January 20, 2011 11:55 AM
Fifty Years On - The JFK Inaugural - January 20, 1961
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Fifty years ago this day (in case you haven't already heard about it), John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th President of The United States.
From my liner notes on the Great Speeches Of The 20th Century Box:
“He was the youngest President. He came at a time when the Cold War had reached a fevered pitch. He spoke of “new frontiers” and the renewed faith in the American Dream. When John Fitzgerald Kennedy took the oath of office that, brisk, snow-dusted January morning in 1961, he captured the imagination of the youth of America. Kennedy spoke of the commitment to change, the possibilities of a world in peace, the idea that we shouldn’t ask what our country should do for us, rather what we should do for our country. It was the beginning of a time we would come to know as Camelot.”
Want to see how Fox News would handle JFK's speech? Go about 2 minutes into this video clip from Colbert: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-repo...
I'm dating myself here, my mother wanted me to see this historic event in it's entirety, so she kept me home from school and gave me a note for school. for which I am grateful today.
John Kennedy was a new hope, a young man with new ideas, and one of the Greatest Generation that fought WW2 and wanted to change our country's direction.
We know today he had human faults, but at the time, he was our hope for a better world. Later, after his assassination when our involvement in Vietnam deepened, our hopes faded, and we grew up to the ugly realities that became the divided country we are today.
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
I look around now and it's like a bad dream . We have come a long long ways ... in the wrong direction .
"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."
Not to compare Obama to Kennedy but it sure would be cool if Obama wore a top hat at the next inauguration.
A better choice for the next inauguration is this fine topper.
http://shop.turkeyspartymakers.com/popup_imag...
Beer-i.e., God's Sweet Nectar- is a magic drink that makes you smarter, stronger, and more sexy.
-S. Colbert
Top hat - not such a great idea. It is a symbol of the past. The rabid right wing would surely bring up references to minstrel show performers to denigrate a President of a different color than their lily-white cracker asses.
My party embraces diversity, while the GOP and the Teabaggers revel in race-baiting. Let's not give them any help.
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
Such as hire someone like RFK for attorney general. No not someone who on paper is totally unqualified and also his relative but someone who turns out to be the worst nightmare of various powerful interests who usually don't have much to fear. In our case rather than organized crime and racists in the south it would be corrupt politicians (I don't think the statute of limitations has expired on Bush war crimes) and big corporations.
A world at peace is inevitable. It's only a question of when - while we are here, or after we are gone.
I'm still hoping it's while we are still here. But we are going to have to change America and change the world to do it. The Wiki-leaks have revealed that we will need new people, new ideas, and new attitudes in leadership.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask how much can you steal from the people to give to the rich."
- GOP Response
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
What was so great about JFK? He talked a lot of talk. And he was great at winning an election using new technology. But he also used a new way to swing voting with govt contracts to districts.
Sounds a lot like obama. Great at running his mouth and raising campaign cash to influence voting.
Let's see...he stood up to the Russian's and prevented the annihilation of the human race...he was instrumental in establishing integration particularyly in the case of George Wallace's Alabama...he started the Peace Corps...he expanded space exploration which was not only a scientific accomplishemnt but an international one...he provided for and manintained a robust economy and inspired national pride...
There is a great documentary on him showing on HBO this week. Tune in and educate yourself...or go back to playing Black-Ops or something.
"Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying..."-------Roger Waters, "Comfortably Numb"
Kennedy certainly had his share of accomplishments during his brief presidential tenure, but why does everyone fail to state the obvious; much of his lasting appeal comes from the facts that 1) he (and his wife) were young, had "movie star" good looks, and brought glamour to the White House, and 2) he was struck down in what appeared to be his prime.
He was absolutely not the most accomplished president of the last 50 or 100 years, yet, based on his legacy alone, one would be led to believe that he was a political and diplomatic giant (instead of the guy who bungled the Bay of Pigs invasion, wholly embraced Cold War militarism, and put us on the path to our brutal and borderline-genocidal involvement in Vietnam).
JFK: "We don't have a prayer of staying in Vietnam. Those people hate us. They are going to throw our asses out of there at any point. But I can't give up that territory to the Communists and get the American people to re-elect me."
Now, I'm not saying the guy was an idiot (he most certainly was not) or that he had no presidential accomplishments (he certainly did), but that the popular historical account of JFK's presidency very carefully excises practically everything he did wrong.
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