Bill Clinton's aides were worried that the former President, whose handshake with President John F. Kennedy in the Rose Garden in 1963 inspired him, would be "haunted by JFK's ghost" on his 30th death anniversary.
In recently released multiple memos, speechwriter Carter Wilkie revealed his belief that the press corps was "irreverent" in its coverage of President Clinton and President John F. Kennedy, ABC News reported.
In a Sept. 7, 1993, memo, Wilkie advised Clinton not to conduct any interviews or hold events related to the JFK's 30th anniversary for fear that "an irreverent press corps" would "charge overkill, hero worship, or worse."
In a separate memo that same month, Wilkie took issue with the way LIFE Magazine framed an upcoming story about JFK and Clinton, saying that the images of JFK were more LIFE-like than Clintonesque, and that Clinton did not need to idolize JFK, nor did he need to sound haunted by JFK's ghost around the White House to grasp readers' interest.
Wilkie said that he thought that compromising on this point would suit LIFE's style, but would not serve the President's personal or political interests in any way.