ATHENAISM: 'Why Is John F. Kennedy so Popular?'

Source:ATHENAISM- Depends on who you ask for JFK's popularity.

"John F. Kennedy is one of the most popular US presidents. Was he as good as people remember him being? What exactly is it that makes him so popular?"

From ATHENASM

Source:Caleb and Linda Pirtle- John F. Kennedy: I believe in 1960, when he was running for President. But I don't know for sure.

Why is John F. Kennedy so popular? It depends on who you ask and who you're talking about.

As a Classical Liberal ( a real Liberal ) myself I like JFK and consider him to be one of my political heroes, because of his politics and policies. You're talking about a Democrat who was not just an anti-Communist, but anti-authoritarian, and an anti-collectivist all together. Who actually believed in economic opportunity, individual freedom, personal responsibility, like all real Liberals that liberty is not just worth defending, but is something that has to be defended.

JFK believed in equal rights, equal opportunity, fiscal responsibility, things that Democrats apparently don't believe in today ( for the most part ) with few exceptions. President Barack Obama, being one of the last of those Democrats despite his right-wing Tea Party stereotypes that President Obama was actually a Socialist.

But as I mentioned last week on this blog about JFK's rules for success, he wasn't just a brilliant man, but a man ( at least as far as how he spoke ) was full of such brilliant commonsense. Brilliant commonsense probably sounds like a great economy car: how great can an economy car be, otherwise it wouldn't be an economy car, but he's so quotable because he said things that sound brilliant at first, but then when you think about it they're really just commonsense that too many people had simply forgot about.

JFK's peace speech where he's talking about the shared human values between America and Russia and how it was in both superpowers best interests to cooperate for the good of the planet and our people's. He's someone that if you gave speeches for a living and tried to help people improve their own lives with your advice, would want to use JFK by quoting him.

So that's why I like him so much, but JFK's popularity of course is bipartisan and perhaps even nonpartisan, otherwise he wouldn't have an 83% approval rating or whatever the current figure is. Why do Conservatives like him? Why do Socialists ( who call themselves Progressives or Liberals ) like him? Why do even Libertarians like him? And finally, but certainly least: why is Hollywood if not in love with the man ( women and men ) why do they love him?

Conservatives like John F. Kennedy, because he was an anti-Communist, who really didn't like socialism in any form. He believed in economic freedom, as well as personal responsibility, which is why he pushed for what was certainly back in 1962 a very large across the board tax cut. He believed in a strong defense and that liberty was worth defending.

JFK, believed in things that today would look very conservative, especially with socialism being so popular at least with young Democrats today, but are actually very liberal ( both in a classic and real sense ) but look conservative, again compared with the modern Democratic Party. Back then Liberals were supposed to believe in these things and not sound and believe like Socialists. And Classical Liberals ( the real Liberals ) still believe in these things today.

Why do let's just call them what they are Socialists, who now see Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Alexandria O. Cortez, Che Guevara, and other leftists as their heroes: why do they admire JFK?

President John Kennedy, wanted to expand the safety net in America and create new social insurance programs for people who struggle to survive economically in America. Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, Federal Aide for Education, because he was a Progressive ( not Socialist ) who believed that government, including the Federal Government could be used to improve the lives of struggling Americans.

But unlike let's say Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders he didn't think these programs should be universal and that the Federal Government should replace private employers as the source for how Americans get their what most of us call employee benefits: health insurance, paid leave, childcare, life insurance, pension, education, etc. And JFK also talked about the need for peace a lot.

Libertarians, similar to Conservatives like JFK for his beliefs in lower taxation and individual freedom all together. Jack Kennedy, didn't see the role of government especially the Federal Government to manage and run the lives of free Americans.

And finally, but certainly least why is Hollywood still in love with John F. Kennedy? If you're familiar with Hollywood, you know that it's not just the entertainment capital of America ( if not world ) but they're also the capital of pop culture and faddism.

If it's considered cool, it's probably because some Hollywood celebrity either started it or got behind it. And because of their faddism and addiction to popularity and hipsterism, Hollywood always feels the need to be popular and cool. They don't love the man because of his policies for the most part, even though they will talk about his policy accomplishments.

Hollywood loves JFK because he was cool and see him as an honorary member of their Hollywood club. He had friends in Hollywood and they even planned his 45th birthday party in 1962. We're a big part of the production of his 1961 inauguration. Hollywood has this dying need to be seen with the in-crowd and be associated with anything that's cool in America.

If fascism, Islamism, and Christian-Nationalism ever became popular in America, at least with young people, Hollywood would be promoting those philosophies with their movies and other productions.  Which is also why Socialists love JFK, because Socialists tend to be hipsters and follow the cool people as well. Which is why Hollywood claims to love Socialists and socialism as well, because socialism is popular with young people.

To have an 83% approval rating, you either have to be God in a very religious country where even young adults are very religious, or you have to be leading a country that's just been under attack and you're the one who successfully led the country through that crisis and came out stronger, like President Franklin Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor in 1941. Or you have to be a politician who is so popular, because you're able to connect with so many people on so many different levels. Which is why John F. Kennedy is still so popular in America.

You can also see this post on FRS FreeState, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at FRS FreeState, on WordPress.

Evan Carmichael: 'John F. Kennedy's Top 10 Rules For Success'

Source:Evan Carmichael- From some of President John F. Kennedy's greatest speeches

"John F. Kennedy's Top 10 Rules For Success:

In this video we're going to learn how to improve our lives by analyzing John F. Kennedy's rules
for success."

From Evan Carmichael

The brilliance of what John F. Kennedy talked about in life either as President of before his presidency, even though a lot of what he talked about had to do with public service and his own government service, can be translated into real life and how Americans live their own lives and should live their own lives. Not so much the decisions that they make in life, but how they go about making their own personal decisions.

Source:The Insider Tales- "INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES BY JOHN F. KENNEDY"

Move forward

People should not just appreciate what we have, but if anything be more focused on what we have, instead of what we don't have yet and perhaps will never achieve, but we should always strive to be the best that we can be. To always strive for perfection knowing that we'll never get there on that road of life, not so we chase our tales and just waste a lot of energy, but to be the best people that we can be. To be the best person, parent, uncle/aunt, sibling, friend, what we do professionally, our hobbies, etc. To be the best people that we can be in life that we possibly can.

Service

To go to President John F. Kennedy's inauguration: "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Don't expect people to do for you, what you can't or are either not willing to do for yourself. You'll accomplish a lot more in life if instead of waiting around for things in life and for people to do give you things, because you're simply doing everything for yourself that you can and being the best and most successful person that you can possibly be. In this sense at least, JFK sounds like Ayn Rand here.

High standards

If you want the best out of life, you not only have to work for it, but you have to expect it as well. NFL teams don't win the Super Bowl by believing they're not even good enough to get to the Super Bowl. They know going into the playoffs, or at least late in the regular season that they have a really good team and perhaps even a great one and know they're good enough to win the whole thing. And then set out to do that and execute their goal here. And that's just one example with education being another one, where you can't have great schools, teachers, and students if you don't expect them to be great and hold them accountable when they're not as good as they can be, or even good enough and not even passing the grade.

Freedom for all

When race, ethnicity, complexion, gender, sexuality, religion become more important in America than the person themself, you have a real problem. And no, I'm not talking about not seeing the biological characteristics about people, because we would have to be blind to miss them, but instead see people as people first and more importantly as individuals and not as a member of any group. Judge people individually and you'll have a lot more friends, colleagues, mentors in life, then if you took the attitude you don't like that person's race, ethnicity, complexion, religion, etc.

Resolve differences?

Not sure I like this rule because not all differences can be resolved; hard to imagine how a Communist becomes a Libertarian and vice-versa. Or how a religious fundamentalist who perhaps even has their own definitions of what their religion is supposed to be that's not written in any religious text, gives all that up and decides that they're wrong and religion is actually garbage ( to keep it clean ) and all the sudden becomes an Atheist. Or how an Atheist who is so hardcore and militant with their Atheism to the point that they see anyone who is religious at all as either crazy or is a moron and perhaps even believes that religion should be outlawed, ( like a Communist ) all the sudden decides that they're not just religious, but a religious fundamentalist. Not all differences can be resolved simply because sometimes the two sides are just too far apart.

I guess my positive note here would be to learn to agree to disagree: instead of focusing on what divides you with someone or other people, how about focusing on what you do have in common ( if anything ) instead. And similar to judging people as individuals and as nothing else, you might find that you have some things in common with that person or people and pick up new friends. And if you're so far apart with someone or some people that what they stand for offends you, then maybe you should just move on and find new people to associate with. Which would also be better for your blood pressure with fewer intense arguments. Your heart would thank you for that.

Express your beliefs

You want people to know what you believe and who you are as a person, then speak up! Let people into your own world and bring them in to see what kind of person you are. You can't drive a car until you start it. And you won't make friends and obtain associates in life, if they don't know who you are and what skills you bring to the table and what kind of person you are, what you believe, and why you believe it.

Evan Carmichael's video is called John F. Kennedy's Top 10 Rules For Success: I gave you six because a lot of his rules actually overlap. Like moving forward, ask not what your country can do for you, and a couple others. And as I said before a lot what Jack Kennedy talked about in life he was doing as a public servant: first as a member of Congress and then as President, but what he talked about as a public servant can be translated into real life as well. Which is one thing that I believe makes him so popular that he was not only so intelligent, but he was readable and easy to listen to. His brain was like a great book of commonsense.  

You can also see this post on WordPress. 

NBC News: John F. Kennedy- 'On Meet The Press Through The Years'

Source:NBC News- U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts) on NBC News's Meet The Press in 1958. 

"From the time he was a congressman for Massachusetts' 11th district, John F. Kennedy took time to appear on various NBC News programs. From Meet the Press to Home and The Huntley-Brinkley Report, Kennedy discussed the most pressing issues of the day on NBC. 

The arc of Kennedy's career can be traced by these appearances, as we see him in the various offices he held, speaking on a wide array of topics. Among these are corruption in the Democratic Party, the United States' relationship with the Soviet Union, an escalation of troops in Vietnam, and his political ambitions through the years. There are some moments, particularly on Meet the Press, in which he is forced to defend his beliefs vigorously. At other times, he leisurely engages interviewers on the joys of public service and speculates on the future of women in politics. Nevertheless, his demeanor is always that of a collected and confident leader. 

This collection spans more than a decade, from 1951 to shortly before Kennedy's death in 1963. In 1952, we see his keen political acumen, predicting four years in advance that Adlai Stevenson would likely be the next Democratic nominee for president. Kennedy has the opportunity to reject the idea that his religious affiliation could be a political setback on Meet the Press two years before his own run for the presidency. In 1960, he shares his view that technology and space travel will be a key factor in "the image of the United States abroad" as it seeks to trump the Soviet Union worldwide. Finally, in an exclusive interview with David Brinkley and Chet Huntley, which would be his last appearance as a guest on NBC, Kennedy displays a modesty that one might not expect from a war hero with a Harvard degree. When asked by Huntley if the office of the President is unmanageable, Kennedy responds that "this country and its affairs are not managed in the real sense in the White House. There's 180 million decisions being made which finally manage the country."

Fifty years after his tragic death, we remember a president that inspired millions and dedicated his life to public service.

Go to NBC Universal to license any portion of this video." 

From NBC News

John Kennedy, was perfect for NBC's Meet The Press, because he was so quick. The people there liked him and knew that he could not only answer their questions, but wanted to do it and answer them with depth. Very similar to Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, he was very quick off the cuff and could answer questions with humor. 

Meet The Press liked interviewing JFK because he was likable, popular, well-known, and very funny. The 1950s was a fascinating time and JFK was in Congress the whole time as the country was dealing with the Cold War, post World War II economic boom, the early days of the civil rights movement, and even American women starting to make important impacts out of the home in the American economy. 

Meet The Press had female anchors and questioners. There were women in Congress like Senator Margaret Chase Smith and many others. Jack Kennedy was in his thirties and early forties during this decade and had a great future ahead of him if he wanted it. Which is why Meet The Press loved having him on.

Jack Kennedy, was sort of an absentee Representative in the House. Somewhat bored and loved being a bachelor and enjoying the Washington nightlife when Congress was in session. It wasn't until JFK decided to run for the Senate in 1952 that he started taking his job more serious and making his positions known in Congress. 

There are a lot of things to love about Jack Kennedy and he is my political hero, but he's definitely someone who grew in office. Wasn't a great Representative, but a good Senator at least in the sense that he started taking issues seriously and studying them and not just going to his committee hearings, but knowing the right questions to ask. 

I don't believe JFK becomes President of the United States on his personal appeal and family name alone in 1960, had he not become a serious Senator and taken his job in Congress seriously and getting on the road and getting his political platform out there.

I'm not sure JFK gets into his politics without his father Joe pushing him. But it's clear that once JFK got into politics and ran for the House in 1946 and was elected he loved it and became a natural campaigner and politician. He gave a great speech, great interviews, knew how to excite and inspirer people. 

JFK wasn't a natural public servant and someone who actually loved doing the job that he was elected to do. His tenure in the House is a pretty good example of that. I believe he sort of grew in public service once he was elected to the Senate, especially his second term when he started considered running for president in 1957 or so. 

JFK was someone even though had a fairly thin resume outside of Congress and somewhat of a thin voting record and list of accomplishments in Congress, was someone who was great at expiring people and laying out a vision for how America could be even greater and how all Americans could succeed in America. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on WordPress. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on Blogger.

Reelz Channel: Steve Patterson- The Kennedys in Culture

Source:The Daily Review

The Kennedys, which I don’t believe was a great mini-series, but it was a very accurate series about The Kennedys. And showed Jack, Bobby and Jackie, for what they were. Not for how their followers want to view them as, but as they were. Jack Kennedy, as this very intelligent man, with a great sense of humor, whose Center-Left liberal politics which was probably ahead of its time back then, but I believe fits in perfectly where America is now. Who was a very hip and even cool man especially for his time, but still looks great today. But who at times had difficult even walking and physically was a very frail man with a serious back condition. Who was never made to be a husband and could never be happy with just one beautiful women.

They showed Bobby Kennedy as the tough bulldog who would have jumped out of an airplane without a parachute for his brother Jack. Who was a bit idealistic compared with Jack’s realism, but who also bring Jack back when he was lacking in confidence and not sure what the right course was to take. The Bay of Pigs fiasco is a perfect example of that where he encourages the President to admit he was wrong and to apologize for it. They showed Jackie as a beautiful adorable stylish women that she was, as if Cutie, I mean Katie Holmes is capable of playing anyone else. Who wanted Jack to be her full-time husband and hated his cheating. They showed Joe Sr. as the tough champion for his family who would do anything for his kids other than let them fail and succeed on their own.

At least one of these episodes is somewhat slow and almost wants at least me to turn the channel. Like the episode involving Rose and her mental retardation. Rose, was the Kennedy daughter who doesn’t have much if any impact on American culture, or politics at all. But that episode gives you an idea what Joe would do for any of his kids. But still, she’s not even a minor player compared with the rest of the Kennedy kids. The 1960 presidential election, the 1946 House election, the 1952 Senate election, the Bay of Pigs episode, the civil rights story, the days leading up to the assassination, President Kennedy’s womanizing, these are all the good stories. In a very good mini-series about the Kennedy Family.

Reelz Channel: The Kennedys: The Story Behind the Story

Source:The Daily Review

It is Joe Kennedy Sr. who made The Kennedy Family the political family and political dynasty that it was and to a certain extent still today. He came from nothing being a son of poor Irish immigrants. Who worked his way up and became very successful on Wall Street and decided that he wanted to get involved in government and even at some point become President of the United States. And got as far up as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom and when he his career as a future presidential candidate came to an end at the start of World War II with his comments about Germany and that he didn’t see Nazi Germany as a threat. It’s then that he decides that one of his sons is going to accomplish what he couldn’t for him. Which was to become President of the United States. Which started with his son Joe and got up to Ted in the 1960s.

Joe Kennedy, made the Kennedy Family what it was politically with his money. And that he had three really smart and charming sons who all liked politics once they got in them, but perhaps do not get in them and certainly not as far had their father not pushed them the way he did. Jack, Bob and Ted. Joe Sr., originally wanted his son Joe to be the first presidential candidate and serve in Congress and government and everything else, but he died during World War II. So the next inline who also served in World War II, but survived the war was Jack and Joe pushed Jack to get into politics almost as soon as he got back from the war in 1945. JFK, is first elected to Congress in the House of Representatives in 1946 and then elected to the Senate in 1952. And writes a best-selling book Profiles in Courage which is what puts him on the national scene in the Democratic Party.

Joe Sr., is the key player in the Kennedy Family. The general manager and perhaps even president of a great political franchise, The Kennedy’s. But his son Jack is the one that is able to give his father what he wants. And Irish-Catholic President of the United States. Because he was such a handsome charming likable intelligent guy, who gave great speeches, great sense of humor. A great Center-Left Liberal who wanted to win the Cold War, free millions of Americans from poverty, by expanding economic freedom. Free millions of African-Americans from government sponsored racial discrimination, have the first man on the Moon be an American and everything else. And we have seen a national Democratic politician at least, this great since. As far as how many Americans loved the man. And the Kennedy mini-series I believe does a great job of showing all these aspects about this family in their series.

David Von Pein: 'JFK With Peter Jennings, 1983'

Source:David Von Pein- from a 1983 ABC News documentary about President John F. Kennedy 

"Assassination of John F. Kennedy, mortal shooting of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, as he rode in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. His accused killer was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine who had embraced Marxism and defected for a time to the Soviet Union. Oswald never stood trial for murder, because, while being transferred after having been taken into custody, he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a distraught Dallas nightclub owner."  

Source:Britannica- JFK and LBJ.

From Britannica 

"ABC-TV produced this documentary (entitled simply "JFK") in 1983, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of President Kennedy's death. Peter Jennings of ABC News is the host and narrator."  

From David Von Pein

I think the biggest tragedy that the JFK assassination had on the Democratic Party is that Jack Kennedy was that last bridge between the Center-Left Liberal and Progressive Democrats and the New-Left that came of age in the Democratic Party in the mid 1960s up to the early 1970s or so. People who were much further left than the Liberals and Progressives in the party and had more social democratic and even communist leanings. Who were anti-American establishment, anti-military, anti-war, anti-law enforcement, anti-government use of force in general, who wanted to bring down the American federal form of government and replace it with a social democratic and even communist government in some cases.

Jack Kennedy was a Liberal Democrat who wanted to use government to carry out many liberal and progressive and even social democratic goals as it has to do with the economy. And creating an economy where more Americans could benefit. But didn’t have a big centralized government solution for every problem. He didn’t want to make Americans dependent on government, but use government to empower struggling Americans of all races to become dependent on themselves and be able to live in freedom. 

JFK is killed in 1963 and less than a year later the so-called Great Society is created by President Lyndon Johnson, with all sorts of new progressive federal programs to take care of millions of Americans. JFK would be what we would call a New Democrat today. A Center-Left Liberal who believed government could help people help themselves instead. And not leave them dependent on government.

JFK was a Cold Warrior, anti-communist, pro-freedom and freedom for all Americans (not just European-Americans) and he did come out for what would be called the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the summer of 1963. Who wanted to create an American economy where all Americans could benefit and live in freedom. With strong investments in education and job training, aid to struggling communities so they could educate their kids as well, job training for struggling Americans who were working, but not able to make enough money to live well, because they lacked skills. 

In many ways JFK was the last great Center-Left Liberal Democrat of his generation that came to power and became President of the United States. We didn’t have another Democrat with similar politics become President who had a successful presidency until Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in 1993. And I would argue Barack Obama as well and not just because I’m a big fan of both President’s Clinton and Obama.

You could write all sorts of pieces about the JFK presidency and his impact on the Democratic Party and country as a whole. But to cover everything you would have to write at least one great book. With this piece I’m more interested in his impact on the Democratic Party and American politics. 

Post-JFK the Democratic Party moved very Left (if not Far-Left) especially when it came to foreign policy and national security, but criminal justice and law enforcement, where by 1980 or so the Democratic Party was no longer trusted on these issues. 

And it wasn’t until mid 1990s or so when under President Clinton that the Democratic Party was once again trusted to govern and defend the country. The JFK assassination was horrible for the country, but it really hurt the Democratic Party as well. Because again he was that bridge between the Center-Left and Far-Left of the party. 

You can also see this post at FRS FreeState, on Blogger. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on Blogger.

David Von Pein: Thank You Mr. President 1983

Watching President John F. Kennedy’s press conferences makes me want President Barack Obama to do more of them. Because they really do have a lot in common when it comes to intelligence, being off the cuff both in humor and how they talk and being able to give long intelligent answers to a whole host of questions off the cuff and being able to do it with humor. President Kennedy made press conferences fun for the reporters there because of his quick wit, but also because he gave them real information that they could work on a whole host of issues. From civil rights, to the economy, to foreign policy, the budget, the Cold War, nuclear power and everything else. Which gave Americans a great idea about how the President thought and what his administration was working on.

This was Jack Kennedy’s first press conference as President of the United States. Early 1961 with Democrats not just coming to power, but now they had all the power as a party. With the White House and both chambers of Congress with large majorities both in the House and Senate. A big part of that had to do with the Democratic Party having a right-wing Dixiecrat base in the South. Democrats who are and would be Republicans today. So the Republican Party was not just in the opposition in 1961, but were an opposition minority party that was reeling and not sure where they would go from there. I think President Kennedy was enjoying all of this and taking little jabs at the GOP with their current political status and that comes off in come of his answers.

A&E Investigative Reports: JFK's Sexual Appetite

Source:Smoked Video- Two of President John F. Kennedy's mistress's? 

"JFK's sexual appetite." Originally from Smoked Video, but the video has since been deleted or blocked on YouTube.

1960 might have been the last time that John F. Kennedy could have even ran for president. Even if he lived a normal life in years, because by 1968 or so the media was no longer afraid to investigate and report on the personal lives of politicians. 

Jack Kennedy doesn’t get elected president if his affairs had got out, but not just the affairs, but where the affairs took place like under his wife’s nose and in the same house where Jackie was then, but also because of the connections that his affairs had. 

Judith Campbell, for example being a girlfriend of Sam Giancana. The Kennedy Family including Jack, was already linked with the Italian Mafia in America and not just because of the efforts of the Kennedy Administration to crack down on organized crime, but they were friendly as well.

Senator Kennedy doesn’t win Illinois during the 1960 presidential election without Chicago and he doesn’t win Chicago without the Italian Mafia there. The early 1960s was really the last time that national politicians could get away with lets side affairs and shady deals before someone not just knew about it, but then reported it as well. 

President Kennedy probably gets reelected in 1964, but unless his lifestyle changed his second administration would have been hell for him. Because these affairs would have gotten out and you have heard rumblings at least even in a Democratic Congress that it might be time to remove the President, because of the dangerous lifestyle that he lived and the potential blackmail that came with these irresponsible affairs. 

You can also see this post at FRS FreeState, on WordPress.

David Von Pein: The Life and Times of John F. Kennedy (1964)

Another film about the life of John F. Kennedy our 35th President of the United States. This came out in 1964 less than a year after President Kennedy was assassinated. And he was already pretty popular as president in 1963 when he was killed and if anything he became more popular after he died. Perhaps because of all the questions rising about who killed him and did the assassin, or assassins have help is assassinating him in Dallas, Texas. I believe a lot of Jack Kennedy’s support comes from Hollywood. He was really our first hip president and had he been elected in the 1980s, or even in 1976, he would have been seen as a cool president. President Kennedy, did have same major accomplishments in his short time as president, but most of them had to do with foreign policy.

Jack Kennedy today I believe is both very popular personally, but his policies and politics and what he advocated are very popular in the country. He was a true Social Liberal who believed in both economic and personal freedom, as well as a safety net for people who truly need it. And because of this you even have Republicans who say they support Social Security and Medicare, as well as a public safety net for people who truly need it. JFK believed in a strong defense, but didn’t believe that America should, or could police the world by themselves. And again this is where Americans tend to be. We’re not dovish as a country, or neoconservative when it comes to foreign policy. We want to be able to defend ourselves and help people around the world, but not have to do everything ourselves.

So back in the early 1960s I believe a lot of the reasons for JFK’s popularity had to do with the fact that he was hip and cool. That Hollywood liked him and saw them as one of them, that he had friends in Hollywood. And that he was very different culturally from a lot of the president’s that had come before who were very traditional culturally. JFK also had a beautiful young hip wife in Jackie that the country including Hollywood loved and saw her as royalty. They were ahead of their time culturally in an era that was finally moving away from the 1940s and 1950s and into the 1960s which looked almost completely different as a decade as far as the role of women, how people lived and talked, the types of entertainment that was coming out. And these are I believe big reasons for the popularity of John Kennedy.

David Von Pein: ‘The Age of Kennedy: NBC White Paper (1966)’

Source:David Von Pein- NBC News 1966 documentary about John F. Kennedy.

“THE AGE OF KENNEDY” is an outstanding “NBC White Paper” documentary that was first aired (in two parts) on the NBC Television Network in late May and early June of 1966.

The two “White Paper” programs (subtitled “The Early Years” and “The Presidency”) chronicle the life and political career of the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

This black-and-white documentary is filled to the brim with excellent archival film footage of JFK and his family. This program is definitely one that should be seen and downloaded for future viewings. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Adding to the classy flavor of this particular JFK video biography is the frequent narration of distinguished actor Henry Fonda in the first half of the program, as Fonda reads words that were written by John Kennedy himself. Chet Huntley of NBC News also serves as a narrator throughout this 101-minute documentary.

In 1997, “The Age Of Kennedy” programs were released by NBC News on home video in a 2-Tape VHS collector’s set, with a slightly-altered title: “NBC White Papers: The Kennedy Era”.

From David Von Pein 

John F. Kennedy’s early years as an adult are not very impressive. He was in the U.S. Navy for a few years during World War II and got out in 1945 to and then ran for the House of Representatives in 1946 and got elected there mostly because of his name and his father literally buying votes and ballots.

I think the way to look at Jack Kennedy in the 1940s and 1950s is as a student who is still figuring things out and trying to decide what he wants to do in life. But I don’t believe he figures that out until his first term in the Senate in 1953. Jack Kennedy, was a playboy in Congress really the whole time he was there from 1947-61. His six years in the House and eight years in the Senate. He marries Jackie in 1953 and that doesn’t make him any more responsible.

Kennedy doesn’t figure out what he wants to do and where he’s going in life really until he gets reelected to the Senate in 1958. And he writes the book Profiles in Courage where you get to see his political and ideology emerge. In the 1950s, JFK becomes a Cold War, Liberal Democrat, who sees communism as the biggest threat to freedom and even mankind. As well as someone who wants to use a limited government to empower people in need to get themselves up and live well in life.

Kennedy, wasn’t a Conservative that today’s right-wingers want to portray him as, or a Social Democrat that had a government program to solve everyone’s problems for them. That today’s so-called Progressives want to see him as. But he was a Classical Liberal (the real Liberal) realist and pragmatist.

By the time Jack Kennedy completed his first term in the Senate and decided that he wanted to be President of the United States is where he got serious as a public servant and political leader. That communism needed to be defeated and that freedom needed to be expanded at home. For Americans who were struggling and living in poverty, but also for Americans who were simply denied access in America because of their race and color. Which is just one reason why JFK being assassinated at the age of 46 in 1963 is so tragic. Because the great liberal Jack Kennedy as a political leader was just emerging. He probably gets reelected fairly easily in 1964 against Senator Barry Goldwater. And I think we would have seen one of the best American leaders of all-time.

You can also see this post at FRS FreeState, on WordPress. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on WordPress.

Public Resource: The Longines Chronoscope: U.S. Representative John F. Kennedy in 1952

Source:Public Resource- U.S. Representative John F. Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts)

"LONGINES CHRONOSCOPE WITH REP. JOHN F. KENNEDY - National Archives and Records Administration 1952-08-22 - ARC Identifier 95777 / Local Identifier LW-LW-132 - TELEVISION INTERVIEW: William Bradford Huie and Harold Levine talk with Rep. John F. Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts) on senatorial campaign between him and Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (Republican, Massachusetts). DVD copied by IASL Master Scanner Katie Filbert." 

From Public Resource

John F. Kennedy, at this point was Representative John F. Kennedy who was completing his third and last term in the House of Representatives. And was running for Senate against a moderate-conservative Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. 

Jack Kennedy, was only thirty-five at this point and would become one of the youngest people ever elected to the U.S. Senate at thirty-five. JFK, served a total of fourteen-years in Congress (both in the House and Senate) and yet he was forty-three when he left Congress for the presidency in 1961. He is someone who wanted to move up quickly in American politics and not stay in one office for very long.

The House, was too small of a platform especially if your last name is Kennedy. So it’s a little hard to believe that JFK would’ve been someone who would’ve spent 20-30 years in the House even if it meant being Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, or serving in the Democratic Leadership. 

I think JFK like his brother Ted, would’ve made a terrific U.S. Senator if he wanted it and served four, or five terms in the Senate after the House and completed his Congressional service and even public service in the Senate. And perhaps would’ve ended up chairing a couple of committees and maybe even becoming Democratic Leader in the Senate.

Jack Kennedy, didn’t have a very good record in the House. He was bored there and had a hard time dealing with being one of 435 Representatives there and a back bencher at that. And wasn’t a very serious Representative who missed a lot of floor votes and committee hearings and not known for passing any legislation. 

JFK wasn’t much better as a Senator at least in his first term. But he writes a book Profiles in Courage in 1956, he marries Jacqueline Kennedy and his name is always in the news and starts to draw a serious following in the Democratic Party and becomes serious as a U.S. Senator. Which is how his name starts to get floated around as a possible presidential candidate. Who almost becomes Adlai Stevenson’s vice presidential nominee in 1956. And after that he when he puts most of his focus into becoming President of the United States.

Discovery: Rivals, Jackie Kennedy vs. Marilyn Monroe

Source:The New Democrat 

I’ve made this point before, but the more I read about Marilyn Monroe and the more documentaries I’ve seen about her this point just becomes even more true and this video is just another example of that. Marilyn Monroe lived in another world and probably should’ve been getting therapy and being treated for alcoholism by the mid-1950s or so, assuming those services were around. No way Jack Kennedy dumps the First Lady of the United States, someone who did live in the real world and was college educated and politically represented what JFK needed. Not way JFK dumps Jackie for Marilyn.

To state the obvious Jack Kennedy was never a one women man. He never met a women in his entire forty-six year life and said something to the effect, “damn that is the one women for me. I hook up with her make that relationship work, I’ll never need another women”. Marilyn represented what Jack wanted, but was smart enough to never make a real play for her. A goddess a sex symbol, a women who quite frankly sets guys rockets off so high that they can’t bring them down to Earth. Especially when they are wearing tight outfits, like tight skirts and tight denim jeans, things that Marilyn wore both and a wore them a lot. Especially considering her time and era.

Jackie Kennedy was a very beautiful and very cute women who was also pretty sexy physically. But that wasn’t the main attraction for Jack when it came to her. He wanted her mind and what she represented in the political and social world and the social status that came with being involved with a women like that. All things that Marilyn didn’t have being fairly unstable and seeing things that simply weren’t there and not real. Thinking that she could have a lot more than is really possible and everything else.

The Marilyn Monroe Lounge: The Kennedys (2011) Marilyn Monroe & JFK

Source:The New Democrat

I think this scene is pretty accurate. That Marilyn Monroe wanted Jack Kennedy, but that Jack was smart enough to know that he couldn’t get involved with her. Because of everything that he would’ve risked, especially his presidency. The thing I think that is interesting is that he didn’t feel the same way about mobsters girlfriends that he got involved with as President, like Judith Exner to use as an example. But he was smart enough to know that Marilyn was essentially a little girl mentally as far as maturity. And her baby-face on the outside was also part of her personality inside. And she saw things from a Hollywood perspective, the way she wanted to see them. And had a difficult time dealing with reality. And I think this scene make that very clear.

The Lip TV: Byliner With Walter Kirn- 'JFK According to James Ellroy'

Source:The Lip TV- Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy, perhaps at his 45th birthday party in 1962.

Source:The New Democrat 

"James Ellroy talks about how JFK was in a club no man wanted to belong to, though he did spend some time with Marilyn Monroe in between downing club sandwiches and looking for his black cag." 

From The Lip TV 

It’s no secret that John F. Kennedy loved women, at least in the physical sense and how they sounded. But it’s not clear if he was really ever actually in love with any women, including his wife Jackie Kennedy. Or was marrying her because she was simply a political play on his part, because he wanted to be President of the United States. 

JFK had already been in Congress for a while (both the House and Senate) and was looking for his next big move. Even though he wasn’t a very good Representative certainly and didn’t get interested in being a Senator at all, until he decided he wanted to be President.

And I say all of this, because James Ellroy made a very good point about Jack Kennedy in this video. That JFK didn’t want to get very close to any woman and start anything real with them emotionally. That he wanted to be with them, hang out with them, especially Hollywood entertainers and of course he wanted to bang them even in the White House. 

What JFK wanted is completely different from starting a serious relationship that builds into a long-term successful romance and even later marriage. JFK knew all of these things and knew that he also wanted to be President of the United States. Not sure Jackie knew that when they got married in the 1950s.

JFK also knew that there might have been a better chance of a gay man who was completely out of the closet, even in the 1960s getting elected President of the United States, then a bachelor. So getting married and looking like he was in love with his wife, at least in public, was critical for him to achieve his ultimate goal. Which was being President of the United States. 

So what I think JFK calculated is that he could have everything: a wife in public, women on the side and even in the White House, and become a great President. His presidency died way too soon for us to know if he would’ve pulled it off.

C-SPAN: Senator John F. Kennedy Speech to the Houston Ministries

Source:FRS FreeState 

Sen. John F. Kennedy was an Irish Catholic Northeastern Liberal Democrat. Running for President in 1960 and then being nominated by the Democratic Party as their presidential nominee, in a country that was overwhelmingly Protestant. That was fairly ignorant when it came to Catholicism and didn’t trust Catholics. And had a lot of miss givings about Catholicism and were worried that a Catholic President would try to establish some type of Catholic theocracy, that would govern the United States. 

So because of the ignorance about Catholicism in America, Senator Kennedy had to answer some questions and lay out his beliefs when it came to Church and State how his religion affects his life in 1960. I wrote a blog about this a few weeks ago on FRS FreeState on Blogger , after former Sen. Rick Santorum now a Republican presidential candidate, commented on Senator Kennedy’s speech about Church and State. 

Where Senator Santorum said that the JFK Speech made him want to “throw up”. And said that Freedom of Religion and Separation of Church and State is exactly that, that we as Americans have the Freedom of Choice in whether to practice religion or not. But that we are a  constitutional republic in the form of a liberal democracy. And we are govern by a Constitution, I believe the greatest Constitution in the World. As far as the amount of individual liberty it guarantees and protects. That we are not a theocracy and government can’t get involved in religion. Other than to protect it.

If its a Theocracy you want to live in, based on your own religious beliefs and be governed by that, rather than a constitutional republic, then I suggest you consider moving to the Islamic Republic of Iran. or the Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Because to be able to live in a country like that in the United States, would take a Constitutional Amendment in this country. Because we are a constitutional republic in the form of a liberal democracy. Not a theocracy, with Separation of Church and State. 

CBC: ‘JFK’s Women: Scandals Revealed’

Source:CBC- I believe this is then Senator John F. Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts) when he was running for President in 1960.

“The dangerous sexual liasons of U.S. president John F Kennedy. This explosive bio reveals the President was prepared to risk his political career and his country’s security for sex.

Monday October 11, Saturday October 16 at 10 pm ET/PT & Sunday October 17 at 8 pm ET on CBC News Network.”

From CBC

If the media back then reported on public officials private lives as they do today, John F. Kennedy never becomes President of the United States. JFK was Bill Clinton on steroids when it came to having affairs with women other than his wife.

When it came to JFK’s private life, it is not just the multiple women, but multiple women at the same time and a different women on each night and a new woman that had connections to really dangerous and powerful people, who had goods on Jack Kennedy, that could’ve brought down his political career. Like how JFK was elected President in 1960 with the mob’s role in the Illinois election.

To look at it now I think it is somewhat amazing that the most powerful man in the world had so many people who all had the goods on them that could’ve brought him down or used him to blackmail him to get the President to layoff on their illegal operations. It is also somewhat amazing that a President of the United States could be so irresponsible with not only his own personal life, but then risk not only his own political career which is his business. But allow for that it affect how he did his job as President of the United States and having to make his own personal affairs part of his administration’s business.

But even with all of Jack Kennedy’s personal baggage, if anything his administration was tougher on people who had the goods on him, (so to speak) like the Italian mafia and actually went hard against the mafia and put forward policies that brought down the mafia over the years.

The mafia could’ve told President Kennedy: “We have the goods on you, so you better not mess with us, or we’ll release what we have on you to the media”. They had the goods on JFK, but JFK’s brother Robert Kennedy was a different story where they didn’t have anything on him. And RFK was also Attorney General of the United States. And his Justice Department went after the organize crime real hard.

You could say that Jack Kennedy was simply too irresponsible to be President of the United States. That his private life was simply too dangerous for him to be President. And again if his private life were public back then, he probably doesn’t get elected President and I’m not sure he would get elected President today with the same lifestyle. Because his private affairs wouldn’t of been private and the people would really know what kind of man JFK was.

The fact is as President JFK was very responsible in the job and in the White House, (when he was working) and his Justice Department actually went hard and brought down people who could’ve really hurt him politically. And I’m sure part of that had to do with the fact that he had the goods on some of these organize crime people as well. Similar to Bill Clinton the man in public was much different from the man in private. The man in private is reckless, but the man in public is responsible and does his job the best that he can do it. 

You can also see this post at FRS FreeState, on WordPress.

David Von Pein: Meet The Press: Senator John F. Kennedy (October, 1960)

The early 1960s was one of the hottest periods of the Cold War (no pun intended) and spending the first ten minutes of Meet The Press talking about China and other communist activities in Asia should be no surprise to anyone familiar with this period. Senator Kennedy who is a political hero of mine and perhaps my number one political hero and a big reason why I am a New Democrat. But he sounded on the defensive on the issue of Asia and China's influence in Southeast Asia. And seem to want to move past that issue by saying that "Richard Nixon and I agree on this issue".

NBC News: Senator John F. Kennedy On The Jack Paar Show (1960)

Jack Kennedy running for president in 1960 because he thought it was the most important job in the world. And that if he was going to be able to do the most for his country, serving in Congress even both in the House and Senate that he did for a total of fourteen-years in Congress was not going to be good enough. That he needed to be President of the United States and that America needed to be an example in the world when it came to freedom and take the lead in showing the dangerous effects of communism.

There are more reasons why Jack Kennedy ran for president in 1960. He thought the country was starting to fall behind Russia in some key areas like with exploring outer space and perhaps in technology and influence in the world. And that the Eisenhower Administration had felt satisfied with how things were going in the country, which is how Senator Kennedy felt. And that America needed to get moving again and he believed he was the person to get America moving again.

JFK Library: President Harry S. Truman- Criticism of Senator John F. Kennedy (1960)

Source:JFK Library- President Harry S. Truman: 33rd POTUS (1945-53)

“TNC:27 (excerpt) Press conference given by President Harry Truman announcing his reasons for resigning as a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention. July 2, 1960.

This film is copyrighted and may be licensed by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. See this link for more information about licensing this footage:JFK Library."

From the JFK Library

I find the lack of experience criticism of John Kennedy from President Harry Truman interesting. Especially considering that by the time Senator John Kennedy ran for president in 1960, he had already been in Congress for thirteen years both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. And by the time he became President of the United States, he had been in Congress for fourteen years.

JFK’s Vice President Lyndon Johnson served in Congress for twenty-four years including as Leader of the Senate for six years. And yes, Senator Kennedy was a young president, but someone with who had been in Congress for a while and also someone who served in the U.S. Navy.

The biggest job that Harry Truman had before becoming President of the United States a job he got because he was Franklin Roosevelt’s Vice President for a couple of months and was out of the loop on all major decisions made by the Roosevelt Administration.

Truman’s most important job before becoming President was as U.S. Senator from Missouri. Where he served for ten years. Jack Kennedy actually served in Congress longer than Harry Truman before he became President. Jack Kennedy fourteen years in Congress and Harry Truman ten years in Congress all as a Senator.

So the lack of experience argument from President Truman about Senator Kennedy, even though I’m sure President Truman meant well and was looking at from the perspective of a former President, just doesn’t fly. Since Jack Kennedy had more experience before becoming President of the United States than himself.

Because before becoming President, Harry Truman’s first big job came at the age of fifty years old. And the first time he ever experienced real success in his professional life. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on WordPress.

Helmer Reenberg: U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy: 'Remarks at Multnomah Hotel: September 7, 1960'

Source:Helmer Reenberg- U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts) campaigning for POTUS in 1960.

"'I think it can be said that the labor movement has concerned itself not only with the interest of its members, but also with the general public interest. Labor has identified itself with the fight for aid for education, with the fight for medical care for the aged under social security, with the fight for housing, the fight for a better system of social justice in this country, and for a stronger foreign policy abroad. They have been concerned with what concerns our country. Therefore I am delighted that I have received the endorsement of the AFL-CIO in this election.

 I have had my disagreements with Mr. Hoffa and they continue, and I have had my disagreements with Mr. Bridges and they continue. But I want the support, if I can get it, of the members of the Teamsters Union and the Longshoremen's Union, because I believe that the things we can work for in the Congress are in the interest of the members of those unions, even though I may not agree with those that head it up. My quarrel with them may continue. But I want to make it very clear that I welcome the support of the members of those two unions.

I run for office with the recognition that in this century the great Presidents in many cases have been Democratic Presidents, Wilson, Roosevelt, and Truman, and I think they have demonstrated what can be done, and I think we can do it in the 1960's. Thank you. " 

From Helmer Reenberg 

Senator Jack Kennedy offering a real liberal democratic agenda and vision for the country that was designed to move the country forward and expand economic opportunity for more Americans. 

Because of the civil rights legislation of the mid-1960s, as well as more education funding and grants so more Americans could go to college, a lot of that economic opportunity was expanded in the 1960s. And not just to Caucasian-Americans but African-Americans and other Americans as well. 

Jack Kennedy ran for president in 1960 to get America moving again. Real economic and job growth that reached all Americans and not just the wealthy and Caucasian-Americans. But for the entire country and thought America was in decline in the 1950s under the Eisenhower Administration. 

You can also see this post at The FreeState, on Blogger.