Catarina's World

The release of what Jackie Kennedy recorded on tape 47 years ago became headline news all over the world . Seems that people are always going to be fascinated about the Kennedys and the mystery surrounding the time in politics called Camelot and maybe above all the mystique surrounding the assassination of the young handsome president 48 years ago in Dallas.

Their daughter Caroline decided to release Jackie’s thoughts and memories earlier than her mother had wished to coincide with the 50 year anniversary of her father’s inauguration as president. An interesting thing is that it’s not just America that’s still captivated by JFK and Jackie but also the rest of the world. So devote two minutes to watching how AlJazeera in Qatar broadcast it to their audience, mainly in the Middle East.

Friends of mine who knew JFK always say that he was so charming women fell in love with him and men went out of their way to please him. The fascination with him as a person actually started long before he became president. He simply had what it takes to captivate people he came across which may account for some of the glamour attached to him and his family. And it didn’t hurt that he married a woman who knew how to keep the legend of Camelot , and her own mystique, alive and create headlines long after they were both gone.

Jackie expert on branding

It’s probably no coincidence that Jackie was a photo journalist before she got married. She really knew what to do in order to create a high value brand. By not giving interviews when she was alive she kept the mystique about herself and consequently JFK alive. And by behaving that way she contributed to turning herself and her late husband into icons. She actually did such a good job the American people forgave her for marrying Onassis. How can you not forgive an icon?

Can’t help wondering what kind of president John F. Kennedy would have been remembered as if he hadn’t been assassinated? Seems for instance he was going to pull out of Vietnam. What would have been his legacy? Would he and Jackie still be icons today if the shooting in Dallas hadn’t taken place?

Does,not only America, but the world need icons to look up to that they believe embody success, beauty, fame and wealth? People who represent what they dream of? Young, healthy, happy – maybe personifying “the American dream”? Or is it just like tabloid news, the fact that rich and famous people have worse problems than they have make ordinary people happy? To think that at least their husband wasn’t assassinated can be a comfort to some. Would JFK have been the icon he is today if he hadn’t been assassinated? What’s your opinion? Will the Kennedys always fascinate people or will future generations forget and find new icons to fill their place?

(Video: AlJazeeraEnglish/You Tube)