From: elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.elections,talk.politics.misc,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.clinton
Subject: Re: Pat Robertson
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 92 16:33:42 CDT
Organization: Minas Tirith BBS, New Orleans, LA

jmk@cbnews.cb.att.com (joseph.m.knapp) writes:

> elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley) writes:
> >In studying the 1960 election, one of the things that will always stick out
> >my mind are the attacks made by the GOP on JFK for being Roman Catholic.
> >Accusations that if JFK would be elected, the country would be ruled from Ro
> >and other such nonense.  It's sort of funny (in a sick, perverted way) that
> >party that was so afraid of being controlled by a religious group in 1960 is
> >now totally dominated and controlled by the Radical Religious Right thirty-t
> >years later.
>
> Right on. Since you mention JFK's problems with the P-word (Pope), you may be
> interested that some in the press compared Governor Clinton's speech to the
> American Legion convention in Chicago last Tuesday (8/25) to the speech given
> to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association by then Senator John F. Kenned
> on September 12, 1960. In retrospect, both men won points for confronting
> what might be called their character issues by speaking about them candidly
> before a tough audience -- and more or less winning them over, defusing the
> issue. Of course, it's no accident that the press made this comparison, as
> Clinton brought up the analogy himself in his address:
>
>       "In 1960, John Kennedy told the Greater Houston Ministerial Association
>        that they should not oppose him just because he was a Catholic. He
>        said, 'If I should lose this election on the real issues, I shall be
>        satisfied that I tried my best and was fairly judged.'"

The American Legion is one tough audience, espcecially for a non-member.
However, they're definitely a 'what have you done for me lately' group, since
they are a very focused special-interest group, of course interested in
veterans' issues.  GHWB hasn't done much for vets lately, and I think he forgot
that when he stood up there taking credit for the demise of communism.  Those
guys are more interested in making sure the VA system of hospitals and other
vets' benefits remain in place and are not gutted as 'unnecessary entitlements'

Another note on the Legion:  Clinton didn't think that they'd vote for him just
because he's a product of Boy's State and Boy's Nation, but I can assure you
that many of them will.  My dad is a former District Commander of the Legion,
and is very active with Louisiana Boy's State.  Those old guys love it when
one of their own does good.  Combine that with the overall indifference that
many veterans feel about GHWB, and Clinton will pick up more than he thinks.

>
> One more thing: I may have read too much about JFK, but I see the spirit of
> JFK in a lot of Clinton's campaign. How about this -- in Austin last Thursday
> Clinton addressed an outdoor rally at the LBJ School of Government. After a
> crowd warm-up by Senator Gore, Clinton took the podium. After delivering the
> straight-line "do you love Hillary?," the Governor apologized that his wife
> was running a little late. During his opening comments a few minutes later,
> there was apparently something distracting the crowd. Hillary then appeared
> at the podium in a bright red dress to a rousing welcome from the crowd,
> which began chanting "Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!"
>
> [historical stuff about JFK and Jackie deleted for brevity's sake]

I saw that speech at the LBJ School at UT re-played on CSPAN.  While watching
Hillary and Tipper, all I could think of was Jackie Kennedy at the time.  I
kept thinking 'Hillary, you're no Jackie Kennedy,' <grin, apologies to Senator
Bentson>, but she's still good in her own way.  Yup, there's a lot of JFK in
Clinton.  In a way, the timing is similar.  JFK was a breath of fresh air after
a fairly weak second Eisenhower administration.  It's sort of the same
situation now, since folks are looking for a change from a weak second
Reagan/first Bush period.



|Edward J. Branley                         elendil@mintir.New-Orleans.LA.US|
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