While 350 mourners grieved at an Upper East Side church for John Kennedy Jr. yesterday, Mayor Giuliani was at City Hall praying for a man who “had such a big impact on this city.”
Giuliani devoted most of the opening of his weekly WABC radio show – which began at 11 a.m., the same time as the service – to the tragic plane crash that killed Kennedy, his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and her sister Lauren eight days ago.
“John F. Kennedy Jr. meant so much to so many of us, and everyone remembers him from the time that he was a little boy,” said Giuliani, who was not invited to the private service at St. Thomas More Church. “This is a very, very sad and tragic day.
“To all of the members of the family … [we offer] prayers that somehow, some way, you and all of us can make some sense of this,” said Giuliani, who left to play golf after the show ended.
The service, which was planned by John Jr.’s sister, Caroline, and his uncle, Massachussetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, was restricted to close friends and family.
Some politicians did attend the invitation-only service, including President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Giuliani’s likely rival in the U.S. Senate race next year.
On Thursday, the mayor said no one should turn the funeral into a political football, saying anyone reading a motive into the non-invitation shows “no decency at all.”
Others who did not receive invitations were Gov. Pataki and former Sen. Al D’Amato, who was hired as a columnist to “George,” John Jr.’s political magazine, two months ago.
Insiders said full-time staffers at the magazine were invited, but generally not contributing writers.
Pataki spokesman Michael McKeon said the governor knew John Jr., but respected the family’s wishes. It was unclear whether retiring Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was invited.
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, Sen. Christopher Dodd and former Sen. Alan Simpson – all personal friends of Sen. Kennedy – were also among the mourners.
The president reportedly told the family he and the First Lady would like to attend the funeral, and the Kennedys quickly said yes.