Our Last Great Adventure
My husband, Richard Goodwin, drafted landmark speeches for JFK and LBJ. Late in life, we dived into his archives, searching for vivid traces of our hopeful youth.
![Multiple old pictures and documents next to a brown cardboard box and a cup of coffee](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/k90I4BTHuI5HWl1MucesHujEsXE=/0x500:2000x2500/80x80/media/img/2024/03/BoB_KearnsGoodwini_OpenerHP/original.png)
My husband, Richard Goodwin, drafted landmark speeches for JFK and LBJ. Late in life, we dived into his archives, searching for vivid traces of our hopeful youth.
As death drew close, the 36th president was shadowed by the shame of Vietnam even as he longed to be remembered for his achievements in civil rights—and he spent himself on a final speech to enshrine that record.