New Digitized JFK Archives Feature Candid Daley Conversations

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 14, 2011 3:30PM

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum became the first Presidential Library to put all of its content online. The four-year, $10 million project ultimately digitized 200,000 pages, 1,200 recordings and 300 museum artifacts, as well as reels of film and hundreds of photographs. Much of the press has been given to how JFK tweaked the signature line in his inaugural address. But, seeing as how Kennedy owed his election to Richard J. Daley's ability to swing Illinois to him, we searched the archives for any phone recordings that may be available between JFK and the Boss. What is available is a good glimpse into the power Daley wielded during his reign as Mayor.

In the link we posted, Kennedy is asking for Daley's assistance in getting Congressman Roland V. Libonati to vote for the Civil Rights Bill. The kicker is in Daley's telling JFK about what how he told Congressman Kenneth P. O'Donnell to vote:

"The last time I, I told him, 'Now look it, I don't give a Goddamned what it is, you vote for, for anything the president wants and this is the way it will be and this is the way we want it and that's the way it's gonna be."

No one ever said the Daleys were subtle. Read the transcript here.