Daily Dialogue — February 20, 2012

President Kennedy: Goddamn it! How the goddamn hell could this happen? I’m gonna have Powell’s head on a platter — next to LeMay’s. Kenny, you hear me give the order to go to DEFCON 2? ’Cause I remember giving the order to go to DEFCON 3 but, y’know I must be suffering from amnesia! I’ve just been informed our nuclear forces are at DEFCON 2.

Gen. Max Taylor: They were limited, Mr. President. The orders were limited to our strategic forces…

President Kennedy: Max!

Gen. Max Taylor: …in the continental United States. General LeMay is correct. Technically, SAC has the statutory authority…

President Kennedy: [slams fist] I have the authority! I am the commander in chief of the United States, and I say when we go to war!

— President John Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood), Gen. Max Taylor (Bill Smitrovich), Thirteen Days (2000), screenplay by David Self, based on “The Kennedy Tapes — Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis” by Ernest R. May and “The Kennedy Tapes — Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis” by Philip D. Zelikow

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is American presidents, suggested by Phil. Today’s suggestion by Doug.

Trivia: President Kennedy very frequently set up recording machines during meetings at the White House. Much of the dialogue from the movie is taken directly from Kennedy’s tapes.