The Presidency: Start of Social Season

THE PRESIDENCY

For anyone who enjoys social occasions, being President of the U.S. can be a pleasure. John Kennedy likes parties, and he has a real flair for pre siding over them. Last week he made big plans for starting the fall social season. Afghanistan’s King Mohammed Zahir Shah and his Queen Homaira were in town. In their honor, there was to be a black-tie banquet in the Rose Garden — with fireworks, a Marine-drill-squad exhibition, music by some Air Force bagpipers and ice cream souffle for dessert. But it rained that day, and the President moved the affair into the State Dining Room.

Some Startled Calls. It was still quite a party. After dinner, the 116 guests followed the President and his sister, Eunice Shriver, official White House hostess because of Jackie’s convalescence, up to the second-floor balcony for the show. After the marching and the bagpipes, the fireworks began bursting and blasting on the South Lawn. It was a magnificent display, although it did startle some Washingtonians who phoned newspapers and police stations to find out what all the noise was about.

Next day, the President rode in a parade with the King, then went to the Afghan embassy for lunch. Even though there were a whole lot of things more pressing than U.S. relations with Afghanistan, he threw himself into the party, developed a nice social rapport with most everyone. He chatted with Republican Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen, toasted the King with a warm statement: “We hope the trip is useful for your own people, whose wel fare is your great concern, and I know I speak on behalf of all of us in the United States in expressing our pleasure in meeting you and our pleasure in the honor you have done our country.” Kennedy also presided over the Rose Garden presentation of a Distinguished Service Medal to recently retired Air Force General Emmett (“Rosie”) O’Donnell Jr., who led the first B-29 bomber raid on Tokyo during World War II. Just before the affair began, Kennedy spotted a clutch of U.S. Senators in the crowd. He introduced a couple of Democrats by their last names, suddenly saw Republican Barry Goldwater and yelled, “Barry!”

Some Amiable Chats. Later Barry came over, and he and the President, who entered the Senate at the same time, chatted amiably, although no one could hear what they said because cameras were clicking loudly enough to supply every paper in the country with a front-page picture. When Rosie O’Donnell got his medal, he broke everyone up: “It was kind of a shock to be told that I had to wear my uniform, because I discarded it about a month and a half ago, and I had to get my ribbons off my pajamas this morning.”

All that done, the President departed Washington for a weekend at Hyannis Port and a family party, which he likes even more than state shindigs. This one celebrated the 75th birthday of his father, Joseph P. Kennedy. As a result of his 1961 stroke, Old Joe can speak only haltingly, and cannot write at all. Despite his handicaps, he is pretty chipper. He rises early each morning, often goes for an after-breakfast ride with Niece Anne Gargan. At night he sometimes watches a movie in the theater that is part of his house.

Most of the clan turned up for the birthday. Rose Kennedy was home at last after a month’s trip to Europe. Twenty-one grandchildren trooped in with birthday gifts for “Grampy Joe.” And eleven of Joe’s own kids and in-laws were on the Cape—making a throng of 33 for the happy occasion.