Jackie Kennedy Felt Like She Was a 'Liability' to JFK's Presidential Campaign for This Unexpected Reason

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With the mystique of Camelot still existing in 2023, it’s hard to believe that Jackie Kennedy was unsure of herself when her husband, John F. Kennedy, was running for president in 1960. She was so concerned that she wouldn’t fit the image of what was expected of a campaign wife on the national stage — especially when she was a part of Kennedy lore.

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That bit of insecurity was somewhat surprising even to author Kate Andersen Brower, who wrote the book, First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies. “When I was researching my book, I didn’t realize that Jackie always felt like a liability,” she shares exclusively with SheKnows. “You know, she always felt before he won, she felt that she would actually hurt him in the campaign.” It seems so impossible to believe because Jackie, to this day, is seen as a well-educated, beloved first lady and fashion icon. However, Brower got to the heart of what worried Jackie during her husband’s run for the Oval Office.

“She was from an upper-class, rich, rich family,” Brower elaborates. “She recognized that she wasn’t very relatable [because] she went Miss Porter’s [School] and the Sorbonne in this elite world — she spoke French and everything.” Yet it was her charm, grace, and elegance that had women all over the United States trying to mimic her style. “Women around the country were buying pillbox hats and suits to look like her, it gave her so much self-confidence that I don’t think she had before,” adds Brower. “So that’s a beautiful part of her story.”

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It’s almost hard to fathom that Jackie had any insecurities when it appeared, from the outside, that she and JFK had it all. But behind that Camelot facade was a complex marriage and a huge family with its own set of problems. Yet the Kennedy legacy still lives on, and Jackie’s contribution is a huge part of that history.

Before you go, click here to see photos of JFK and Jackie O.’s grown-up grandkids.

Launch Gallery: 14 Best Books About Jackie Kennedy's Life & Loves

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