This starts out a little slow, but toward the end and in the next two sessions, it has a lot of meaty, enlightening information.I hope you get as much out of this interview series as I did.
Me: Erik, do you think you can bring in JFK for us?
(Pause)
Jamie: It’s funny, visually watching him. It’s like he just rolled his shoulder to turn to get off the couch—
Me: Mm hm.
Jamie: —and he was gone.
Me: Wow.
Jamie: Like there was no standing up, no walking away. He just turned and just kind of, woomp, was gone.
Me: Oh, interesting.
Jamie (squealing like a little girl): Oh my god, JFK is going to come!
Me: You just realized that? I bet it’s like, “Whoa!”
Jamie: Yeah. Holy shit!
Jamie clears her throat, then exhales sharply.
Jamie (giggling): Erik’s here.
Erik: Chill out, Jamie!
I can’t help but laugh.
Me: Did he bring him?
Jamie: Yeah. God, I feel like I need to stand up or something. But I don’t have to do that, right?
Me (to JFK): Hi, Mr. President!
Jamie: Oh my god!! He said hello. He’s acting very casual. (to JFK in a squeaky little voice) Hi!
Me: How are you?
(Pause)
Jamie: Is this real? This is messed up. I’m standing up. (clearing throat) He’s standing. I don’t want to be sitting down.
Me: Have a seat Mr. President!
Jamie (to JFK): Oh, yes. Have a seat.
Erik (in a joking tone): Jamie, where are your manners!
Jamie and I chuckle.
Me: Well, we’d like to ask you some questions. I’m sure you’re used to interviews, obviously.
JFK: Yes, ma’am, I am.
Me: Good, uh—
Jamie: Kind of has a southern accent.
Me: No, he should have a Boston accent. I can see how you’d mistake that for a southern accent. Some of the vowels are pronounced the same.
Jamie: Cuz when he says “ma’am”—
Me: Yeah.
Jamie: He’s just sitting here. He’s got a real thin tie on. White collar, nice suit. Has a bit of a shine to it. Or sheen.
(Pause)
Jamie (to JFK): Yeah, it’s a little bit different. It’s like being on radio.
Me: What?
Jamie: That’s what he’s telling me. These interviews, it’s like doing radio interviews, which is mostly what he was used to. People would describe how he was sitting or holding himself or what he was wearing so that the listeners could get an idea. That is true! I like that.
Me: So, Mr. President, what do you think your spiritual mission was here on Earth?
Jamie: He pulls down, you know how you reach up under your jacket sleeve and you kind of pull down your shirtsleeve?
Me: Yeah.
Jamie: He adjusts that and his shoulders on both arms.
JFK: My spiritual mission in this life was to help unite the people of the United States.
Me: In what way? Can you give us more detail?
JFK: To give the common voice strength so that they, themselves, can make a difference.
Me: Okay. Did that have anything to do with minorities, racial unity?
JFK: I take pride in myself that I did not see the need to have race defined the way it was when I came into office.
Jamie: He’s smiling.
JFK: If you’re asking if the unity that I tried to give structure to for the everyday person involved race, yes it did. It involved the elimination of the old definition of race. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve seen my efforts reach some of its potential. Some, not all of it. That’s not because we have a half African American in office. I’m saying this, because I’m listening to the language that kids are using and it’s not the same language that their parents are using. There’s a huge gap in this generation growing up.
Jamie: Um, what do I call him, Mr. President?
Me: That’s what I say.
Jamie (to JFK): Mr. President, what generation do you mean has the huge gap? What age frame are you considered that to be?
JFK: Ages 12 to 18.
Me: Okay. I’m wondering if this unity, this blur between all of the races, has anything to do with you giving a common voice to everyone, because when you said you gave a voice to everyone, that would include all races, obviously, and that was at a time when many races weren’t allowed to have a voice.
JFK: Correct. Yes ma’am.
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Walter Cronkite’s report of JFK’s death
