The book I read was Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. Empty Mansions is a biography telling the rags to riches tale of William Andrews Clark, a man who grew up in a log cabin and worked his way to a glorious mansion on Fifth Avenue. Throughout the biography, Dedman and Clark share the faded and forgotten memory American entrepreneur and politician, William Andrews Clark. While some historical figures in American History such as Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington are remembered by all, and even cherished through national holidays, other figures’ legacies are not so celebrated.
We can see why the term “Camelot” has come to mean a period of hope and prosperity. The time of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, along with the life of his brothers, was really an American Camelot. Even though those times were filled with issues and conflicts, it is still a well-remembered time in history. America put the first man on the moon, and the Cold War was
He has been described as ‘reluctant’, ‘intimidated by congress’ and with ‘moral passion missing’ as King once said. His fear of congress did limit his moves when acting for Civil Rights as it happened during the freedom rides and the sit-in protests of the early 1960’s. Many also argue that the Civil rights ‘was not his top priority’, ‘He was busy with many other issues, especially foreign affairs, that he didn't give it the kind of energy and attention that we might wish in retrospect,’ argues Barrett, who studies the Kennedy Administration. The President did not exert his power in domestic affairs, nor made efforts to influence congress , as Johnson did later on. His major concerns were the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam and communist containment, nothing domestic
“There is no such thing as defeat in nonviolence” (Chavez). In the 1960s, America believed it was standing on the Golden Age. On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy became President of the United States. During his presidential campaign in 1960, John F. Kennedy had made a set of laws called the “New Frontier,” which was a package of laws and reforms that sought to eliminate injustice and inequality in the United States. It was not until 1964, Kennedy was shot and President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency.
During the times that each man reigned in his presidency or kingship, people were mainly happy and loved their ruler. The proof of John F. Kennedy’s wonderful leadership was described by his wife as an American Camelot, which
John F. Kennedy discusses and analyzes on how the nation differs from the past and present day in that time period. Kennedy narrators on the division and war in the the world to appeal to the audience patriotism by using pathos and logos. In this speech President Kennedy states “to thoses who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request; that both sides begin the quest for peace, before the dark power of destruction unleashed.” He uses this quote to obtain a logical appeal to the appeal to the people. Kennedy uses logos to show that he wants the nation to come together and be humble together in one peace.
President Lyndon B. Johnson tragically stumbled into the presidency immediately following the assassination of John F Kennedy. In a time of nationally unrest and uncertainty, Johnson aspired to draw the country together. This would start with what he dubbed the “war on poverty”- the crux of his plan for establishing a Great Society. In what would eventually establish him in the memories of Americans as a champion of civil rights legislation, Johnson stepped in to fulfill the dreams of Kennedy’s New Frontier, expanding the original social goals. His efforts in attempting to achieve the Great Society brought about many changes to a pliable America.
John F Kennedy was a level headed, determined and well accomplished person. During his short-lived presidency, he had to take on challenges like no other and did it with sophistication and grace. From conflicts involving other countries, like Vietnam, to the Civil Rights Movement that directly affected our own country, Kennedy continued to take each problem day by day until there was an overall improvement or resolution. It would be safe to say that he is one of the more progressive presidents our country has ever seen. David Burner’s John F. Kennedy and a New Generation was written with the sole purpose of giving an insight into Kennedys upbringing and presidency in an entirely unbiased approach.
Kennedy was King Arthur. Jacqueline Kennedy was a kind, moral human being, who actually was the first one to use the idea of Camelot to describe the Kennedy administration. “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief, shining moment, that was known as Camelot.” (Jacqueline Kennedy, 1969) “The King with the Hundred Knights met a wonder dream two nights afore the battle, that there blew a great wind, and blew down their castles and their towns, and after that came a water and bare it all away. ”(Le Morte D’Arthur, 1485)
The presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson were marked by a tumultuous era in American history. From the Civil Rights Movement to the Vietnam War, these two Democratic presidents faced significant challenges that tested their leadership and vision for the country. However, their legacies also extended to the domestic policies they implemented during their time in office. In particular, comparing their approaches to addressing economic and social inequalities, civil rights, healthcare, and education reform provides valuable insights into the ways in which they attempted to shape American society. While Kennedy and Johnson shared similar goals of addressing societal issues, their strategies to achieve these goals differed greatly.
Kennedy reminds the world that “men from many nations and backgrounds founded this nation”. President Kennedy expresses how we should all unite as a group no matter the race, religion, or background of the man beside you. Kennedy later lets the world know that “the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are
John F. Kennedy was known for his charming, charismatic, and relatable personality which significantly attributed to him winning the presidency in 1960. These admirable characteristics of his were easily seen in his speeches as U.S. senator and as president, in which it was apparent he not only had the charm, but also incorporated his personal values into his administration as a public servent. One speech in particular which highlights this fact is his “City Upon a Hill” speech. John F. Kennedy’s “City Upon a Hill” speech was given on Jan. 9th 1961 as his final speech prior to being sworn in as president, which he delivered to the general court of Massachusetts. In this speech, Kennedy compared the impending challenges of his presidency to the troubles facing the first Puritan settlers of Massachusetts in the 1600's in John Winthrop’s original “city upon a hill” speech.
Kennedy wisely sticks to using pathos throughout his entire speech, rather than relying on his then-minimal ethos or allowing his stirring speech to become bogged down by logos represented by the dull facts and figures of statistics. As a very young President just starting his first term, Kennedy lacks the reputation and reliability that an older, more experienced politician might have available. While it is true that most of the nation had seen him on television during the Nixon-Kennedy Presidential debates, those debates were the near-total of the people’s exposure to the dashing young President, and a pretty face does not a solid political reputation make! However, no matter how dashing and heroic he might have appeared to be in those
John F. Kennedy was one of the first presidents to use broadcast television to address the nation. He is historically commended for his use of the newly developed technology and he utilized the resource in a methodical and strategic advantage. On June 11th, 1963, JFK delivered his speech, A Moral Dilemma, to the nation over broadcast television and threw his full support behind the civil rights movement and desegregation. This was a turning point--not only in the Civil Rights movement--but in American History. Through his use of rhetorical devices and analysis, Kennedy conveys the importance of desegregation and racial equality while exposing the hypocrisy within American foreign policy and domestic policy and creating a call to action--specifically geared towards white Americans.
As a boy and a man he suffered from a sense of emptiness: he couldn't stand to be alone; he needed constant companionship, attention, affection, and approval. He had a compulsion to be the best, to outdo everybody, to eclipse all his predecessors in the White House. ”He was the dominant political figure of the 1960s. He challenged us to wipe out poverty, to end racial segregation, and to win a morally confusing war in a remote place. But Lyndon Baines Johnson has largely receded from american memory.
