JFK, The Exact Opposite of What We Have Now

[NativeTexan]

In the July 2nd issue of Time Magazine, there is a series of articles on President John F. Kennedy. Within one entitled, "Warrior For Peace", writer David Talbot has the following observation by Kennedy observer, a few weeks after the Bay of Pigs. See if you see what I do.



.....Weeks after the Cuba fiasco, J.F.K. was still steaming, recalled his friend Assistant Navy Secretary Paul (Red) Fay years later in his memoir, The Pleasure of His Company. "Nobody is going to force me to do anything I don't think is in the best interest of the country," the President told his friend, over a game of checkers at the Kennedy-family compound in Hyannis Port, Mass. "We're not going to plunge into an irresponsible action just because a fanatical fringe in this country puts so-called national pride above national reason. Do you think I'm going to carry on my conscience the responsibility for the wanton maiming and killing of children like our children we saw here this evening? Do you think I'm going to cause a nuclear exchange--for what? Because I was forced into doing something that I didn't think was proper and right? Well, if you or anybody else thinks I am, he's crazy."

[EVDebs]

1. The entire Bush clan isn't fit to carry JFK's jockstrap. nt

[NativeTexan]

2. I am 52 years old and..........

.........JFK is the SECOND president that I have memory of....which means that I actually have some memory of EVERY president in my lifetime.

As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate, even MORE than I already did, what Jack Kennedy meant to this country, the world and me in particular. He was one of the greatest presidents in our country's history, and he was somewhat of a centrist, who had so much political savvy, that his enemies literally had to kill him to stop him from holding them in check.

That is why I have been such an admirer and supporter of Bill Clinton. He reminds me so much...both good and bad....of Kennedy, and in my life, the three greatest POLITICIANS have been JFK, LBJ, and Bill Clinton, in no particular order. Johnson struggled with Vietnam, facing the perceived communist threat and making bad policy decisions. However, as a politician, he was a real hardnosed Texas Democrat who knew how to bang heads to get bills passed. And he is the only president, so far in my time on earth, that I have had the honor to shake hands with. Clinton is by far the best politician of any persuation in a generation...he may not have been "teflon", but when the rivals sent hard serves, his returns were made of gun powder, and it took 'em down.

JFK, set my generation on a direction of service, if not literally, then at least in paying attention to what goes on in your country and around the world. He knew that as much as we all might like it to be, democracy isn't for everyone. Some cultures just literally can't handle it, and some of those will always be run by people we don't like, but have to accept that they and the conditions that they create for their own people, are beyond our capacity to change.