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The Scourge  
 


 

JFK Jr.: Christopher Andersen

Christopher Andersen
Christopher Andersen

Wednesday, July 12, 3 p.m.

Author of two bestsellers on the Kennedys — Jack and Jackie and Jackie After Jack — Christopher Andersen now tells the final chapter of his trilogy in 'The Day John Died.' Drawing from hundreds of interviews with friends, family members, classmates, teachers, coworkers, neighbors, employees, fellow pilots and aviation experts, Andersen describes the tragic story of America's son.

Andersen has written 21 books translated into more than 20 languages worldwide. A former contrbuting editor of Time and senior editor of People, Andersen also has written articles for a wide range of publications including Life and The New York Times.

Talk Live with Christopher Andersen about John F. Kennedy Jr. and his untimely death. Scroll down to view all questions and responses.

Missed the live chat? Read the transcript below:



Comment from USATODAY.com Host: Welcome to today's chat with author Christopher Andersen. Send in your questions and comments about John F. Kennedy Jr. He'll answer as many as possible.

We'll get started in just a few minutes ...


Allentown, PA: Are you aware of any special memorials for John, his wife and sister-in-law around the country as the 1 year anniversary of their deaths approach?

Christopher Andersen: The family is not conducting any special memorial services that I'm aware of. However, Caroline has, in the past, marked the anniversary of her father's assassination with her mother and brother at a Mass conducted at their neighborhood church in New York, St. Thomas More. St. Thomas More is the small neo-Gothic church where John's memorial was held last year.


Washington, DC: Why were there so many rumours swirling about the private lives of John and Carolyn? Not being a tabloid reader, I was shocked to hear what you said to Katie Couric about the rumours. Do you think this could have been prevented (by better weather casting, etc)? Also: you are a fantastic authour!!!

Christopher Andersen: Thank you. The tabloid stories originated in Great Britain and involved the alleged impending divorce of John and Carolyn, as well as Carolyn's supposed cocaine abuse. I investigated these allegations and found them to be wholly without merit.

It's because of all this posthumous character assassination that I undertook the task of setting the record straight.


Weatherly, Pennsylvania: Why do you think John flew that nite since he didn't have enough experience flying nite flights.

Christopher Andersen: In the rest of his life, there's no question that John had a dare-devil streak. But other pilots who knew him said that when it came to flying, he was cautious, careful, methodical � certainly not the kind of man who would risk his own life in the skies, much less the lives of his wife and sister-in-law.

He did make some serious mistakes: He probably should not have been flying with an injured foot, he should have filed a flight plan and he should have radioed for help when he encountered haze as he approached Martha's Vineyard.

But I am convinced that he would never have made that trip if he had not received false visibility reports from the FAA. Those official reports said that visibility was excellent that night. Sadly, they weren't correct.


Covington, Ky.: You have stated that John was not having martial problems. I've heard prior to the last flight he made, he had been staying in a hotel for the last 2-3 days. What do you know about that?

Christopher Andersen: He did spend the last three nights of his life at Stanhope Hotel. His magazine, George, was in serious trouble, and he was holed up at the Stanhope working on plans to save it.

George had a corporate account at the Stanhope, and for a variety of reasons, he was very comfortable there. The hotel is located three blocks from his mother's apartment at 1040 Fifth Avenue — the place where he essentially grew up. His sister Caroline lives three blocks from the Stanhope, and other members of the Kennedy family also live in the neighborhood. It was a logical place for him to go to try and sort things out without bothering his wife.


Wilmington, Delaware: Do you think JFK,Jr. was distracted on his plane due to maybe arguing with his wife and he became distraced and upset?

Christopher Andersen: Of course there's no way of knowing precisely what was going on inside the plane that evening. But, in those last days, Carolyn and John appeared to be closer and happier together than they had in months.


Murphysboro, IL: I seem to remember reading that the FAA said earlier in his flight, John's plane was involved in a close encounter with another plane. If that is correct, two questions come to mind. First, did he have his radio on? And second, did the controllers contact him to let him know how close he came to the other plane? Thank you.

Christopher Andersen: Indeed, John's plane did come uncomfortably close to an American Airline passenger jet over White Plains, NY. Apparently, his radio was not on, and air traffic controllers could not contact him. However, they did alert the the American Airlines pilot, who spotted John's plane off his wing tip.


greensboro, north carolina: did jfk jr. feel guilty about flying since he knew that although his mother was dead she still would not have approved of his flying?

Christopher Andersen: JFK Jr. did honor his mother's wishes during her lifetime, and presumably felt some degree of guilt for defying her wishes after her death. But his lifelong passion for flying dated back to the Kennedy White House, where as a toddler he believed Air Force One was his private jet.


Santa Cruz, CA: Would flying by instruments have prevented the accident that claimed the lives of John Kennedy, his wife and sister-in-law?

Christopher Andersen: Almost certainly. However, even instrument-trained pilots can have trouble ignoring what their body is telling them and believing their instruments. Ironically, he could have turned on the auto pilot by simply pressing two buttons, and the plane would literally have flown to Martha's Vineyard and landed itself.


Niceville, FL: You seem to want to lay blame for the Kennedy accident on air traffic control. What experience do you have in the aviation or ATC field that would qualify you to have an expert opinion in that area. As a retired air traffic controller with 26 years experience, I have seen many private pilots (especially professionals) exceed limitations because of their belief that they can handle any situation. Unfortunately this attitude usually results in injury or death to others. Non IFR pilots should always have a "Plan B" in the event they encounter conditions that they are not prepared to cope with. Many times people try to blame air traffic control for pilot error.

Christopher Andersen: In no way whatsoever am I blaming air traffic controllers. I am, however, very concerned about the FAA-mandated Automated Surface Observation Systems that routinely give false visibility information. I think it is dangerous to replace human observers with machines that are so fragile their readings can be affected by insects and cobwebs.


Dallas, TX: It is obvious by your "conclusion" that you are totally ignorant of aviation. And by your own admission, you could not find any "warts" on JFK, JR. For once, I would like to see someone say in public that a Kennedy made a mistake. It was John Kennedy's sole error that caused his death and unfortunately, the two daughters of another family. I am sure any professional you asked in the aviation community, such as myself, will tell you the same thing, that he was over his head. Even his instructor had offered to fly the flight with him, but he refused. John Kennedy, Jr made a mistake here, no one else. In fact, all he had to do was let go of the controls and the plane would have stablized in flight as they are designed to do. If you don't believe that, go try it yourself! Jim K. Walton Captain, 727, American Airlines

Christopher Andersen: I consulted many aviation experts in the writing of this book. Of course John F. Kennedy Jr. bears a significant part of the blame for this crash. However, the cold, hard, indisputable fact remains that he and other pilots were given false information regarding visibility that night.


Alexandria, VA: How did you get the phone coversation Caroline Kennedy had with her brother that Friday before he left for the wedding? Did Caroline Kennedy speak with you for the book? Also, do you really believe the young Kennedy couple actually made remarks in public like, "she kicked me out" (as John supposedly said to a hotel clerk) and "I don't trust him" (as Carolyn supposedly said to a lunch counter clerk)? I don't buy these kind of quotes, and I'm not sure why you would either. I've read two of your accounts on Jackie Kennedy's life and loved them, but these types of quotes seem to cheapen this latest book. Don't they seem a bit fabricated to you?

Christopher Andersen: Thank you for the nice words about my books Jack and Jackie and Jackie After Jack. The content of the conversation between Caroline and John was related to me by a source close to Caroline — one of the principal sources for my book Jackie After Jack, in fact.

The comments made by Carolyn and John in that last week were related to me directly by the people they were speaking to, and were obviously made in jest. Of course, Caroline, Carolyn and John had no idea of what was about to happen when they made these otherwise innocent remarks.


Atlanta, Gerogia: Did John F. Kennedy have an expectation that, following the lives of his predecessors, his life would be short (e.g., death before some age)? Also, did he prepare adequately for potential demise by preparing a will and orderly distribution of his assets to family members and worthy causes? Was his sister, Caroline, the primary beneficiary of his estate or did his wife's family receive any portion of their combined estate?

Christopher Andersen: Caroline's children — Rose, Tatiana and Jack — were the principle beneficiaries of John's $100 million estate. According to the terms of his will, Carolyn, had she survived him by 30 days, would have inherited the couple's $2 million TriBeCa apartment and his personal property.

However, the bulk of John's fortune is tied up in the JFK Jr. Trust. I'm certain that the trust, the terms of which remain secret, would have adequately provided for Carolyn had she lived.


Union, South Carolina: How reliable are the sources you have used in this publication? Are you presenting the facts AS you obtained them or is this a form of sensational journalism just to sell a book or two?

Christopher Andersen: As with my previous 21 books, the sources for The Day John Died, are, almost without exception, on the record. Far from being sensational, I consider the book to be a tribute to John and am happy to have the opportunity to debunk the many unfounded rumors that have surfaced in here and abroad.


Chicago, IL: What ever happened to the gifts the Kennedy children received from the public in the 1960s? Were they saved? Are they in a museum somewhere?

Christopher Andersen: Many of them are at the JFK Library outside Boston.


Atlanta, Georgia: Did JFK Jr. have any political aspirations that you know of?

Christopher Andersen: I am convinced that he was on the brink of embarking on a political career. As early as 1997, he approached Democratic Party leaders in New York and expressed interest in seeking the Senate seat of Daniel Patrick Moynihan — the very same seat that Hillary Clinton is running for now. However, John did not follow through because he feared that his wife could not stand the strain of a campaign.

But as recently as two days before his death, John told a group of businessmen, with Carolyn sitting at his side, that it was likely he would soon run for an office in the executive branch. That was taken by several of those present to mean governor of New York.


Livonia, MI: Where is John and Carolyn's dog Friday these days? Your book explains that he went to stay with a friend before they took off for Martha's Vineyard, but I was wondering if the dog was kept in the family. Thank you.

Christopher Andersen: Friday now divides his time between Caroline's family and Jackie's former butler Ephigenio Pinheiro.


LaMesa, CA: In doing your research, what did you learn about JFK Jr that surprised you most?

Christopher Andersen: There are so many things. Perhaps the biggest misconception about JFK Jr. is that he was an intellectual lightweight. I found that nothing could have been further from the truth.


Portsmouth, Ohio: I don't really have a question. I just wanted to say that I am very excited to read your book. I'm sure it is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man who was loved so much by so many. I am so happy that you paid tribute to him with a book like this. Thank you for the opportunity to get to know John, Jr. a little better and congratulations.

Christopher Andersen: Thank you so much for the kind words. For an author, it's a wonderful experience to end a book liking your subject more than when you embarked on it.


brooklyn New York: is it true that caroline, john's sister and carolyn didn't get along?

Christopher Andersen: Another rumor that I've found to be baseless. Contrary to published reports, Carolyn seemed to get along with the entire Kennedy clan — Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg included.


Washington, DC: I hope I enjoy this book as much as I did The Day Diana Died. I have lots of questions, but one is: did you find out anything about Carolyn's relationship with her father? I'm not sure if he was there for the ship service, although I believe he was at the memorial service. How is her sister Lisa Ann and the rest of the Bessette/Freeman family holding up? Do they maintain ties with the Kennedys? (I guess that's more than one question.) Thanks.

Christopher Andersen: Adding to the heartbreak of this story is the fact that Carolyn, Lauren and Lauren's twin sister Lisa had grown closer to their birth father William Bessette than they had in years.

Caroline has been in direct contact with the girls' mother Ann Freeman for the purpose of negotiating a financial settlement with the Bessette family. Given the magnitude of their shared loss, I'm sure there will always be a bond between the Kennedy and Bessette families.


Comment from USATODAY.com Host: That's all the time we have for today. Thank you for all your great questions and comments. And a special thank you to Christopher Andersen for joining us today.

Check out talk.usatoday.com for a list of message board topics and a schedule of upcoming chats on USATODAY.com.




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