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President John F. Kennedy

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President John F. Kennedy
There is something about John F. Kennedy. Could it be his

charisma and charm that still entrances America? Maybe it

is his elevated status as a pop culture icon that bedazzles

most American citizens. It might be the martyr status he

attained through his tragic assassination that makes

American culture revere him as a President. Whatever the

reason is that defines John F. Kennedy as probably one of

the most beloved Presidents in American History; one

assumption by many is that it has nothing to do with his

political legacy. Many respected historians will tell you that

he has an insubstantial political legacy. Using the body of

legislation that was passed during his short time in office as

evidence, historians say that significant legislation was

lacking. More than likely they will remark about his

emphasis on rhetoric and his deficient action. On the other

hand, many historians and writers contend his political

legacy reverberates to this very day. They claim that

through his mastery of that novel medium of his day,

Television, his inclusion of culture into the office of

President, and most of all his idealism, echoes in today 's

political atmosphere. In total, the latter argument is actually

stronger. Although JFK does lack substantial legislation

that would bolster a claim to a significant political legacy, in

other ways John F. Kennedy has such an intense political

legacy that to this very day the Presidency of the United

States cannot escape it. In respect to truly monumental

legislation, John F. Kennedy does lack and therefore the

people who say he does not have a true political legacy

have a point. These critics believe a true political legacy is

in what the President has accomplished legislatively in the

White House. With Kennedy, they state he was more talk

than action. They do concede it was not truly do to his lack

of initiative. He did have many proposals, but because he

was dealing with a Congress that was very strong and



Cited: Http://users.southeast.net/~cheryl/auspeech.html, June 10, 1963 Aïda DiPace Donald. New York:Hill and Wang, 1966. Company, 1983. Schlesinger Jr., Arthur M. "Kennedy on the Eve." John F Aïda DiPace Donald. New York:Hill and Wang, 1966. York:Hill and Wang, 1966.

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