Tuesday, March 3, 1959

March 3, 1959

JFK’s interview with Fletcher Knebel for Look magazine appears this day. The interview, in part, covered the issue of Kennedy’s independence and autonomy from the much feared issue of possible “Catholic church commands” if Jack was elected president. A key passage of the interview was excerpted by a previous John Kennedy biographer,

“Whatever one’s religion in his private life may be, for the officeholder, nothing takes precedence over his oath to uphold the constitution and all its parts – including the First Amendment and the strict separation of Church and State… I believe… that the separation of Church and State is fundamental to our American concept and heritage…”

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