New JFK book claims details on affairs, drug use
A new book about President John F. Kennedy claims to include details of an affair with Marilyn Monroe and drug use.
Excerpts from “These Few Precious Days: The Final Year of Jack with Jackie,” written by Christopher Andersen, a Kennedy biographer and journalist, assert that first lady Jacqueline Kennedy knew about her husband’s infidelities but was bothered the most by reports of a romance with Marilyn Monroe.
According to an excerpt in the New York Daily News:
“Marilyn Monroe ‘seemed to bother her the most’ — in large part because Marilyn was a loose cannon who could go public at any time, causing a scandal that would obliterate her husband’s reputation, destroy her marriage and hold her up to public ridicule.”
Monroe, the books says, asked close friends during the affair, “Can you see me as first lady?”
The book also says that actor Peter Lawford, who was married to JFK's sister, Patricia, said "Monroe called the White House and told Jackie of the affair, of Jack’s alleged promises to her. ‘Marilyn, you’ll marry Jack, that’s great,’ Jackie reportedly responded in that breathy voice that sounded not unlike Monroe’s. ‘And you’ll move into the White House and you’ll assume the responsibilities of first lady, and I’ll move out and you’ll have all the problems.’”
In addition to their marriage troubles, the author alleges severe drug use, including steroids and amphetamine injections that were administered to the first lady and the president by a man nicknamed Dr. Feelgood:
“Max Jacobson, known as Dr. Feelgood, administered high-dosage amphetamine shots laced with steroids to the president on a regular basis. In fact, he would do multiple duty injecting the president, first lady, and members of their inner circle at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis.”
The book states that others started to worry that the injections might interfere with medications JFK was taking for medical problems.
“Even Gore Vidal, who had been a patient of Jacobson’s, was ‘horrified’ to learn he was treating Jack. ‘Watch out,’ he warned Jackie. ‘Stay away from him. I know him well. Max drove several people mad.’"
The excerpt continues, "Chuck Spalding, the man who introduced Max to the Kennedys, was also having second thoughts. At one point, Jacobson’s bizarre behavior and his own dependence on the injections made Spalding ‘very frightened. ... The whole thing had gotten so completely out of hand.’"
"It didn’t matter to the president. ‘I don’t care if there’s panther p--- in there,’ JFK said, ‘as long as it makes me feel good.’”
