Ken O Donnell

Kenneth Patrick O'Donnell (1924–1977) was an American political consultant who served as a special assistant and appointments secretary to President John F. Kennedy from 1961 until Kennedy's assassination. He was a close friend of both John and Robert F. Kennedy and was part of a group of Kennedy advisors known as the "Irish Mafia." O'Donnell also worked for President Lyndon B. Johnson and managed Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign.

Born in Massachusetts to Irish Catholic parents, O'Donnell's father was a college football coach. He served as a bombardier in World War II, flying 30 missions before being shot down and captured. After the war, he attended Harvard, where he was roommates with Robert F. Kennedy and captained the football team. He later attended law school and worked in sales and public relations before entering politics.

O'Donnell's career was deeply intertwined with the Kennedys, beginning with John F. Kennedy's first congressional campaign. He played a significant role in John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign and advised him during critical moments like the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was present in Dallas on the day of Kennedy's assassination and later testified before the Warren Commission, with his account of the events and potential inconsistencies being a subject of later discussion and speculation. The assassinations of both President Kennedy and Robert Kennedy deeply affected O'Donnell, contributing to his later struggles with depression and alcoholism.

Kenneth P. O'Donnell was a central figure in the political careers of the Kennedy family, particularly President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy. His association began in 1946 when he assisted John F. Kennedy's first congressional campaign. O'Donnell became a trusted advisor, serving as President Kennedy's special assistant and appointments secretary from 1961 until the President's assassination in November 1963. He was involved in significant foreign policy decisions, including advising on the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. O'Donnell was part of a close-knit group of Kennedy advisors, often referred to as the "Irish Mafia," which included Larry O'Brien and David Powers. This group's influence stemmed from their deep personal relationships and loyalty to the Kennedys. Following President Kennedy's death, O'Donnell continued his public service, aiding Lyndon B. Johnson's administration and later managing Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign.

O'Donnell was present in Dallas on November 22, 1963, and was in a car directly behind President Kennedy's limousine when the assassination occurred. This event profoundly impacted him, and he reportedly felt a sense of personal responsibility. O'Donnell testified before the Warren Commission, offering his impressions of the direction from which the shots originated. Later accounts, including those reported in the Chicago Tribune and memoirs by Tip O'Neill, suggested that O'Donnell and David Powers may have initially provided information that differed from their final Warren Commission testimony. These accounts hinted at pressure from government officials to align their statements, possibly to avoid complicating investigations into potential foreign plots or to protect the administration. O'Donnell publicly denied these allegations, asserting he testified truthfully. His son later indicated that his father privately viewed the Warren Commission as ineffective and believed shots came from multiple directions. The assassinations of both President Kennedy and Robert Kennedy contributed to O'Donnell's later struggles with depression and heavy alcohol consumption.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and raised in Boston, Kenneth Patrick O'Donnell came from a devout Roman Catholic family of Irish descent. His father was a notable figure in college athletics as a football coach and athletics director at the College of the Holy Cross. O'Donnell served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, flying 30 missions as a bombardier in a B-17 squadron. He was shot down over Belgium, taken prisoner, escaped, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. After his military service, he attended Harvard College, where he developed a close friendship with Robert F. Kennedy, with whom he shared a room and played on the football team, serving as team captain in 1948. This friendship continued throughout their lives. O'Donnell pursued legal studies at Boston College before working in sales and public relations roles in Boston. His early career experiences provided a foundation for his later entry into the political arena, largely facilitated by his connections within the Kennedy family.

“He was able to set aside his own prejudices against individuals and his own ideological commitments (I would rate him a moderate Democrat) and appraise the alternatives with total objectivity.”

“It was impossible to categorize O'Donnell, as White House observers did with other staff members, as either a "hawk" or a "dove" on foreign policy, or a Stevenson liberal or Truman conservative on civil rights.”

“JFK gave extra weight to O'Donnell's opinions because he knew he had no personal cause to argue.”

“Ken had only one criterion: Will this action help or hurt the President? And that, for O'Donnell, was another way of asking: Will it help or hurt the country?”

“I told the FBI what I had heard, but they said it couldn't have happened that way and that I must have been imagining things. So I testified the way they wanted me to. I just didn't want to stir up any more pain and trouble for the family.”