JFK's legacy...and standing among Presidents...

[SaveElmer]

JFK is often rated among historians as one of the near great Presidents...

What does everything think this is based on?

He certainly started out shakily with the Bay of Pigs, and he ratcheted up involvement in VietNam, though there is evidence he would have gotten us out of there...

The Cuban Missile Crisis was clearly his crowning achievement...

Personally I think it is his performance there, and his symbol as a new generation of leader, making folks think more idealistically was his real contribution!

[napi21]

1. He really WAS a great communicator to all the people.

Remember the often quoted statement "ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country." He tried to get people to work together and think about each other.

[unblock]

2. he inspired like few other presidents have

certainly anyone who still claims reagan was inspirational must give at least as much credit to jfk....

[A-Schwarzenegger]

3. Good for you! I'd add his Nuclear Test Ban treaty with Russia,

which could have been the beginning of something even better.

[SaveElmer]

5. Yep..

You are correct about that!

[SaveElmer]

6. I don't want to be a hypocrite...however

I wish this was not one of the very few threads on this topic!

[TahitiNut]

4. A large part of a President's job is carrying the hopes and dreams of people

... who want to see a 'better America'. We could argue whther it's a good idea for Presidents to be mythically elevated - celebritized, so to speak - but it seems to come with the territory. JFK treated both the office and the people with respect - and he governed with respect for all, without accommodating those who sought institutionalized privilege over others. With the exception of the latter, he governed with regard for the majority viewpoint - not from his own ideological viewpoint (claiming some 'mandate' to prevail over the majority on specific policies) or his own self-interest.

He was also the first President in a long, long time with YOUNG children in the White House - an image of a 'family' very akin to an idealized family in the country. He carried the burden of being the first "television President" very well. The media ate it up - it made good ratings. The part that JFK gets credit for is that he didn't dishonor that regard, imho.

From a policy perspective, "putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade" opened the "frontier mentality" again ... a sense of discovery and optimism. At the same time, it enormously improved this country's standing in the sciences and education, sending millions to the colleges and universities for scientific and engineering educations. "Geeks" became "cool." The Cuban Missile Crisis was a test ... and JFK passed with flying colors.

He was the President of the "Gidget Era" ... and he did well.

[Montauk6]

7. He was definitely the first and, so far, only "rock star" president.

I can't think of a Commander in Chief that generated so much love and admiration among his fellow Americans and the world over.