ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Former Lynn Mayor Thomas P. Costin Jr. recalls his friendship with President John F. Kennedy.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — History was brought to life Thursday night in a crowded room at the Lynn Museum.
In honor of what would have been President John F. Kennedy’s centennial birthday, former Lynn Mayor Thomas P. Costin Jr., told hundreds of listening ears about their unique and loyal friendship.
“Jack told me to make sure that, in the days leading up to an event, to make sure you get a little tan,” said Costin. “And on the night of the event, to make sure you wear a blue shirt. And so I did.”
The 35th president of the United States would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday, May 29, 2017.
The event was hosted by the Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts and Essex Media Group (EMG) and moderated by EMG publisher Ted Grant.
In a forum called “Jack and Tom: The Friendship of President John F. Kennedy and Mayor Thomas P. Costin, Jr.,” Costin, 90, described how he formed his longstanding friendship with Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, while Kennedy was taking a bath at his Bowdoin Street apartment on Beacon Hill.
The year was 1947 and the then-U.S. Representative was planning to expand his base beyond the 8th Congressional District.
But it was his father, Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who was responsible for their initial meeting. Shortly after Costin was elected, the youngest serving mayor of Lynn, a stint that lasted six years, he received a call from the Ambassador, who requested to meet with him over lunch.
“I said ‘I’m awful busy, I was just elected mayor,’” said Costin, then 21, who eventually gave in and arranged to meet with him.
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. wanted to build an organization around his son for young people, like Costin, who had ambition, he said. It wasn’t long before Kennedy and Costin were bantering over ice cream drinks and tie clips.
“Jack would call me at City Hall and say ‘Tom, I’m coming in. Can I drop in and see you?’ and before he hung up, he would say ‘I’d like to get a frappe and a chicken salad wrap at that place across from City Hall.’ He always wanted a frappe. And of course I always had to pay,” he said.
During one such visit, Kennedy left behind his tie clip. He called the next day and requested Costin send it to him in the mail, but Costin refused, claiming finders rights.
“I said ‘Jack, someday in the near future you’re going to be president of the United States,’ and he said ‘you’re nutty,’ and hung up,” he said.
The tie clip was eventually given back to Kennedy, who gifted it to Costin outside the White House while looking at the new, navy blue presidential limousine with a plastic, bulletproof top, said Costin.
“He said, ‘no one I talked to in those days thought I could be president,’” said Costin. “He said ‘I’m the president now and I’m giving you a present.” I haven’t worn it since that day until now.”
In the days leading up to Kennedy’s assassination, Costin mentioned the president would soon visit Dallas, Texas, and was greeted with a common, unexpected response that should he arrive in Dallas, he would be killed. He spoke to cab drivers who repeated the same warning.
On Nov. 11, 1963, Costin rushed to the White House to tell Kennedy he could not go to Dallas. The president was visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and had plans to share lunch with members of the military who were guarding the tomb. Costin was assured that the president would be using the new clear top for the first time, and would bring the first lady with him.
“I went home for lunch on the (22nd) and I made a sandwich and turned on the TV,” said Costin in tears. “I heard three words: Dallas, Kennedy, shot. I wept. He was my personal friend.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at bturcotte@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.