The Political Legacy of President John F. Kennedy

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Recommended: How did television affect and/or impact the American political system? What have been the long-term consequences of this relationship between politics and television

The Political Legacy of President John F. Kennedy There is something about John F. Kennedy. Could it be his charisma and charm that still entrances America? Maybe it is his elevated status as a pop culture icon that bedazzles most American citizens. It might be the martyr status he attained through his tragic assassination that makes American culture revere him as a President. Whatever the reason is that defines John F. Kennedy as probably one of the most beloved Presidents in American History; one assumption by many is that it has nothing to do with his political legacy. Many respected historians will tell you that he has an insubstantial political legacy. Using the body of legislation that was passed during his short time in office as evidence, historians say that significant legislation was lacking. More than likely they will remark about his emphasis on rhetoric and his deficient action. On the other hand, many historians and writers contend his political legacy reverberates to this very day. They claim that through his mastery of that novel medium of his day, Television, his inclusion of culture into the office of President, and most of all his idealism, echoes in today?s political atmosphere. In total, the latter argument is actually stronger. Although JFK does lack substantial legislation that would bolster a claim to a significant political legacy, in other ways John F. Kennedy has such an intense political legacy that to this very day the Presidency of the United States cannot escape it. In respect to truly monumental legislation, John F. Kennedy does lack and therefore the people who say he does not have a true political legacy have a point. These critics believe a true political legacy is in what... ... middle of paper ... ...is one that politicians must embrace or they will not be taken seriously by Americans. Bibliography: WORKS CITED Kennedy, John F. ?American University Speech?. Http://users.southeast.net/~cheryl/auspeech.html, June 10, 1963. Kilpatrick, Caroll. ?The Kennedy Style and Congress.? John F. Kennedy and The New Frontier. Ed. Aïda DiPace Donald. New York:Hill and Wang, 1966. Manchester, William. One Brief Shining Moment: Remembering Kennedy. Boston:Little, Brown and Company, 1983. Schlesinger Jr., Arthur M. ?Kennedy on the Eve.? John F. Kennedy and The New Frontier. Ed. Aïda DiPace Donald. New York:Hill and Wang, 1966. Sorensen, Theodore C. ?Epilogue.? John F. Kennedy and The New Frontier. Ed. Aïda DiPace Donald. New York:Hill and Wang, 1966.

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