External Tour of the White House with former Kennedy Staffer -

Having volunteered in the 1960 presidential campaign, I transitioned to a paid staff position after the inauguration in 1961. I became part of the daily briefing team. Although that sounds important, I do not want to elevate my status. I am part of the clerical staff assembling the briefing book for one, maybe two meetings JFK and later LBJ had on their calendar for the day. Often the briefing book was hundreds of pages, and the intellectual challenge was producing a two-page Executive Summary. The bonus was that whoever prepared the briefing book had to sit in the meeting in case the president or someone significant needed to see an original document. The nuance of wording can be considerable. Most days, most weeks, I saw the presidents more than my bosses did. They were too important to sit in a meeting. They are doing the heavy lifting. I was the clerical staff.

In the 1962s, I did not realize, but today I know what being an EYEWITNESS to HISTORY means ---a missile crisis, a Berlin Wall, the thrill of working at the White House, a Vietnam War, an assassination, a State Funeral, and Camelot becoming the Great Society.

On this tour, I use floor plans, photographs, memories, and most importantly, YOUR questions to share what it was like to be a small part of a fantastic period in the USA and even world history.

I never got a promotion, but I never complained. I looked forward to my job every day.

Leaving the White Huse staff was bittersweet --- a significant increase in pay as a senior staffer on The Hill and later a presidential appointment and confirmation by the US Senate to be Chair of the US International Trade Commission, followed by a career in the private sector --- primarily made possible by that entry-level clerical job in the Kennedy White House.

If you come along on this walking tour outside the gated area of the White House, be prepared that for one who is almost 85 years old, I move fast because there is much to share, but I am never too busy to answer your questions about JFK & LBJ.

Host or Publisher Daniel Minchew