Iwas sitting in my classroom in D.C. on a Friday in late November of 1963. Our teacher wheeled in a TV and we watched the news in horror as we learned that our charismatic young president had been shot.

Later that day, Walter Cronkite was on telling us that Kennedy had died. It was the first time I remember seeing my parents and my teacher cry.

Cronkite was a fixture in our house who often shared what was going on in the world. He signed off the broadcasts with the phrase “and that’s the way it is”.

We could confirm our news with papers the next day but in general, that is the way it was.

Not everyone loved John Kennedy. He was our first Catholic president and that bothered some people. My family loved mocking his accent and listening to his inspirational speeches.

Dad found his comme

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