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Private Notes
The Kennedys rally to put Jack in the White House, but their difficult past illuminates a deeper struggle.
“People talk about the curse that seems to echo down the generations of the Kennedys and in a certain sense it’s true,” says Tom Wilkinson. “And if you are going to see it in the kind of Greek tragedy sense, there isn’t a better sort of patriarchal figure than Joe Kennedy because his world view was extreme. His world view was: ambition, money and family. It’s almost medieval in its simplicity … but almost everything else went by the boards.”
-Tom Wilkinson
The Presidential election comes down to the wire; Bobby tells Joe Sr. he’s leaving politics.
“John F. Kennedy was a very complicated person who meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. I have my own interpretation of who he was and what his legacy was. Kennedy served as President of the United States during an extraordinary period of time and brought us exceptional social and political changes in a short time, in 1000 days. He gave this country a sense of purpose and enthusiasm which was much needed at that time.”
When the Bay of Pigs invasion proves disastrous, JFK makes a difficult decision he must later atone for.
“John F. Kennedy changed the image of the United States when he was president. People around the world remember that time and remember the days when America was the leading shining light for freedom and democracy, which was represented so well by Kennedy at the time.”
When the Bay of Pigs invasion proves disastrous, JFK makes a difficult decision he must later atone for. “John F. Kennedy changed the image of the United States when he was president. People around the world remember that time and remember the days when America was the leading shining light for freedom and democracy, which was represented so well by Kennedy at the time.” - Executive Producer Michael Prupas
Riots over desegregation in the South force JFK to act; Jackie’s use of amphetamines continues; Joe Sr. suffers a stroke.
“Jack and Jackie Kennedy were truly the king and queen of America at the time. They were called America’s royalty because they were…But as beautiful as they looked, and as trouble free as they seemed, underneath there was always another more troubled layer.”
The Cuban missile crisis brings America and Russia to the brink of war; Jackie leaves JFK after one infidelity too many.
“The lasting legacy of Jack and Bobby Kennedy was to resolve political crisis with the least amount of bloodshed possible…We never went to war with the Soviet Union. Had that crisis not been handled the way it was, we wouldn’t be here. This planet would be dead. Everything else pales to insignificance compared to that.”
Jack and Jackie suffer the loss of their newborn child; she and JFK are in Dallas on that fateful day in November.
“There’s an arc of the love story through the whole eight episodes. In episode seven [after the death of their newborn son], they’ve really started to reconnect. They’ve had their ups and downs and at the point where you think that they can live happily ever after, the unfortunate happens.”
Bobby blames himself for his brother’s death. Five years later, tragedy strikes again.
“I admire Robert Kennedy because of his courage to stand up during an extremely volatile and difficult time in America, knowing full well what might happen to him. RFK lived and died as a passionate advocate of peace, justice and equality and he believed in compassion toward fellow human beings, not only in the United States, but all over the world. I believe he would have made an extraordinary President. Now, more than ever, the world is in need of men like Robert Kennedy.”
