Why do so many put JFK on a Pedestal?

[longknife]

Everywhere one looks on TV these days there's a story about JFK. In my daily scan of 400 websites, I've already seen a dozen stories on him.

But, what's the big deal?

Okay, let's all agree that he was a true war hero – unlike another politician from Mass. who will remain unnamed. He served in the House for 6 years, then the Senate for 8 – apparently doing an adequate job. He beat some weak opponents in the primaries and faced Tricky Dick in the General, winning just by 2 10ths of 1 percent. Only because electors from Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma voted for Harry Byrd did he win.

In foreign policy he ended up with the Berlin Wall, the disastrous Bay of Pigs, The Cuban Missile Crisis, supported a dictator in South Vietnam [leading to the expansion of US involvement in that area], backed the Ramadan revolution in Iraq, said Israel would endure, and came up with the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty. He was also responsible for the creation of the Army's Special Forces – known as the Green Berets – an element specially designed for supporting the government of South Vietnam.

He created The Peace Corps, probably his best accomplishment and manged to lower taxes in spite of Democrat opposition in Congress, creating an economic boom.

But what about personally. He was the son of a notorious bootlegger who made millions by breaking the law of the land. He grew up in wealth and luxury, never having to work at a “real” job. And, compared to JFK, Clinton was a virgin. Everybody – including his socially selected wife, knew he dorked women in the White House and almost everywhere else he went – not even counting the notorious affair with Marilyn Monroe. One thing at least – he never stood up before the American people or the world and told bald-face li8es.

So, I again ask – what's the big deal about JFK?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

He got shot in the head.
And there you have it.....

 

[Bloodrock44]

I think for most Americans at the time was because he stood up to the Russians and kept us out of a nuclear war. My folks were staunch Republicans but they appreciated that. Everyone thought he was a great hero for that, but it wasn't until years later we found out he had made a deal. If the Russians took their nukes out of Cuba, Kennedy would take our nukes out of Turkey. And HereWeGoAgain is correct. He got shot in the head.

 

[Meathead]

Because he died young. Time never tarnished his legacy.

 

[longknife]

More JFK

This comes from today's BBC Online @ BBC News - JFK anniversary: The myth and reality

The assassination of John F Kennedy means that we all get to decide how his story should have ended, and thus plot an alternative trajectory for the country he so fleetingly led. The events in Dallas exactly 50 years ago made JFK as much a myth as a man, one of history's most endlessly malleable figures.

A very interesting and thought-provoking piece

 

[Katzndogz]

We make dead people into what we wanted them to be instead of what they really were.

 

[rightwinger]

The thing with Kennedy is we will never know

Johnson ran with many of JFKs proposals and got them passed in JFKs memory. Moon landing, Medicare, Civil Rights Act.....all were pushed through in JFKs memory

JFK had vision and charisma. Beyond that, hard to elevate his accomplishments in three short years

 

[jwoodie]

We make dead people into what we wanted them to be instead of what they really were.

Bingo. This is especially true of ivory tower liberals who prefer not to acknowledge the disastrous results of their feel-good policies.

 

[namvet]

and man did he luv the wimmin' as many as he could. he fooled his self but not Jackie

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiTfrIpVI6k]JFK's sexual appetite - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sunshine]

Everywhere one looks on TV these days there's a story about JFK. In my daily scan of 400 websites, I've already seen a dozen stories on him.

But, what's the big deal?

Okay, let's all agree that he was a true war hero – unlike another politician from Mass. who will remain unnamed. He served in the House for 6 years, then the Senate for 8 – apparently doing an adequate job. He beat some weak opponents in the primaries and faced Tricky Dick in the General, winning just by 2 10ths of 1 percent. Only because electors from Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma voted for Harry Byrd did he win.

In foreign policy he ended up with the Berlin Wall, the disastrous Bay of Pigs, The Cuban Missile Crisis, supported a dictator in South Vietnam [leading to the expansion of US involvement in that area], backed the Ramadan revolution in Iraq, said Israel would endure, and came up with the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty. He was also responsible for the creation of the Army's Special Forces – known as the Green Berets – an element specially designed for supporting the government of South Vietnam.

He created The Peace Corps, probably his best accomplishment and manged to lower taxes in spite of Democrat opposition in Congress, creating an economic boom.

But what about personally. He was the son of a notorious bootlegger who made millions by breaking the law of the land. He grew up in wealth and luxury, never having to work at a “real” job. And, compared to JFK, Clinton was a virgin. Everybody – including his socially selected wife, knew he dorked women in the White House and almost everywhere else he went – not even counting the notorious affair with Marilyn Monroe. One thing at least – he never stood up before the American people or the world and told bald-face li8es.

So, I again ask – what's the big deal about JFK?

It's the 50th anniversary of his death. That is to be expected. Those of us who were around heard it for 10 years after.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

We make dead people into what we wanted them to be instead of what they really were.

Bingo. This is especially true of ivory tower liberals who prefer not to acknowledge the disastrous results of their feel-good policies.

Can't you ever just behave like a decent human being?

In point of fact, every human being does this because every human being needs to do this.

Why don't you just give that a couple moments adult consideration.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

The thing with Kennedy is we will never know

Johnson ran with many of JFKs proposals and got them passed in JFKs memory. Moon landing, Medicare, Civil Rights Act.....all were pushed through in JFKs memory

JFK had vision and charisma. Beyond that, hard to elevate his accomplishments in three short years

I actually believe his brother might well have been the better president but we'll never know that either.

And, Teddy accomplished some great things and always fought for the little guy, the working and poor class.

 

[rightwinger]

The thing with Kennedy is we will never know

Johnson ran with many of JFKs proposals and got them passed in JFKs memory. Moon landing, Medicare, Civil Rights Act.....all were pushed through in JFKs memory

JFK had vision and charisma. Beyond that, hard to elevate his accomplishments in three short years

I actually believe his brother might well have been the better president but we'll never know that either.

And, Teddy accomplished some great things and always fought for the little guy, the working and poor class.

I agree

In 1968, Bobby Kennedy would have made a great President, so would Hubert Humprey

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I never have put him on a pedastal.His actions as president proved he was one of the greatest ever though.people make up crap that americans like to believe there was this hugh conspiracy to kill him because they cant face it that one man could kill off someone they admired so greatly which is pure bullshit.the warren commission and the government has failed every sense then to ever prove that oswald did it ignoring facts that it was the CIA that did it.americans are too scared of the truth to believe that our own government could do such a thing so they ignore the evidence and facts that there was a conspiracy trying to convince themselves the warren commission was correct.

 

[elektra]

I think we put Kennedy on a pedestal because he was the last Democrat who proposed spending less, taxing less. Kennedy actually advocated not increasing the debt of future generations by overspending.

 

[tinydancer]

Everywhere one looks on TV these days there's a story about JFK. In my daily scan of 400 websites, I've already seen a dozen stories on him.

But, what's the big deal?

Okay, let's all agree that he was a true war hero – unlike another politician from Mass. who will remain unnamed. He served in the House for 6 years, then the Senate for 8 – apparently doing an adequate job. He beat some weak opponents in the primaries and faced Tricky Dick in the General, winning just by 2 10ths of 1 percent. Only because electors from Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma voted for Harry Byrd did he win.

In foreign policy he ended up with the Berlin Wall, the disastrous Bay of Pigs, The Cuban Missile Crisis, supported a dictator in South Vietnam [leading to the expansion of US involvement in that area], backed the Ramadan revolution in Iraq, said Israel would endure, and came up with the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty. He was also responsible for the creation of the Army's Special Forces – known as the Green Berets – an element specially designed for supporting the government of South Vietnam.

He created The Peace Corps, probably his best accomplishment and manged to lower taxes in spite of Democrat opposition in Congress, creating an economic boom.

But what about personally. He was the son of a notorious bootlegger who made millions by breaking the law of the land. He grew up in wealth and luxury, never having to work at a “real” job. And, compared to JFK, Clinton was a virgin. Everybody – including his socially selected wife, knew he dorked women in the White House and almost everywhere else he went – not even counting the notorious affair with Marilyn Monroe. One thing at least – he never stood up before the American people or the world and told bald-face li8es.

So, I again ask – what's the big deal about JFK?

As a kid, he inspired me. To do great things. To believe outside the box. To believe you could go to the moon. To believe you little tinydancer could change the world with your heart and your soul. To never give up. To believe.