Dead Presidents

In the early evening hours of February 6, 1962, President John F. Kennedy summoned his Press Secretary Pierre Salinger to the Oval Office and entrusted Salinger with a serious, time-sensitive task.

“Pierre, I need some help,” the President said.  Salinger responded, “I’ll be glad to do anything I can, Mr. President.”

“I need a lot of cigars.  About 1,000 Petit Upmanns.”

Salinger found the request daunting.  Kennedy’s preferred cigars of choice were not easy to find, especially such a large amount at one time.  When Salinger asked when the President needed them by, he was found the job even more daunting.  Kennedy responded, “Tomorrow morning.”

Because he was a cigar-smoker himself, Salinger hit up all the shops he could think of in the Washington, D.C. area.  As soon as he arrived at the White House the next morning, Kennedy called him to the Oval Office once again.

When Salinger arrived in Kennedy’s office, the President asked him how he did and Salinger told him, “Very well, Mr. President.”  Salinger had actually tracked down and purchased 1,200 H. Upmann petit corona cigars for President Kennedy.

Kennedy looked relieved and smiled.  Then the President reached into his desk, pulled out a piece of paper and signed the Cuban Embargo which made the purchase of Cuban products — including Cuban cigars — illegal in the United States.