Mr. Specter. How soon after the swearing in was the plane airborne, if you recall?
Mr. O'Donnell. It was almost immediate—as soon as he was sworn in, the plane taxied out and took off.
Mr. Specter. On the return flight to Washington, where did you sit?
Mr. O'Donnell. I sat with Mrs. Kennedy almost all the way. We came back—Mr. Powers, Mr. O'Brien, and I stayed in the back compartment. And then Mrs. Kennedy and I—I sat down with her, we sat that way all the way back. The President called me up on one or two occasions and asked me to stay up in the cabin, wanted to talk to me, but I felt I had to stay with Mrs. Kennedy. So I sat with her the whole trip.
Mr. Specter. What did you talk about?
Mr. O'Donnell. We reminisced.
Mr. Specter. Did she have anything to eat on the trip back?
Mr. O'Donnell. No; I think we both had a drink. I tried to get her to take a good strong drink. I had not much luck.
Mr. Specter. She drank part but not all?
Mr. O'Donnell. As I recollect, she just wanted to talk. She talked all the way.