JFK death 50 years later: Gov. Jerry Brown recalls encounter
On the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s death, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday reminisced about his encounter with what he described as a charismatic, confident politician.
“I had the opportunity to meet John Kennedy and I’ve never met a politician since then that had an aura and charisma, a presence, a confidence that unique,” Brown said in a statement. “To snuff out such a young, vibrant, unique life like that, it left a mark.”
Brown on Friday also ordered that state flags be flown at half-staff.
Meanwhile, officials from USC and Los Angeles planned to light the Olympic torch at the Coliseum for 24 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. to honor Kennedy on the anniversary of his death.
Kennedy gave the Democratic National Convention nomination speech in the Coliseum in July 1960.
Kennedy was killed in Dallas 50 years ago. Across the country, tributes have been held to commemorate the anniversary of the assassination.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky also offered some thoughts on Kennedy’s death on his blog.
“In my circle of friends, we’ve found ourselves talking less about the details and what-ifs of JFK’s presidency and more about his personal impact on the course of our lives during such formative ages,” he wrote. “Truth is, many of us have never gotten over Kennedy’s death. It was so sudden, so personal. In that sense, it reminded me of the grief of my mom’s passing just four years earlier.”
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