John F. Kennedy

[[File:JFKtreason.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The Birchers weren't big fans. This handbill was circulated the day before the assassination by the [[John Birch Society]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222014429/http://www.jfk-assassination.de:80/warren/wcr/page298.php Warren Commission Report: Page 298] ''The John F. Kennedy Assassination Homepage'' (archived from February 22, 2006).</ref><ref>{{wpa|Edwin Walker}}</ref>]]{{uspolitics}}{{cquote|Nixon, in a high-level or high-road campaign which emphasizes the issues, in the last seven days has called me an economic ignoramus, a Pied Piper, and all the rest. I just confine myself to calling him a [[Republican Party|Republican]]! But he says that is really getting low.|||Kennedy, 1960<ref>[http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/JFK-Speeches/Bronx-NY_19601105.aspx Papers of John F. Kennedy, Pre-Presidential Papers, Speech Files (1953-1960)]. "Concourse Plaza Hotel, Bronx 11/5/60."</ref>}}
'''John Fitzgerald Kennedy''' {{lived|1917|1963}} is a member of the Dead [[Kennedy]]s, and the fourth [[President of the United States|POTUS]] to die from an assassin's bullet. He was elected in 1960, besting the arguably more qualified but far less attractive (and insane) [[Richard M. Nixon|Richard Nixon]]. He was also the first [[Catholic]] president, which was actually considered shocking at the time. Indeed, he would be the only one until [[Biden]] showed up.

What constitutes a leftie in the U.S. is... different. Despite being a member of the [[NRA]] (albeit when it was a radically different organization than what it is today<ref>[https://time.com/4431356/nra-gun-control-history/ When the NRA Supported Gun Control] ''Time''</ref>), favoring large-scale [[tax cut]]s and aggressive foreign policy (most of his forays into international affairs proved to be disastrous, or at least dangerous brinkmanship, ''e.g.'' the [[Vietnam War]], the [[Gunboat diplomacy|Bay of Pigs invasion]], the [[Nuclear war|Cuban Missile Crisis]]), at the time (and as usual with any Democratic candidate), the GOP considered him a radical leftist, and additionally, stoked fears he would take orders from the Pope.<ref>Nasaw, David, [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/features/2012/the_patriarch_excerpt_how_jfk_s_attempt_to_distance_himself_from_the_catholic/the_patriarch_excerpt_how_jfk_s_attempt_to_distance_himself_from_the_catholic_1.html "Identity Politics in 1960"], Slate (21 November 2012, 6:45 AM).</ref> 

Kennedy's push for [[Civil Rights Act|civil rights]] proved to be of good intent. However, as a senator, he supported a procedural matter favored by segregationists to weaken the 1957 Civil Rights Act.<ref>Levingston, S. (2017). ''Kennedy and King'' (p. 58). Hachette Book Group.</ref> His {{wpl|New Frontier}} brought some domestic change, but wasn't as expansive (or ''expensive'') as the [[Great Society]]. He also ended federal executions in Washington, a pretty significant move that hasn't really been written into his legacy. Moreover, he refused to send soldiers into [[Laos]], rejected the idea of using nukes on Cuba, preferred a neutralist option in Vietnam like in Laos, switched up the Joint Chiefs of Staff after the Bay of Pigs debacle, and sacked {{wpl|Allen Dulles|Allen Dulles}} from the CIA. He is also rumored to have banged [[Marilyn Monroe]]. The Pope himself would've had to give JFK a high-five.

==Running for Office==
The 1960 nomination was a difficult one for Kennedy to win, with Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey{{efn|Who himself later became the party's nomination in 1968.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1968 United States presidential election of 1968]</ref>}} putting up a vigorous campaign against Kennedy in the primaries, resulting in several competitive state races between the two.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1960 United States presidential election of 1960]</ref> The documentary ''Primary'', called "one of the most important and influential documentaries in the history of the medium"<ref>[https://www.criterionchannel.com/primary Primary]</ref> is even about the battle the two had in Wisconsin.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054205/ Primary]</ref> Kennedy's victory in Wisconsin, put together with another win he had in West Virgina,<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/visit-museum/exhibits/past-exhibits/winning-west-virginia-jfks-primary-campaign Winning West Virginia—JFK's Primary Campaign]</ref> are widely considered to be what actually won him the nomination.

===A Catholic in the White House?===
[[File:Againstsmithbutton.gif|165px|thumb|right|Button made to mock Smith in 1928.<ref name=Catholic>[https://cenlamar.com/2013/11/27/why-pope-francis-exhortation-should-resonate-in-louisiana/ Why Pope Francis’ Exhortation Should Resonate In Louisiana]</ref>]]
[[File:Screen-shot-2013-11-27-at-2-00-01-am.webp|165px|thumb|right|Cartoon meant to insult Kennedy.<ref name=Catholic/>]]
Arthur M. Schlesinger, father of the historian and friend of JFK,<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-M-Schlesinger-Jr Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.]</ref> once said that to a Catholic that “I regard the prejudice against your Church as the deepest bias in the history of the American people.”<ref>[https://www.newoxfordreview.org/documents/the-deepest-bias-of-the-american-people/ The Deepest Bias of the American People?]</ref> Democrats knew 1928 election was lost, at least in part, because of them nominating Catholic Al Smith,<ref>[https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2025/02/18/cbc-column-al-smith-anti-catholic-249951 Al Smith and the first Catholic run at the White House]</ref> and these fears were far from quashed by the time of Kennedy running for President. A concern began in more conspiratorial circles that Kennedy would, if elected, essentially implement a Catholic theocracy, taking his orders directly from the Vatican. One religious commentator at the time, a man named G.E. Lowman, even dedicated an entire article in his newsletter ''Prophecies for the Time'' specifically to the topic of if a Catholic President of the United States would be a good idea. Essentially, his argument boils down to exactly this fear, given Catholics believe the Roman Catholic Church is the of a higher importance than their civil government, obviously they would be willing to overthrow said government if it meant implementing Catholic teachings.<ref name=Lowman>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkcamp1960-1020-024#?image_identifier=JFKCAMP1960-1020-024-p0002 Religious literature: Lowman, G. E., JFK Library]{{rp|44-47}}</ref>

It is certainly humorous in retrospect how secular these arguments were, given where we are today. Yes, at one point in American history, a conservative Christian would write things like "Religious freedom is the greatest of the freedoms"<ref name=Lowman/>{{rp|46}} to warn against the coming theocracy if we all vote Democrat.

This notion, of course, is utter nonsense, even if a hypothetical President wanted to implement a Catholic theocracy, he would still need both Congress and the Supreme Court on his side to do such a thing. Even then, it must be remembered the entire basis for these accusations was nothing more than the notion of him being a Catholic, something only suspected of Catholics at the time; nobody was scared Richard Nixon's Quaker upbringing<ref>[https://cdapress.com/news/2019/mar/13/religion-played-unique-role-in-life-of-5/ Religion played unique role in life of President Nixon]</ref> was going to make him want a Quaker theocracy, for example. The notion of somebody merely being Catholic but not wanting to force his religion onto others was a novel concept to many Christians, who, as Kennedy later quipped, would call him "the Catholic candidate for president" over "the Democratic Party's candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic."<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2007/12/05/16920600/transcript-jfks-speech-on-his-religion Transcript: JFK's Speech on His Religion]</ref>

Exactly how big of a role Kennedy's Catholic faith played in the outcome of the election is a matter of debate, with the JFK library noting "There is solid evidence that religion helped Kennedy in several urban and industrial states but was, at the same time, a significant factor in his loss of Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee—and in his very close win in Texas."{{efn|If Kennedy had won all of those states, his final Electoral Vote tally would have been 359 to Nixon's 163 and Byrd's 15.}} This was not helped by a situation where "three American-born bishops in Puerto Rico issued a statement forbidding Catholics from voting for candidates who disagreed with the Church on abortion and birth control," which led to a surge for Nixon in the final days of the campaign.<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/john-f-kennedy-and-religion John F. Kennedy and Religion]</ref>

===The debate myth===
Kennedy and Nixon were the first two Presidential nominations to face off in televised debates,<ref>[https://npg.si.edu/blog/50th-anniversary-john-f-kennedy-and-richard-m-nixon-debates-part-1 50th Anniversary of the John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon Debates, part 1]</ref> and many myths have been created as a result from this, with the most famous being that Kennedy's chrismal and style made him look far better than the ill Nixon, who won on the radio through his better arguments. However, actual reporting finds Kennedy was only viewed to have tied Nixon on television, while Nixon did win on radio, and that had more to do with areas which still used radio being rural, conservative ones where Nixon would have won anyway.<ref>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0362331916300556 Debunking Nixon’s radio victory in the 1960 election: Re-analyzing the historical record and considering currently unexamined polling data]</ref> Not only that, but three other debates between Kennedy and Nixon happened during this election, with Nixon winning their second encounter<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/08/archives/the-second-debate-vice-president-apparently-came-out-ahead-in-a.html The Second Debate; Vice President Apparently Came Out Ahead in a More Informative Show]</ref> along with their third <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/15/archives/gop-leaders-say-kennedy-cribbed-alcorn-and-hall-assail-use-of.html G.O.P. LEADERS SAY KENNEDY 'CRIBBED'; Alcorn and Hall Assail Use of Letter During Debate -- Senator Defends Action]</ref> and the two men tying one another in their fourth televised appearance.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/23/archives/kennedynixon-debates-viewed-as-draw-in-23-major-cities-audience.html Kennedy-Nixon Debates Viewed as Draw in 23 Major Cities; AUDIENCE GAINS IN 4TH EXCHANGE Effect Appears Greatest on the Uncommitted Voters -- Few Others Swayed]</ref>

==Presidency==
Kennedy's time in the White House is marked by a series of accomplishments, but also a series of issues which cause his reputation to be soured. Still, he had high approval ratings during his time in the White House,<ref>[https://historyinpieces.com/research/jfks-presidential-approval-ratings JFK’s Presidential Approval Ratings] History in Pieces</ref> is beloved by modern people,<ref>[https://news.gallup.com/poll/165902/americans-rate-jfk-top-modern-president.aspx Americans Rate JFK as Top Modern President] Gallup</ref> and even historians tend to think rather highly of the guy.<ref>[https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2017/?personid=2419 HISTORIANS SURVEY RESULTS] C-Span</ref>

===Did he really win?===
{{main|1960 U.S. presidential election conspiracy theories}}
Kennedy's 1960 victory is one of the five closest in United States history,<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/list/5-remarkably-close-us-presidential-elections 5 Remarkably Close U.S. Presidential Elections] Britannica</ref> and many have wondered since if he was the true victor. "That Richard Nixon was cheated out of the presidency in 1960 has become almost an accepted fact," wrote David Greenberg in a 2000 article for Slate, where he goes on to discuss why he doesn't believe that to be the case. Essentially, he points out how the claims originated with Republican political operatives who were interested in discrediting Kennedy before his administration got off the ground, while actual attempts at recounts and court cases constantly found that, yes, Kennedy was the winner of the election.<ref name=Slate>[https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html Was Nixon Robbed?] Slate</ref> However, that doesn't mean nothing changed:

{{quotebox|A recount did wind up changing the winner in one state: Hawaii. On Dec. 28, a circuit court judge ruled that the state—originally called Kennedy’s but awarded to Nixon after auditing errors emerged—belonged to Kennedy after all. Nixon’s net gain: -3 electoral votes.<ref name=Slate/>}}

Although Greenberg is reluctant to come to a conclusion regarding if Kennedy stole Illinois, even if Nixon had won that specific state, he still would have lost the election. As Paul von Hippel wrote in 2017:

{{quotebox|Kennedy won 303 electoral votes; his Republican opponent Richard Nixon won 219. (The remaining 15 electors voted for segregationist Democrat Harry Byrd.) If Illinois’s 27 electoral votes shifted from Kennedy to Nixon, Kennedy would still have won, with 276 votes to Nixon’s 246. Only 269 were needed to win in 1960 (vs. 270 today).<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/08/08/heres-a-voter-fraud-myth-richard-daley-stole-illinois-for-john-kennedy-in-the-1960-election/ Here's a voter fraud myth: Richard Daley ‘stole’ Illinois for John Kennedy in the 1960 election] ''The Washington Post''</ref>}}

===Cuba===
====Bay of Pigs & Operation Mongoose====
One of the earliest controversies of the Kennedy Administration was the Bay of Pigs invasion, a plan first thought up near the end of Eisenhower's Presidency to work with anti-Castro groups in Cuba in order to overthrow the government of Cuba,<ref name=bay>[https://www.britannica.com/event/Bay-of-Pigs-invasion Bay of Pigs invasion] Britannica</ref> which had become communist after a revolution in 1959.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-Revolution Cuban Revolution] Britannica</ref> This was especially a blow to the United States from a foreign policy standpoint because the government that was overthrown, that of Fulgencio Batista, was put in power through a US backed coup in 1933. Batista was essentially the most powerful man in Cuba, although he did not abandon the Constitution nor the idea of holding elections in the nation until 1952.<ref name=Cuba>[https://www.history.com/news/timeline-us-cuba-relations A Timeline of US-Cuba Relations] History</ref> 

Cuba was also serving as a good economic hub for both American organizations and organized crime, and became a popular tourist destination for Americans. The Castro government quickly put an end to that, nationalizing all United States businesses and becoming a closer trading partner with the Soviet Union.<ref name=Cuba/> Because of this, many in the intelligence community wanted Cuba to be taken away from the Communists and returned to what it once was.

The plan, to be blunt, was a total failure. "The invasion force was unequal to the strength of Castro’s troops, and by April 19 [four days after the invasion had begun] its last stronghold had been captured, along with more than 1,100 men."<ref name=bay/> "The brigade prisoners remained in captivity for 20 months," notes one source, with the prisoners only returning in exchange for fifty-three million dollars worth of baby food and medicine.<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/the-bay-of-pigs THE BAY OF PIGS] JFK Library</ref>

Kennedy is said to have viewed the incident as a mistake,<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/enduring-lessons-of-the-cuban-missile-crisis-russia-ukraine-nuclear-weapons-world-war-iii-reagan-jfk-speech-history-war-11664486986 Enduring Lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis]''The Wall Street Journal''</ref> and Kennedy's famous line about wanting to “splinter the C.I.A. in a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds” comes from a member of his Administration describing how angry he was over what happened.<ref>[https://gizmodo.com/the-story-behind-that-jfk-quote-about-destroying-the-ci-1793151211 The Real Story Behind That JFK Quote About Destroying the CIA] Gizmodo</ref> Many view this as the start of Kennedy's hostilities towards the CIA, an agency that was largely allowed to act without restriction from the President up until that point. Then-CIA Director Allen Dulles is even frequently targeted in conspiracy theories about Kennedy's assassination, with his firing usually cited as the incident that put his death into motion. However, some have argued that Kennedy simply used the CIA, and Dulles specifically, as a scapegoat for the failure of the operation and allowed the public to believe his tension with the CIA was higher than it actually was in order to better distance himself.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/inside-job-cia-suspect-some-jfks-killing-flna2d11627219 An inside job: CIA a suspect for some in JFK's killing] NBC News</ref>

Still, Kennedy kept trying to overthrow Castro, leading to Operation Mongoose which "was designed to do what the Bay of Pigs invasion failed to do: remove the Communist Castro regime from power in Cuba." It was suspended in October 1962, once again without Castro being removed from power. However, this was after it was made clear the Soviet Union was willing to back Cuba and stop the United States from taking it over, and more specifically after they decided to make this known to the United States through sending Cuba large amounts of weapons.<ref>[https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/bay-of-pigs The Bay of Pigs Invasion and its Aftermath, April 1961–October 1962] Office of the Historian</ref>

====Cuban Missile Crisis====
From October 22, 1962 until November 20, 1962, the American population experienced the Cuban Missile Crisis, described as "the closest point that the world had ever come to global nuclear war."<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis Cuban missile crisis] Britannica</ref>

The crisis came about when the United States decided to put missiles in Turkey, leading to the Soviet Union placing missiles in Cuba in response to this situation. A blockade occurred, and both nations were essentially on the verge of nuclear war.<ref name=Adam>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy4THHeRJX8 How JFK Almost Caused World War 3 | Adam Ruins Everything]YouTube</ref>

The situation ended when Kennedy made a deal with Soviet leader [[Nikita Khrushchev]], where both nations would withdraw their missiles in exchange for peace. However, this deal was done totally in secret,<ref name=Adam/> with the public having no knowledge of this happening until 1989.<ref>[https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/cuban-missile-crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis] Air and Space</ref>

===Vietnam===
One of the most common beliefs regarding Kennedy is that he was an opponent of what later became the [[Vietnam War]]. In fact, one of the most common reasons stated by those who think his assassination was a conspiracy for the event occurring is that Kennedy was against Vietnam, and therefore the entire Military Industrial Complex.<ref name=Vietnam>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200720021142/https://nomagicbullets.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/7-president-kennedys-record-on-vietnam-is-unclear/ 7. President Kennedy’s record on Vietnam is unclear.] Wordpress</ref>

However, the actual reality of the situation is much more complicated. One interview commonly cited as evidence Kennedy was against intervention in Vietnam was held on September 2, 1963, and sees him saying on the people of said nation “they’re the ones who have to win it or lose it.” However, if one checks that same interview, they find Kennedy saying he doesn't "agree with those who say we should withdraw. That’d be a great mistake. That’d be a great mistake.”<ref name=Vietnam/>

Much of the early escalation in Vietnam was done by Kennedy. Before Kennedy took office, it was uncertain if the United States was going to remain in South Vietnam for much longer, and it was him (in spite of the warnings of French General Charles de Gaulle) who sent military advisors, money, and weapons to those opposed to the Communist North Vietnamese government in far greater amounts than any previous President. Kennedy also was openly fine with the assassination of South Vietnam's President Ngo Dinh Diem.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQRfckSANI The Vietnam War Explained] YouTube</ref>

===MLK & JFK===
Another issue where Kennedy was quite complicated involves his record on civil rights, specifically seen through his relationship with the famous activist Martin Luther King Jr. Kennedy famously paid King's bail when he was imprisoned in 1960, which is widely seen as one of the major events that caused Kennedy to win the election that year.<ref>[https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/02/24/georgia-today-how-mlks-prison-sentence-landed-jfk-in-the-white-house Georgia Today: How MLK's Prison Sentence Landed JFK In The White House] GPB</ref> Kennedy also spent much of his final year in office working on a Civil Rights bill for African Americans, and had previously sent federal troops to make sure states complied with already existing desegregation orders.<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/civil-rights-movement THE MODERN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION] JFK Library</ref>

However, the FBI's wire tapping of MLK was approved by then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy in 1962. This was done largely because King was close friends with Stanley David Levison, who the FBI believed was a member of the Communist Party. Members of the Kennedy administration, including President Kennedy himself, attempted to get King to distance himself from Levison, but King refused.<ref name=History>[https://www.history.com/news/martin-luther-king-jr-fbi-j-edgar-hoover-communism Why the FBI Saw Martin Luther King Jr. as a Communist Threat] History</ref>

At first, the goal was simply to spy on King's friends who the FBI viewed as Communists, however by October 1963 the FBI was looking into King himself, specifically to gather evidence regarding his alleged communist ties. Instead, however, the investigation soon became about finding evidence of King's extramarital affairs in hopes of discrediting him in the eyes of the public.<ref name=History/>

This began at the very end of Kennedy's life, and much of the worst of it, including the infamous letter requesting MLK commit suicide or else his personal life be exposed, happened after his death.<ref name=History/> Still, it is largely considered a massive blackmark on his administration.

==="Secret Societies" speech===
On April 27, 1961, Kennedy gave a speech to the American Newspaper Publishers Association in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, [[New York]]. Aside from being a particularly good example of Kennedy's grasp of [[rhetoric]]al pathos, it's become prevalent amongst online [[conspiracy]] whackjobs, almost exclusively because Kennedy used the term "secret society" on one occasion and made reference to the U.S. being opposed around the world by a "
[[Vast right-wing conspiracy|vast right-wing]]
 monolithic and ruthless conspiracy," which relies variously on "infiltration instead of invasion," "subversion instead of elections," "intimidation instead of free choice," and "guerillas by night" to "expand its sphere of influence." 

Versions of this speech are all over [[YouTube]] with ridiculous titles (e.g., "JFK blows the whistle on [[9/11 conspiracy theories|9/11]]") - the speech is generally [[quote mine]]d down from its original 20-minute length to a pithy five minutes (some are as short as a minute or two) which focuses on the juicy (when decontextualized) statements listed above. However, they're invariably so poorly edited that the speech doesn't actually make much narrative sense (although it's certainly a credit to Kennedy's aforementioned grasp of highly charged rhetoric that he can sound convincing and purposeful even when what he's saying is incoherent). All in all, these videos command a combined viewership of several million.

Depending on what theories you subscribe to, JFK was referring to one or all of the following: the [[CIA]], the [[Federal_Reserve|Fed]], the [[FBI]], the [[Illuminati]], the [[New World Order]], [[9/11]], [[Mossad]], [[Princess Diana|MI6]], [[Freemasons]], [[International Jewish Conspiracy|Israel]], [[Skull & Bones|Skull & Bones Society]], [[Alex Jones|Big Government]], and so on. However, many conspiracy peddlers seem to be in agreement that it was this speech that led to his assassination.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that Kennedy was talking about something ''totally unrelated'' to any of the targets just mentioned (although, ironically, JFK's statements about this enemy's behavior are directly applicable to the actions of the U.S. throughout the [[Cold War]] period). Additionally, for a speech that supposedly threatened [[the powers that be]] to such a degree that they had no recourse but to assassinate Kennedy in cold-blood two and a half years later, verbatim text transcripts of the speech in its distinctly non-scurrilous entirety (and a full audio recording) are freely available in numerous places on the web.<ref>[http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/JFK-Speeches/American-Newspaper-Publishers-Association_19610427.aspx Address before the American Newspaper Publishers Association, April 27, 1961], John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum</ref> A brief read or listen of the oratory in full reveals that Kennedy was clearly speaking about the [[Soviet Union]]. It's due to their own generalized idiocy ([[ignorance]] of the logistics and history of the Cold War, ignorance of the use of terms like 'closed society' and 'Iron Curtain' in political discourse, etc.) that conspiracy theorists believe differently.

====When the truth is not enough====
In the spirit of the above, multiple totally fabricated quotes have been attributed to Kennedy in spite of him never having said them. The most common of these fake quotes being:

{{quotebox|There exists in this country a plot to enslave every man woman and child. Before I leave this high and noble office, I intend to expose this plot.<ref>[https://www.metabunk.org/threads/debunked-theres-a-plot-in-this-country-to-enslave-every-man-woman-and-child-jfk.319/ Debunked: There's a plot in this country to enslave every man, woman, and child. JFK] Metabunk</ref>}}

{{quotebox|One day after I am long gone, you will remember me and say, we should have stopped the nuclear program of Israel, abolished the Federal Reserve and kicked all secret societies, occultists, usurpers, and Zionists out of our wonderful country, to keep it that way, but it is never too late, just remember that.<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/one-day-long-gone/ 'One Day After I Am Long Gone', Snopes]</ref>}}

==Democrat or Republican?==
One of the most common talking points about Kennedy from those on the right is that, if he were alive today, he would be a proud Republican. Larry Elder pushed that idea in a 2017 video for PragerU<ref name=PragerU>[https://www.prageru.com/video/jfk-democrat-or-republican JFK: Democrat or Republican?] PragerU</ref> and Ted Cruz did the same two years before while running for President.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rurnz8HuBE Ted Cruz: JFK would be GOP today] YouTube</ref>{{efn|According to Trump, his father did not feel the same way.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-36195317 Trump links Cruz's father to Kennedy assassination BBC]</ref>}}

The PragerU video is filled with historical distortions. Elder quotes Ronald Reagan saying “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me,” in order to show how much the DNC has changed over the years,<ref name=PragerU/> while leaving out the fact that Reagan was against Kennedy in 1960, even comparing his plans to those of Karl Marx.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/24/us/mondale-says-reagan-note-compared-kennedy-to-marx.html MONDALE SAYS REAGAN NOTE COMPARED KENNEDY TO MARX]''The New York Times''</ref>{{efn|Mind you, comparisons to Kennedy were a Reagan stable done by his own administration, with Ted Kennedy once quipping "Only in 1984 could anyone who part of Democrats for Nixon in 1960 go around parading himself as the new JFK.<ref name=Paul>''The Clothes Have No Emperor: A Chronicle of the American 80s'' by Paul Slansky</ref>{{rp|108}}}}

Elder specifically takes a look at JFK's views on taxes, saying:

{{quotebox|Kennedy was an ardent proponent of across-the-board tax cuts, believing that more cash in the hands of all Americans, including the so-called wealthy, and a lighter footprint from the IRS would grow the economy. “A tax cut means higher family income and higher business profits,” Kennedy said in an address to the nation shortly before his death. “Every taxpayer and his family will have more money left over after taxes for a new car, a new home, new conveniences, education and investment. Every businessman can keep a higher percentage of his profits in his cash register or put it to work expanding or improving his business.”<ref name=PragerU/>}}

The issue at hand is that, although Kennedy did support some tax cuts throughout his time in the White House, the reality is far more complicated than Elder states. As Scotty Cameron noted in 2019:

{{quotebox|What Kennedy supported was a tax system where the rich paid their fair share in taxes on both the surface and in reality. One of the biggest issues Kennedy had with the Eisenhower tax plans were the loopholes that were included in them. These loopholes allowed the rich to get off scot-free without paying taxes. So while Kennedy reduced the top marginal tax rate from 91% to 74%, he also closed loopholes in the tax code which forced the rich to actually pay their taxes instead of finding a way to get out of paying their taxes. Secondly, Kennedy never pitched his tax plan as a tax cut or tax cuts, he pitched them as tax changes. Why? It’s because Kennedy didn’t plan on continuing to sign tax cuts into law as Reagan and Bush Jr. did, he planned on also signing tax increases into law to pay for programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Universal Healthcare program he wanted to implement. Yes, that’s right conservatives, Kennedy supported that scary socialist healthcare program that Bernie Sanders is campaigning for. As a matter of fact, Ronald Reagan recorded an album where he expressed his disapproval of John F. Kennedy’s healthcare proposals. Reagan decried the idea of “socialized medicine,” Kennedy endorsed it.<ref name=Medium>[https://sacam97.medium.com/debunking-right-wing-myths-kennedy-wasnt-a-conservative-he-was-a-progressive-36c3c142958e Debunking Right-Wing Myths: Kennedy Wasn’t a Conservative, He Was a Progressive.] Medium</ref>}}

Kennedy was primarily concerned with making sure the government got enough revenue to fund his social programs. Going back to Cameron, he writes "John F. Kennedy wanted to increase revenue to the government to increase the amount of money to the government so he could increase the amount of money he could spend on healthcare, education, and housing. Today’s Republicans want to cut spending on healthcare, education, and housing."<ref name=Medium/> This was even seen in the same part of the speech Elder mentioned that he quoted from, as the full quote reads:

{{quotebox|Fourth, a tax cut means higher family income and higher business profits and a balanced Federal budget. Every taxpayer and his family will have more money left over after taxes for a new car, a new home, new conveniences, education, and investment. Every businessman can keep a higher percentage of his 'profits in his cash register or put it to work expanding or improving his business, and as the national income grows, the Federal Government will ultimately end up with more revenues.

Prosperity is the real way to balance our budget. Our tax rates are so high today that the growth of profits and pay checks in this country have been stunted. Our tax revenues have been depressed and our books for
7 out of the last 10 years have been in the red. By lowering tax rates, by increasing jobs and income, we can expand tax revenues and bring finally our budget into balance, and to assist further in this effort we have pledged an even tighter rein on Federal expenditures, limiting our outlays to those activities which are fully essential to the Nation. Spending will be controlled and our deficit will be reduced.<ref>[https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/radio-and-television-address-the-nation-the-test-ban-treaty-and-the-tax-reduction-bill Radio and Television Address to the Nation on the Test Ban Treaty and the Tax Reduction Bill]</ref>}}

Elder similarly tries to argue that Kennedy was against the policy of affirmative action,<ref name=PragerU/> this is in spite of the fact that "the first executive order Kennedy enacted as president in regards to Civil Rights was an affirmative action policy."<ref name=Medium/>

==Pulitzer fraud?==
One of Kennedy's most famous works, outside of anything he did in the White House, is his 1956 book ''Profiles in Courage'' where he goes over nine people throughout American history who he believed showed great courage during their time in office. The book was incredibly popular, becoming a best-seller rather quick,<ref name=Politico>[https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/02/11/john-f-kennedy-pulitzer-obsession-consumed-him-113452 ‘I Would Rather Win a Pulitzer Prize Than Be President’] Politico</ref> and even won Kennedy a Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957.<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/events-and-awards/profile-in-courage-award/about-the-book ABOUT THE BOOK] JFK Library</ref> In 1989, his family even created The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, which exists to honor the people who show the same courage Kennedy described in his famous book.<ref>[https://www.jfklibrary.org/events-and-awards/profile-in-courage-award/about-the-award ABOUT THE AWARD] JFK Library</ref>

However, despite it being so associated with Kennedy's name, Kennedy is said to have little involvement with the book itself. As early as 1957, rumors were circulating that Kennedy hired Ted Sorensen to ghostwrite the book. Both Kennedy and Sorensen denied that was the case,<ref name=Politico/> although Sorensen has admitted to being behind the first draft of most chapters in the book.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-01-la-me-ted-sorensen-20101101-story.html Theodore C. Sorensen dies at 82; JFK’s close advisor and writer-in-residence] ''Los Angeles Times''</ref>

==Quotes==
*"If by a 'liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties - someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'liberal,' then I'm proud to say I'm a liberal."
*"We need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all - except the [[Censorship|censor]]."
*"Without debate, without criticism, no Administration and no country can succeed - and no republic can survive."
*"If [[art]] is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth."
*"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of [[moon landing|landing a man on the moon]] and returning him safely to the Earth."
*"We choose to go to the Moon, and do the other things, not because they are easy but because they are HAAAAHHD."
*"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
*"A [[Berlin Wall|wall]] is a hell of a lot better than a [[World War III|war]]."
*"Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind."
*"Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate."
*"'''If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.'''"

==See also==
*[[John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theory]]
*[[Anti-Catholicism]]
*[[Robert F. Kennedy]], his brother
*[[Kennedy]]
*[[QAnon]], a bizarre conspiracy that claims, among other things, that his son is still alive and fighting against a cabal of elite Satan-worshipping pedophiles.

==External links==
*[http://periodicpresidents.com/2013/03/23/jfks-portrait-why-is-he-looking-down/ JFK’s Portrait: Why is he looking down?]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2|80%}}

{{POTUS}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, John F.}}
[[Category:Catholics]]
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[[Category:Civil rights]]
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[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:JFK assassination]]
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[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:United States politicians]]

Categories: Catholics, Centrism, Civil rights, Cold War, Former United States Senators, Former United States Representatives, JFK assassination, Military, Liberals, Presidents of the United States, United States politicians