Eighty years ago, a young John F. Kennedy took a summer job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter, missing the influence those months had on the future president. 

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"JFK's Forgotten Summer," which we originally published in June, was our top performing episode of 2025. Tragically, it took on more significance earlier this month with the death of Rob Reiner.

Rob — who, with Soledad O'Brien, hosted Who Killed JFK?, one of the most successful podcasts of 2023 — kindly shared with us his knowledge and passion about the Kennedy family and appears in this episode. He was under no obligation to do this. He just wanted to help. It was an honor to work with him. We still cannot believe he and Michele are gone. 

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Listen to Who Killed JFK? from Rob Reiner and Soledad O'Brien wherever you get your podcasts. 

Check out Fred Logevall's excellent book: JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.

And thanks to our JFK voice actor, Tom Antonellis, for nailing another role. 

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Pompeo
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Eighty years ago, a young John F. Kennedy took a summer job as a journalist for Hearst newspapers, filing dispatches in the final days of World War II. Even the most seasoned JFK scholars often overlook this chapter, missing the influence those months had on the future president.&nbsp;
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"JFK's Forgotten Summer," which we originally published in June, was our top performing episode of 2025. Tragically, it took on more significance earlier this month with the death of Rob Reiner.
Rob &mdash; who, with Soledad O'Brien, hosted&nbsp;Who Killed JFK?, one of the most successful podcasts of 2023 &mdash; kindly shared with us his knowledge and passion about the Kennedy family and appears in this episode. He was under no obligation to do this. He just wanted to help. It was an honor to work with him. We still cannot believe he and Michele are gone.&nbsp;
*<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/242113/jfk-by-fredrik-logevall/"></a>
Listen to Who Killed JFK? from Rob Reiner and Soledad O'Brien wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
Check out Fred Logevall's excellent book: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/242113/jfk-by-fredrik-logevall/">JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.</a>
And thanks to our JFK voice actor, Tom Antonellis, for nailing another role.&nbsp;
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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Joe Pompeo Produced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Research and Fact-Checking by Joe Pompeo and Austin Thompson Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

Very Special Episodes

JFK's Forgotten Summer [Best of 2025]

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/350a2a46-5a66-4ad6-8a1b-b3c400e80670/transcript

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