June 9, 1963 - President Kennedy received a cheering, aloha-filled welcome today on his first visit to Hawaii since his election in 1960. “Hi Jack,” and “Aloha Jack,” called many of the thousands of islanders representing Hawaii’s multi-racial populace as Mr. Kennedy’s motorcade traveled through downtown Honolulu and Waikiki Beach streets. The crowd appeared to equal in size the 100,000 who turned out last month to greet astronaut Gordon Cooper following his 22 orbits of the Earth. Eighty-two-degree temperatures prevailed as Mr. Kennedy rode in an open Presidential car flown in for the occasion. Enthusiastic Hawaiians tossed flowers and leis, some of which landed in his car. The motorcade traveled 15 m.p.h., pausing before platforms on which Hawaiians of Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Okinawan descent performed dances accompanied by native music. Mr. Kennedy carried Hawaii by only 115 votes in 1960, and it is no secret that he would like to boost this vote total in the 1964 election.
