Woman claims Kennedy affair

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34037, 29 December 1975, Page 13

Woman claims Kennedy affair

(N.Z. Press Assn —Copyright) SAN FRANCISCO.

December 28.

Mrs Joan Lundberg Hitchcock, a socialite who is active in politics, says she had an affair with the late Mr John F. Kennedy while he was a senator and describes him as a ladies’ man.

Her statement comes after several reports about alleged liaisons Mr Kennedy had while he was President. “I stopped seeing him because there didn’t seem to be much of a future in it,” Mrs Hitchcock, aged 42, said in an interview published in the “San Francisco Examiner” newspaper.

I She said she dated Mr ■Kennedy for three years ■ when he was still a senator and then broke it off to marry a millionaire. Mrs Hitchcock, known locally as a socialite and unsuccessful candidate for San Francisco’s board of supervisors, is a mother of four and has been married four times. “It was fun while it lasted,” she said. “They were great shiny days. He was a man’s man and a ladies’ man and I don’t think any of the publicity will damage his memory. My attitude about our relationship was that if it wasn’t me. it would be somebodv else.” Mrs Hitchcock said she would be more specific about the relationship in an autobiography she was writing. Earlier this month. Judith Campbell Exner. of San Diego, claimed that she had a close, personal relationship

with Mr Kennedy while he was President and visited him at the White House. Then “Time” magazine reported that Mr Kennedy had had affairs with two women code-named Fiddle and Faddie by the Secret Service.

Mrs Hitchcock said she met Mr Kennedy in a saloon in Santa Monica when he had just lost the Democratic nomination for the VicePresidency, in 1957. “He was sitting next to the juke box and I came over to play a song and we started talking,” she said.

That first chat was followed by three years of telephone calls which she said led to assignations in various parts of the country'.

“Everyone knows if you go with a gentleman that long you’re not just shaking hands,” said Mrs Hitchcock. She said he was no different than anybody else when they have a love affair going, and said he gave her several presents. He asked her several times if she thought his wife, Jackie, had lovers as well. “I’d think about it and always said, no chance,” she said.

“I think she knew a lot more than people thought she did and she went along because she was a great lady,” said Mrs Hitchcock.

She refused to give details about what they did on dates or where they went, except to say they socialised with a group of men known as Mr Kennedy's “Irish Mafia.” She also said she had no illusions about being the only other woman in his life.

“He was a very busy fellow”