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The U.S. is in the midst of another presidential election cycle, and it’s chaotic. With the 25th anniversary of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s death happening on July 16, it’s hard not to think about whether he would have ever followed in his father John F. Kennedy’s footsteps. Did the heir apparent have any real interest in politics?
A new biography, JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil, answers that question for voters who have pondered that question. Steve Gillon, JFK Jr.’s former Brown University professor, believes he has the answer in an excerpt obtained by People. “John wanted to run for governor of New York, but his ultimate goal was to return to the White House, no doubt,” he confirmed.
Politics wasn’t always “his calling,” JFK Jr. dabbled in acting and the legal field before founding the political-entertainment magazine, George. “John did not want to enter politics because of his last name … And what he discovered in those last couple of years was that politics was a part of his DNA. This was his calling. And he was ready to answer that call,” Gillon added.
JFK Jr.’s uncle, the last Sen. Ted Kennedy, “felt that John was the prince; he was the individual who is going to carry on the legacy,” Kennedy family author Neal Gabler said in the book. In a world that is divided between left and right, many insiders close to the late Kennedy believe he would have been a unifying voice.
“In many ways, John reminds us of things we don’t have anymore,” Gillon told People in 2022. “He stood for civility and decency. Even today, during a time of intense polarization, his memory transcends partisanship.” JFK Jr.’s ability to be “embraced by both the left and right” was a gift, and “since his death, there has been no one who has filled that hole in our public life.” The U.S. political landscape might have looked much different had JFK Jr. lived to see the year 2024 — he would have been 64 years old and the perfect candidate to represent the Democratic Party.
Before you go, click here to see all the best pictures of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
