JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy's Troubled Love Life
The President and First Lady had a marriage marked by the politician's betrayals.
John F. Kennedy is among the most popular presidents in U.S. history. Assertive and with convincing rhetoric, Kennedy managed to arouse the sympathy of those who listened to his speeches.
One cannot help but admire the charisma of the first lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, who greatly contributed to her husband's popularity. With her extreme elegance, Jacqueline offered unconditional support to the president's brief term and was crucial to the perpetuation of the politician's good image. Behind the scenes, however, the couple was struggling over JFK's insatiable sexual appetite, as authors Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard report in The Last Days of John F. Kennedy.
“As Kennedy once explained to a friend, he has to have sex once a day, or he gets a terrible headache,” the authors said.
Obviously, their relationships weren't just marital ones. Among the president's lovers, there were actresses, assistants, prostitutes, and even women involved with the mafia, to make the work of their security agents even more difficult. The parade of girls through the White House was frequent. The most famous of his mistresses was Hollywood diva Marilyn Monroe—one of the president's most torrid affairs, according to the authors.
It was up to Jackie to put up with the recurring betrayals and keep up appearances despite the hurts. In addition to the prestige of being First Lady, her acceptance of her husband's escapades was supported by a belief not only in her own love, but also that Kennedy loved her, as he used to demonstrate.
