John F. Kennedy
Born: May 29, 1917
Died: November 22, 1963
Term in Office: 1961-1963
There once was a place called Camelot. You know, never a more congenial spot, where the climate had to be perfect all the year (before global warming, eh?), yada, yada, yada.
The days of John F. Kennedy's administration totaled 1037 before he was shot in the motorcade in Dallas. And yes, Virginia, everyone who was beyond toddler-age on that day remembers exactly where they were when they were given the news... The day was surreal. Here are some topics surrounding JFK and his time in office...
The good:
- Some will argue that what was most notable about the Cuban Missile Crisis was Kennedy's handling of our generals, not his stare-down with Russia.
- Though the Civil Rights Act was signed by LBJ in 1964, it was brought to the Senate in June 1963 by Kennedy, where it stalled until Johnson was able to kick-start it.
- The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by a Kennedy executive order.
- The space program was expanded during his presidency, with the expectation that there would be a manned visit to the moon's surface before the end of the decade.
The bad:
- He is supposed to have had a roving eye for the ladies, and stories of a relationship with one Marilyn Monroe may be more than rumor.
- There are reports that he did not actually pen his Pulitzer-winning book Profiles in Courage.
- It has been alleged he had connections to crime bosses.
- Orchestrated attempts on Fidel Castro's life are rumored to have been authorized by him.
And then from out of left-field:
- A claim was made by The Orange Man (President #45) that Senator Ted Cruz's father had a hand in Kennedy's assassination. We'll leave that one alone... just like I wish The Orange Man would leave us alone.
Peace to all, and ask not what your country can do for you...
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