Evening star., 1960-07-03

&ACAlAlCNy VI N1dSSdClluSCbCc.
What is this 43-vear -old I
does he want to be President?
policy? How has he reconciled
the church-State issue?
Following is verbatim ac-
count of a lengthy interview I
had with Senator Kennedy in
which these and other questions
were discussed:
@. When did it first occur to
you to try for the Presidency?
A. I suppose after the vice.
presidential race for the nomi-
nation at the 1856 Democratic
convention. I began to play a
more active part of the 1856
campaign more as national
figure than just merely a Mas
sachusetts figure. And then
after Gov. Stevenson was de-
feated in 1856, in early 1887
l began to consider the pros
pect very strongly.
Q. Was it because you felt
there was an open field. or was
1t because of some compulsion? ?
Two Reasons
A. Well. l think there were
two reasons. First, in a sense.
there was an open field and,
therefore, there was the op-
portunity. There were indica-
tions that my name was being
considered along with other
candidates. The most important
part. of course, is that it's
quite obvious that the Presi-
Kency has become the key Of
kice. I've been in Congress now
Tor IA years, and while the
Constitution makes us an equal
and coordinate branch of the
government, the pressure of
events and the change in cir
cumstance give the President a
predominant influence. This is
essential-particularly for the
successful conduct of foreign
affairs.
Therefore. I really run for
the Presidency for the same
reason that l ran for the House
IA years ago and for the Senate
eight years ago: I'm strongly
interested in the direction in
which the United States goes
and the role it plays and the
responsibilities it meets, ano
the Presidency is the center
of action.
1t has been said that espec-
tally your youth and your
Catholic religion are against
you.
A. Yes. Both those factor.
were regarded strong on the
debit side; but they were moi
wholly debit. Youth - I've
come on to the political scene
at a time when the leadership
is old. The President is old
his health has been affected
his leadership is not wholly
successful. and therefore
think there is a desire to turr
a new page and start with 6
newer leadership, fresher, anc
we hope more vigorous. I an
not sure that youth has mo-
been a real asset, even though
it has its debit side, too.
Born Into Controversy
My religion is a matter o.
great political concern and ha
made me a controversial figure
In that sense I was evidentl!
born into controversy. But
don't know whether it WASH
advantageous-looking at tn
situation as it was in ST, 81
and '59-to be controversial il
one way or another.
@. One has heard mucl
about the opposition amonI
Protestant voters, but do yo1
think there is an opposition t.
you among the Catholic hier
archy?
A. Some, but I would hop
that those that are Republi
cans would support a Republi
can candidate. The corollar
of the desire not to be vote
against merely because of m
religion is also the hope tha
those who are coreligionists wi
not vote for me because of IN
religion. So if there is oppo
sition among the hierarchy,
would hope that it's confine
to those members of the hier
archy who are Republican.
@. There have been signs, fo
instance, in the church's state
ments on birth control an
some of the editorials in LOS
servatore Romano, the Vatica
newspaper, that, in one way G