Sit down, light up. We are retelling the famous JFK cigar story, Victory style.
The year was 1961. President John F. Kennedy, fresh off his inauguration, was grappling with a foreign policy headache – Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion, a CIA-backed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, had gone belly-up. Kennedy, known for enjoying a good Cuban cigar, particularly the H. Upmann Petit Corona, was facing a double whammy. He had to deal with the political fallout of the failed invasion and the looming embargo on Cuban goods, including his beloved cigars.
One gloomy evening, Kennedy summoned his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, into the Oval Office. The air hung heavy, not just with cigar smoke but with the weight of the situation. “Pierre,” Kennedy said, his voice grave, “I need a favour. A big one.”
Salinger, ever the loyal aide, braced himself. He’d dealt with press conferences gone wrong and foreign dignitaries throwing tantrums, but this felt different. “Anything, Mr. President,” he replied.
“Cigars,” Kennedy said, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. “We need a lot of cigars. A thousand, maybe two thousand Petit Upmanns.”
Salinger blinked. This wasn’t exactly a typical presidential request. But knowing Kennedy’s fondness for his smokes, and the impending embargo, he understood. “Consider it done, Mr. President,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
The next few days were a whirlwind of secret back-alley deals and hurried phone calls. Salinger, with surprising efficiency, managed to secure a stockpile of Cuban cigars just before the embargo hit. The president, ever the pragmatist, even instructed Salinger to get a receipt – a humorous precaution considering the clandestine nature of the operation.
The day the embargo came into effect, Kennedy held a tense cabinet meeting. As the discussion on Cuba raged, a knowing smile played on his lips. He reached into his desk drawer, a mischievous glint in his eye, and pulled out a Petit Upmann. “Gentlemen,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice, “care for a smoke?”
The story, though never officially confirmed, became a well-kept secret amongst Kennedy’s inner circle. It painted a picture of a president, burdened by the weight of his office, yet finding a small, humorous victory in the face of adversity. And it cemented John F. Kennedy’s place in history as not just a political leader, but a man who, well, knew how to enjoy a good cigar.