NEW YORK POST, MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 1967
3
Bitter New Row on Book
By RALPH BLUMENFELD and ARTHUR GREENSPAN
the magazine rights to Look for
A bitter new quarrel today shattered the apparent truce between the Kennedy 6663,000.
This came after Robert Kenfamily and William Manchester, author of "The Death of a President"
nedy allegedly told the author:
Manchester accused Sen. Robert Kennedy of having
don't want anyone to make
"I
tried to "shred and emasculate" his book for purely polita killing out of my brother's
death."
ical reasons. The Kennedys retorted that the book's first
chapter had to be scrapped at their insistence because it
The Look offer "staggered
everybody," Manchester said.
pictured President Johnson as "a man of violence."
next day Bobby told Jackie,
"The
After Manchester likened Jacqueline Kennedy to
and a mushroom cloud appeared
Marie Antoinette and to Mao Tse-tung, former White
over Hyannis Port."
House aide Richard N. Goodwin rose to her defense, chargJackie was "concerned over
the sum of money and what she
ing that Manchester's statements were "as fictional as
was commercialization,"
felt
original
his
in
some of the most objectionable passages
Manchester said.
manuscript."
Jackie Didn't Know
Manchester, in interviews with the New York
"Apparently Jackie didn't
Post columnist Murray Kempton and with the New York
know the details of the memorKennedy
Sen.
Times and Newsweek magazine, described
andum of understanding , between Bobby and me. She didn't
as a man "surrounded by people who have hitChed their
hire me."
wagon to his star. They all think in terms of another
Manchester also told the magKennedy Administration."
azine that everything he did had
Discounting Jacqueline Kennedy's avowed wish to JACQUELINE KENNEDY been
approved "directly or tacitprotect her children by deleting parts of the book, Man- ed Interviews which included ly" by Sen. Kennedy—until an
chester charged that she was "completely isolated from much of the personal, intimate August meeting in which
detail she wanted deleted from "Bobby was so irrational. He
the world around her by her courtlier advisers."
was concerned with the money
book.
Jackie was fully aware of her place on America's the"She
be seen to be be- now."
pedestal, however, Manchester told Kempton. He quoted lleved,"must
Mrs. Kennedy first read Look's
the
told
Manchester
her as having said to him:
Times. "When she turns on the condensation in December, and
she did so "with growing in"Unless I run off with Eddie Fisher, the people will charm, it's incredible."
On the other hand, he said, terest and surprise," Manchester
think that anyone who is in a fight with me is a rat."
PRESIDENT KENNEDY .
answering statements made in
complete disregard of t h e
truth," he said.
•
Goodwin said that Manchester's publishers called his man•
useript "in part tasteless and
gratuitously insulting to President Johnson and, for that matter, to the memory of the late
President Kennedy," and that
Manchester had turned "the
tragedy into a magic fairy
Jackie and the rest of the Ken- told Newsweek. "She left the tale."
Sen. Kennedy, at his Virginia
nedys often made him feel like meeting smiling. But when she
The publishers and the Kenhome issued a terse statement:
her
a "paid historian," even though saw the reporters outside,
nedy family, said Goodwin, had
"It all finally comes down to
they were not financing the eyes filled with tears—and that's recommended changes to "maks
the fact that Mr. Manchester
book
the
that
stories
the
how
writing of his book.
the book both accurate and fair,
gave his word and then broke
"Mao Tse-tung and Jackie are made her cry got started."
to remove the sometimes horn', it. No statement, or interview,
Manchester also said that lying and unjust implications
the two most inscrutable people
or description of events, how.
I know," said Manchester.
about several individuals."
ever dramatic, can alter that
One of the problems, Man.
plain fact."
One Third Modified '
cheater told Kempton, was that
A source close to the Kennedy
Goodwin said "almost one
Jackie had made Richard N.
family then, made a lengthier
third of the book" was then
Goodwin "answerable" for what
comment about Manchester's
sharp contrast to
modifted—in
appeared in the book. The fororiginal first chapter, about a
Manchester's claim to Newsmer aide to Presidents Kennedy
deer-hunting spisode involving
week. The author said 1,600
and Johnson served as her rePresident Kennedy at Johnson's
words were cut from the Look
presentative In the legal negoTexas ranch in 1960—"right
version, 2,000 from the hardtiations.
after the election."
cover book—"3,600 words out
read
she
"This meant that, if
"It showed Johnson as a man
of 360,000—one per cent • , a
It after publication, and object.
of violence who loved to shoot
word here, a phrase there . .
ed to one line, she'd blame It
deer and would force others to
but not a single incident is
on him," said Manchester. "Now
do the same," the source said.
omitted."
could I agree to let him take
"It pictured President Kennedy
out anything he wanted under
Manchester, In his Interview
as a man reluctant to do this ...
those circumstances?"
with Kempton, spoke with par.
JOHNSON
PRESIDENT
a much more gentle figure."
ticular bitterness about Good•
In
Europe
in
was
he
While
The date of the deer-hunt was understanding. Arthur Schle- November, Manchester told
win, who lives less than one
Nov. 17, 1960—three years be- singer's relationship with the Kempton, he was visited by his
minute's drive from the author
fore the assassination which Kennedys is very important to agent, Don Gongdon, and GAS
in Middletown, Conn., and has a
supposedly was Manchester's his life. And Red Fay certainly Canfield and Evan Thomas of
fellowship to Wesleyan UnispokesKennedy
the
subject,
versity there.
when he was shut out Harper & Row.
MANCHESTER
man sad. But the incident, told euffered
WILLIAM
"Goodwin saw the book, first
book.
his
after
Six Pages on LIU
at the book's outset, "seemed to of the compound
because he asked to see it. All
"But I'm a writer. Nothing
set symbolic overtones," he said.
"They had a letter to me from Bobby was very happy about he said was that it was great.'
that's happened in the last few
and all the galleys. There the deal with Look and the rec- said Manchester. "A lot of people
Unjust, Disastrous
months compared with the Jackie
was a mass of papr clips in the ord price involved, and had
"It sseemed to attempt to strain of writing that book. And galleys, and the letter said that said: "I'm glad It's Look be- in Middletown remembered him
saying that.
gotten
I'd
and
over,
was
it
flameafter
symbolic
the
this
make
these were the things to which cause they have been so nice
"Doug Cater [of the White
work for the whole book, which some sort of catharsis, the Ken- she personally objected, because to the family and Luce has
staff] would hardly back
House
nedys were part of my past, not
was unjust and disastrous."
they involved the feelings of her been such a—." He was refer- this up, but last spring he was
Manchester, now vacationing my future."
ring to Henry Luee, who runs
children.
at an unidentified Caribbean His reference to "Red Fay" "1 sat down to go through the Look's chief competitor, Life up at Wesleyan and we all met
at a cocktail party. Goodwin
hideaway, held a series of inter- was to Paul B. Fay Sr.. au- galleys, and the first six pages magazine.
said to Doug: "'Manchester has
views before he departed Fri- thor of "The Pleasure of His with paper clips in them were
Goodwin, in San Frencisco, re•
day. The Times published its in- Company," an ancedotal book about Lyndon Johnson's pa plied sharply lest night to the- written a great book. Your boss
with
relationship
21-year
and my former [President Johnhis
of
verNewsweek's
terview today.
lineal career. That involved- the Newsweek artiele, saying. Man- ionj wouldn't like- it, but Ida a
sion is. In its Jan. 30 issue, on President Kennedy, first as feelings of her children?"
chester's account "bears no reNavy buddies during World
the newsstands this week.
Manchester told Newsweek lationship" to what really hap- "I told Doug that Dick
Talking freely about the War II, Fay became Undersecrehis quarrel with the Ken- pened: "Reading it, onels struck
'about
hopes of Kennedy adherents tary of the Navy in Kennedy's that
arose when Congdon sold by the enormous difficulty of might be a little early
nedys
objected
Kennedy
Mrs.
cabinet
one
might
Kennedy
that Sen.
saying that Johnson wouldn't
light-hearted
the
to
day be President, Manchester strenously
like it—let alone that it was
told Kempton that in the midst and intimate tone of he book
great—because It was far from
of the uproar over the book, "I and refused a Fay donation
edited yet"
began to understand what this from Its proceeds to the KenHe concedes thateven se,
nedy Library.
was all about."
"Harper & Row's editors did a
court
the
in
role
Jackie's
"One of these [Kennedy]
good job." Then, "early in
very
Manchester):
by
deletions, said ManJACKIE to MANCHESTER (as quoted
people said to me that I had fight over
eight-page letter
chester, was "baffling"—long beI run off with Eddie Fisher, the people will think that June, I got an
better be sensible. I was endan- fore her lawsuit for cuts in the "Unless who
from Arthur Schlesinger. It was
me is a rat."
with
fight
a
In
Is
anyone
Evan Thomas.
to
gering my future relations with
memo
a
really
book's current serialization by
ROBERT KENNEDY (speaking of the huge literit and I can make it
the Kennedys," said Manchester.
magazine and in Harper & ary profits reaped by "assassination authors"): "I don't I've got. . ."
Public
He said the same person had Look
futhlength
forthcoming
Row's
told him earlier that he was hardcover edition.
want anyone making a killing out of my brother's death." Disturbed by Some Cuts
destroying any chance he might
WILLIAM MANCHESTER: "The Senator is surIn the letter, Manchester told
have to become a special assis- Made a Deep Impact
rounded by people who have hitched their wagon to Kempton, Schlesinger said he
She made a deep emotional
tant to the [future] President.
Kennedy
another
of
the book was "extraorterms
in
thought
think
all
They
star.
his
"Somewhere," said Manches- impact on him, the author said,
Continued on Page 35
ter, "there was a basic naLs- during the two long tape-record- Administration."
What They Said
Sovnerlinteet
tn/
Bitter New Row Over Manchester Book
petted," he said, "feu four cru- mks, so far as my knowledge
Continued from Pape $
dinarily good and potentially cial days...this woman behaved is concerned."
great," but said he was dis- superbly.
He would not specify these
turbed by some cuts agreed Manchester was more bitter inaccuracies. but Manchester
upon by Thomas and John Ste- about Sen. Kennedy and Presi- did in the Times and Newsweek
genthaler, one of those who dent Johnson. It was the rela- interviews, give varying ac.
read the book for Sen. Kennedy. tionship between the two politi- counts of Sen. Kennedy. In the
reservations, cal figures which has caused Times, he talks about a meeting
Schlesinger's
said Manchester, were because the greatest furor. Even the au- at Kennedy's Washington ofthey felt the decision not to use thor was aparently aware that flee:
this material was an attack "on he had been painting political "Bobby lost his temper. At
the integrity of contemporary caricatures, and, the Times re one point, he accused me of
ports, he wrote a letter to Mrs. shouting at him when I hadn't
history."
Kennedy admitting
Manchester insists "that was said to have written: this. He is raised my voice. This le an old
courtroom lawyer's trick. Then
the first I'd known about the
I tried desperately he demanded that I 'shred and
cuts, since I'd seen the edited to"Though
suppress my bias against a emasculate' the mansuseMpt. He
manuscript ... so the first time certain
eminent statesman who even asked If I would join In
I got to see them was in June.
reminded me of some- a suit against Look."
As I've said, they seemed to me always
In a grade D movie of The And in Newsweek, Manchesbetter than they had to Arthur." one
Late Show, the prejudice showed ter describes hew he went to
All this while, he said, noth- through. This was cheap of me,
ing was said "about anything but I suMme there is a little Kennedy's Hickory Hill home in
Virginia last fall. "It was my
personal being objectionable." meanness in all of us."
Following what he claimed was Goodwin also charged that last meeting with Bobby," he
Sen. Kennedy's "written ap- Manchester "refused to make reports. "It was Maly, but Bobbeing Bobby, he had to put
proval" came other word from changes in the interests of ac- by
on bathing trunks and go swimcuracy. He continually promised ming.
Kennedy.
He would ask me a quesThe Senator was still reserv- to make the personal changes re. tion, then duck underwater and
ing his right to object. "Then quested by Mrs. Kennedy. In I would wait for him to surface
fact,
at
one
point,
the
publisher
I began hearing rumors of disin the pool before answering.
content," Manchester said, and said he would not publish the
"His head was underwater
on Aug. 1, 1966, "Arthur went book unless these changes were most
of the time." an the Times,
made.
to Hyannisport saying he would
It was failure to make these Manchester recalls they were
try to get It all cleared up.
person changes, and for that swimming together: "Bobby
He called back and said reason only," Goodwin insists, would say something, and then
They're tranquil; they're com- "that legal action was finally he'd duck under water. I'd turn
posed' and I assumed every- brought."
to answer him and he'd be gone.
thing was all right."
Two others who read the I'd start to say something, and
But it was not all right. manuscript for the Kennedy he'd pop up behind me, his hair
"Then there started the busi- family joined in decrying Man- streaming over his face, and
ness of Jackie being against chester's actions. Ed Guth- he'd ask another question.")
serialization. You know, The man, now National Editor of Advised to File Suit
book is all right, but the sen- the Los Angeles Times, told the The important part of this
meeting, said Manchester was
sationalism of a magazine is New York Post:
"I ward eeply distressed that that "Bobby told me Ted Soren
what's wrong.
sen had advised him to file suit
the
personal
changes
Mrs.
Ken"Then they suggested that nedy requested were
not made because of his own political
I give the magazine fee to the until
after she was forced to go future.
Library and just take a straight to court.
But putting Jackie on the
As
I
look
back
now,
royalty on the book. That
stand would be intolerable and
seemed to me the strangest over all that has happened, I he himself could only lose poll.
thing of all. I'd have been richer feel that she and Sen. Kennedy, tically.
So would I consider the
and all of us, were terribly misthat way than any other. I'd led."
personal
which Dick
be getting $1.50 royalty on a $10 Siegenthaler said, "I have Goodwinchanges
was then making in
book."
nothing to add to Goodwin's Look and I said I would. This
In the Newsweek interview, rather
But he said that was a very friendly meeting. I
Manchester continued to ex- the Newsweek article "as read had supper with Ethel, Bobby
press his regard for Mrs. Ken- statement. I think he tells it and the children and we watched
nedy. "Regardless of what hap- to me has very many inaccur the children."
_ New Aid
To Beauty
Iltuichster was distressed,
when he talked with the Times,
about the way he said he had
been treated. He talks about
the tapes of his 10-hours of interviews with Mrs. Kennedy,
and says they are now in a
cute deposit box. IIa has one
key to the box, he says, and
the other is held by Mrs. Kenredy's attorney, former Federal
Judge Rif Ind.
"This is humiliating," Mancheater Is quoted as saying.
"Am I pervert? Have I belonged to any disloyal organization? The Kennedy' entrusted
me with all kinds of confidences, and I never violated them,
but new I'm suspect"
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