London Calling
Chieftain
How would you rank Kennedy as a president? Was he great, good, average, or poor?
John F. Kennedy
- Thread starter London Calling
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JohnRM
Don't make me destroy you
Rank? Based on what criteria?
If we're judging him on a curve, then he's probably the best President we've had.
If we're judging him on a curve, then he's probably the best President we've had.
kramerfan86
Deity
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Average who was boosted by his assassination.
Not finishing his term puts him on par with Sarah Palin, so in some circles, one of the greatest Presidents ever.
Disgustipated
Deity
This
Had he served 2 terms, he'd be blamed more for Vietnam. Although there is the possibility he wouldn't have gotten involved.
I'm slightly biased as my dad was a huge JFK fan. I always heard about him as a kid. But when I got in school, I didn't learn anything that special about him. I still say he's an above average president. I give him a B-.
He also sent the first ship I served on: The USS Enterprise into some of its first action in the Cuban Missile Crisis (I wasn't on it back then
). It was risky, but I support JFK's action during this. It's the only reason I vote him above average instead of average.
kramerfan86
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I actually give him negative credit for the Cuban Missile crisis. Considering we had turkey in a similar position to the USSR he was basically playing nuclear chicken over hypocritical standards. It could have easily lead to the end of all things, all over hypocrisy.
Disgustipated
Deity
But the result was 2 good things. First, we agreed to never invade or attack Cuba, and second we removed missiles from Turkey and Italy. This put the world in a much safer position. There was never that big a threat of nuclear war despite some rhetoric that may have been said. Both sides knew very well about MAD. If war did break out, it would most likely be conventional. In that case we kick their ass conventionally instead of waiting another 29 years for them to fall apart.
kramerfan86
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I dont really care, he could have ended the world to try and enforce hypocrisy. Im not going to give him a gold star because he got lucky and it worked. Especially when he could have tried dialogue and exchanged no Cuban missiles for no turkish missiles rather than getting that trade through near apocolypse. That's just me though, I can see why people would embrace the ends justify the means standpoint, I just have never given him much credit for the near doomsday.
Disgustipated
Deity
dialogue. 
I'm sorry, but new age liberal huggy stuff isn't going to work. It isn't working for Obama now, and it wouldn't have worked for Kennedy then.
Seriously, Kennedy was the man of reason. The Joint Chiefs wanted a full scale invasion. Kennedy wisely saw that Berlin would be in danger had he done that. Aerial bombing would have been equally as catastrophic.
Taken from wiki:
The Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously agreed that a full-scale attack and invasion was the only solution. They believed that the Soviets would not attempt to stop the US from conquering Cuba. Kennedy was skeptical.
They, no more than we, can let these things go by without doing something. They can't, after all their statements, permit us to take out their missiles, kill a lot of Russians, and then do nothing. If they don't take action in Cuba, they certainly will in Berlin
Kennedy concluded that attacking Cuba by air would signal the Soviets to presume "a clear line" to conquer Berlin. Kennedy also believed that United States' allies would think of the US as "trigger-happy cowboys" who lost Berlin because they could not peacefully resolve the Cuban situation.
I'm sorry, but new age liberal huggy stuff isn't going to work. It isn't working for Obama now, and it wouldn't have worked for Kennedy then. Seriously, Kennedy was the man of reason. The Joint Chiefs wanted a full scale invasion. Kennedy wisely saw that Berlin would be in danger had he done that. Aerial bombing would have been equally as catastrophic.
Taken from wiki:
The Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously agreed that a full-scale attack and invasion was the only solution. They believed that the Soviets would not attempt to stop the US from conquering Cuba. Kennedy was skeptical.
They, no more than we, can let these things go by without doing something. They can't, after all their statements, permit us to take out their missiles, kill a lot of Russians, and then do nothing. If they don't take action in Cuba, they certainly will in Berlin
Kennedy concluded that attacking Cuba by air would signal the Soviets to presume "a clear line" to conquer Berlin. Kennedy also believed that United States' allies would think of the US as "trigger-happy cowboys" who lost Berlin because they could not peacefully resolve the Cuban situation.
kramerfan86
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"didnt work" in the situation is simply the end of US hypocrisy since the USSR would have had a turkish equivalent. It would have been a low risk for a low reward scenario instead of a high risk for low reward that he went to. Cuba wasnt worth nearly ending the planet, if you want to give him credit for a stupid risk be my guest, but I will not.
Kennedy had one poor year as president, followed by one good year, and then he was dead. How he would have come out with more time in office we can only guess. However his actual accomplishments in office weren't that great, if for no other reason than his early death.
So, overrated, yes, if for no reason other than the fact that he didn't live long enough to carry much of his program through.
However, he was on the right track in most regards, and was an inspirational leader, and so that, plus the martyr factor make many people see him as great.
So, overrated, yes, if for no reason other than the fact that he didn't live long enough to carry much of his program through.
However, he was on the right track in most regards, and was an inspirational leader, and so that, plus the martyr factor make many people see him as great.
Kozmos
Jew Detective
Mafia ties cast a poor light on his image.
civver_764
Deity
He sucked like all the presidents. World would be better off if he wasn't president.
The theories about his death are interesting to read though.
The theories about his death are interesting to read though.
Save_Ferris
Admiring Myself
He got more done in 3 years than most presidents do in 8. I'm not a Democrat, but I love Kennedy.
GhostWriter16
Deity
He seems to have inspired people, especially young people, to believe in and get active in government and public service through the space program, the peace corps, and so on. On the other hand, he did preside over the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and I suspect his legacy would have been tarnished by Vietnam just as LBI's was.
I for one would like to see what would have happened had JFK lived: the assassination of a president, especially one who was a sincere inspiration to people, can't have been good for the American spirit. Maybe if someone with spirit had been leading the country we might have weathered the sixties better. I don't think LBJ was the villain he's painted as, but it's hard to rally behind an old bald guy from Texas if you're keen on creating a new, better future.
I for one would like to see what would have happened had JFK lived: the assassination of a president, especially one who was a sincere inspiration to people, can't have been good for the American spirit. Maybe if someone with spirit had been leading the country we might have weathered the sixties better. I don't think LBJ was the villain he's painted as, but it's hard to rally behind an old bald guy from Texas if you're keen on creating a new, better future.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
Slavery and ethnic cleansing will do that.No love for even Jefferson?
(I'm with Civver, just in case that wasn't obvious.)
NickyJ
Retired Narrator
This.
I think he was about average. He made some mistakes, such as the Bay of Pigs, but he also did some good things, such as overall handling of the Cold War during his Presidency.
