health in March 7, 1955, letter in JPK papers. Rose seemed unseasy with the Pat and Peter Lawford situation. In a letter to Ted, she recalls how Joe’s conversation with Peter was overheard by Pat and two others listening in. “It seems to me that it is almost as bad as having your wire tapped,”Rose says, in May 17, 1957, letter in JPK papers.

  A portrait of Rose’s spiritual interests is derived from several of her letters in the JPK papers.“If Rose had been a boy, she—not Jack—would have been the first Catholic president of the United States,” says Marie Greene, an often-mentioned quote repeated in Randy Schultz,“Matriach of an American Dynasty,” Palm Beach Post, January 23, 1995. Rose is ‘thrilled” to have a large crowd at Manhattanville for her “speaking debut” and writes thanks to O’Byrne in January 4, 1953, letter in JPK papers. At Manhattanville in 1956, Rose gives address “so full of faith and the practical expression of devotion to the Sacred Heart.” Rose also is “brave” as she talks about Kathleen Kennedy, in March 12, 1956, letter from Mother O’Byrne to Joe Kennedy in JPK papers. Rose writes to Jackie again in June 1958, about going on religious retreats.“I have spent a long, happy life with a few baffling as well as tragic moments, and I have found that these spiritual signposts along the way have helped me tremendously,” in June 9, 1958, letter in JPK papers.

  Rose’s comments about Ted’s new girlfriend and husband Joe’s response in
a July 25, 1949, letter in JPK papers. Rose’s comment about Jack’s trip to Jamaica (“After all, he’s over 21 and he knows what he is doing”) is in a letter to Eunice dated January 25, 1950, in JPK papers. Sexually tinged jokes and comments from Joe Sr. to Jack about “a very beautiful blond” who comes looking for a job on the stage, and says she know Jack, is in a November 16, 1943, letter in JPK papers. Jack’s Spring 1940, letter to father urging him “before resigning give my social career a bit of consideration” was in the JPK papers. In letter that spring, JFK also tells Dad that he’s taking Kick’s friend, Charlotte McDonnell, to the Princeton game, which he notes “will be my first taste of a Catholic girl so will be interested to see how it goes.” Also, see Laurence Leamer, The Kennedy Women, for further background. JFK’s comment to Red Fay about marriage and that “this means the end of a promising political career, as it has been based up to now almost completely on the old sex appeal,” is retold in Gore Vidal,“The Holy Family,” Esquire, April 1967. Some of the early frostiness between Rose and Jackie is reflected in some letters in JPK papers. In return letter to Rose, the mother of Jacqueline Bouvier tells her how happy she is they met and that “Jackie has chosen to marry a man whose mind and whose religion and whose great charm give them so much in common,” in an undated letter from Janet Auchincloss in the JPK papers. Rose writes back in letter that she and Joe “could not be more thrilled to know that Jack had won such an outstanding bride who is so charming, so cultured and such a devout Catholic,” also in JPK papers. The death of Jackie’s father, John Bouvier, while she is pregnant is recalled in 1957 letter from Jackie to Rose and Joe in JPK papers. In heartfelt letter dated August 23, 1957, Joe advises Jackie not to let the political battles bother her.“Remember I’ve always said he’s a child of fate, and if he fell in a puddle of mud in a white suit he’d come up ready for a Newport ball,” Joe writes of his son in letter contained in JPK papers.

  Chapter Nineteen: Articles of Faith

  Msgr. Maurice S. Sheehy’s view on communism and religion comes from U.S. News and World Report,April 6, 1956. More details about Sheehy and his views were in David J. O’Brien, American Catholics and Social Reform:The New Deal Years. Cushing’s view on communism’s impact were described in John Henry Cutler, Cardinal Cushing of Boston. JFK’s 1958 talk about religion as “at the root of the struggle” against communism is from Russell W. Gibbons,“The Real Christianity of John F.Kennedy,” St. Joseph Magazine,April 1965. JFK mentioned the Catholic War Veteran plan for films about Communist threat in a letter to his father dated April 13, 1948, in JPK papers. Cushing’s meeting with J. Edgar Hoover was discussed in his letter dated November 12, 1956, in JPK papers. Kennedy’s letter of praise to Hoover was dated March 11, 1953, in JPK papers. Further context was provided by an FBI memo describing Joe Kennedy as “a devout Catholic and is very well versed on Communism,” reported by Edward A. Soucy, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Boston. It was sent in a confidential memo to FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, dated December 27, 1943, contained in the FBI file on Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. obtained from the agency’s Freedom of Information office.

  Details of Robert Kennedy’s trip to Soviet Central Asia were found in Robert Kennedy,“The Soviet Brand of Colonialism,” New York Times Magazine, April 8, 1956; Michael Beschloss, The Crisis Years; and U.S. News and World Report interview from October 21, 1955, also contained in the FBI’s file on Robert Kennedy obtained through the agency’s Freedom of Information office.

  The Kennedy family’s support of Sen. Joseph McCarthy is detailed in numerous biographies, including David Oshinsky, A Conspiracy So Immense: The World of Joseph McCarthy; David E. Koskoff, Joseph P. Kennedy: A Life and Times Donald F. Crosby, S.J., God, Church and Flag: Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and the Catholic Church, 1950–1957; Evan Thomas, Robert Kennedy;Arthur Herman, Joseph McCarthy: Re-examining the Life and Legacy of America’s Most Hated Senator; Joseph Dever, Cushing of Boston:A Candid Portrait; and James MacGregor Burns, John Kennedy: A Political Profile. It is also mentioned in JFK letter to his father, dated August 19, 1954, in JPK papers. Further context provided by Hendrik Hertzberg,“Scaling Mt. Kennedy,” New Yorker,November 20, 2000; and Marshall Frady, “The Transformation of Bobby Kennedy,” New York Review of Books, October 12, 1978.

  Chapter Twenty: A Nation of Immigrants

  Details of JFK’s trip to Dublin with his wife Jacqueline were derived from the oral history of Liam Cosgrave, conducted in Dublin in 1966 for the JFK Presidential Library. Further details about Father Leonard and the Kennedy trip were found in Maurice N. Hennessy, I’ll Come Back in the Springtime: John F. Kennedy and the Irish, and the inscriptions on the Baring book and others featured by Jay Dixon Rare Books and Manuscripts, March 2001. Also see, Laura Lovat, Maurice Baring:A Postscript.

  Joe Kennedy’s concern about JFK considering the vice-presidential spot on the 1956 Stevenson ticket, fearing that Catholicsm might be blamed for the loss to Eisenhower was contained in James Reston,“Party’s Debate on Kennedy Takes Note of Catholic Vote,” New York Times, January 3, 1960. Also see, Francis X. Morrissey oral history, JFK Library. Agnes Meyer’s warning about Roman Catholic prejuidice in 1956 was mentioned in Herbert S. Parmet, Jack:The Struggles of John F. Kennedy. JFK’s claim that his brother Bobby “is the smartest politician I have ever met in my life” is quoted in the oral history of Thomas P. O’Neill at the JFK Presidential Library. JFK’s assessment to Fletcher Knebel is quoted in Knebel’s oral history at the JFK Presidential Library. Details about Sorensen, his background and the issue of religion were found in Theodore C. Sorensen, Kennedy.“Those poor little Catholics” comment allegedly made by Stevenson camp is repeated in Ralph Martin, A Hero For Our Time. Details about the 1956 Bailey Report were discussed in the September 7, 1959, and the August 1, 1960, editions of U.S. News and World Report. Joe Kennedy’s comment that “this country is not a private preserve for Protestants” is from the recollection of Rose Kennedy in Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys. JFK’s initial failure to become overseer at Harvard University is reflected in letter of Frank Morrissey to Joe Kennedy, dated June 21, 1955, in the JPK papers. Futher details and context were provided by John Henry Cutler, Cardinal Cushing of Boston; and Arthur Mitchell, JFK and His Irish Heritage. John P. Roche’s comments are contained in the 1986 preface to reprinted edition of John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants. Sen. Edward Kennedy’s recollections about A Nation of Immigrants are based on a written response to the author’s questions.

  Chapter Twenty-One: Matters of Church and State

  Details of Joe Kennedy’s 1950 meeting with President Truman come from Kennedy’s own written account provided in Amanda Smith, Hostage to Fortune, an account in the Feb. 10, 1950, edition of U.S. News and World Report, and exchange of letters between Kennedy and Truman, including one dated Jan. 31, 1950, contained in the JPK papers. Another account about Truman and any US representation at the Vatican is outlined in July 3, 1950, letter from Kennedy to Galeazzi, in which Kennedy says “a Jewish minority group,well-organized, gets what it wants and we get nothing”—contained in the JPK papers. Kennedy’s expressed fidelity to the Pope and top aide’s wishes (“I don’t know what I can continue to do to be of any assistance to him, but you know all you have to do is command me and, if it is humanly possible, I shall do it.”) is in a March 2, 1949, letter from Kennedy to Galeazzi in the JPK papers.

  Cooney’s quote about Spellman’s maneuvers is from John Cooney, The American Pope:The Life and Times of Francis Cardinal Spellman, which includes Rev. Carl McIntyre’s comment about the threat of “Spellmanism” to America. Kennedy’s “personal and confidential” correspondence to Spellman about his trip to Rome (“The Holy Father, as I have found out in my last four visits with Him, is still incensed that nothing is being done in America,” including his comments about the lack of political power among Catholics and his comparison with Jews) is in a June 27, 1955, letter from Kennedy in the JPK papers.

  Chapter Twenty-Two: A Friend i
n Rome

  The letters between Count Enrico Galeazzi and Joseph Kennedy Sr. underscore their longtime confidence and friendship, all of which are contained in the JPK papers at the Kennedy Presidential Library. Prior to JFK’s 1947 Vatican visit, his father’s telegram of September 25, 1947, mentions that “Spellman arranging with Galeazzi in Rome your appointment.”A returned favor by Joe Kennedy—helping Galeazzi’s son-in-law get a job as a doctor in the United States—is outlined in two letters, one from Galeazzi dated May 20, 1948, and a reply from Joe Kennedy dated June 18, 1948. Joe Kennedy’s letter asking Galeazzi to arrange a papal for Ed Sullivan, newspaper columnist and TV host, was dated July 3, 1950, in the JPK papers. A note from Ed Sullivan to Joe Kennedy offering tickets to his TV show was dated March 31, 1952. Other letters with Sullivan, dated February 8, 1960 and February 24, 1960, in the JPK papers indicate Sullivan offered private advice and help during the 1960 campaign. New York Times columnist James Reston’s letter requesting to send some “confidential information” with Joe Kennedy’s help to Galeazzi and Pope Pius XII was dated November 11, 1955, and is contained in the JPK papers. Kennedy’s observation “I think that the Irish in me has not been completely assimiliated, but all my ducks are swans,”was written to Galeazzi and dated February 12, 1959, in the JPK papers. Jack’s recovery in 1954 from “two very close calls with death” is mentioned in November 29, 1954, letter to Galeazzi, which also passes along thanks for Pope’s special message and Joe’s comment that Pius XII “is the only one who speaks for all civilization—all leaders of countries speak for their own.” Joe’s mention of Jacqueline Kennedy’s miscarriage was contained in an August 1956, letter. After the 1956 Eisenhower landslide, Joe’s comment to Galeazzi that he’s happy JFK wasn’t on the Democratic ticket (“It would have absolutely set back the possibility of a Catholic in the White House for another fifty years because the defeat would have been blamed on the Catholic”) was in a Kennedy letter to Galeazzi dated November 9, 1956, in JPK papers. At Christmas 1957, Joe Kennedy tells family “what a wonderful gift it has been to have been so close to the Holy See during the past 20 years, a privilege not given to any other family in the world and it is all due to you” in February 7, 1958, letter to Galeazzi in JPK papers.