Not that long ago, we remembered the 50th anniversary of the assassination of U.S. President John Kennedy. As a result, there was a great deal said about the man and his legacy. I’d like to add to that by compiling a list of lessons that contemporary politicians can take away from the former President:
1. Think Big – Right in his inaugural address, Kennedy stated that the United States would put a man on the moon and bring him back safely before the decade was complete. No one, including the President, had any idea of how they would do it…but, he had absolute confidence that the people that he led could do it. And, they did. He demanded the impossible of his nation, and they made it happen.
2. Don’t Back Down From the Forces of Evil – Every leader in a free society faces a form of evil that renounces the very freedoms that we hold dear. Kennedy was no different. The Cuban Missile Crises presented him with just such a challenge. The former Soviet Union decided to place offensive nuclear weapons in Cuba. Kennedy knew this to be an unacceptable threat to his nation and it’s people. Without going into the details of the 13 days of the crises (this is a blog and not a book), Kennedy demanded their removal and was prepared to do what was necessary to ensure the safety of the nation he led. He refused to accept as inevitable the imminent threat that was posed to his nation, and, the missiles were removed.
3. Face Your Opponents – John Kennedy had many critics for his policies. Forgotten to time is the fact that his approval rating was not as high as a President seeking re-election in one year would hope. An example of a piece of legislation that was causing problems for his popularity, at least in a portion of the nation, was the Civil Rights Act (that was finally passed under Lyndon Johnson). Kennedy could have focused on legislators from northern states, his natural constituency, to ensure it’s passage. Instead, he chose to demand action from all corners of the country…including Texas.
4. Take Responsibility – The Bay of Pigs invasion, fiasco, during the first 100 days of his administration could have derailed his entire presidency. He had an out…the plan was put together during the Eisenhower administration. He could have blamed “the other guy”. Instead, he took full responsibility. He did not shy away from the fact that (using the Harry Truman maxim) “The Buck Stops Here”. He explained the facts, but took responsibility for the invasion’s failure.
This is, by no means, a comprehensive list. It does, however, provide another reason that the Kennedy legacy translates forward after 50 years. Each of these lessons can (and should) be used by every contemporary politician, regardless of party, or ideology. And, that’s probably why he is still held in such esteem after all this time…his own presidency transcended both party and ideology (a discussion for a future blog).
What do you think? Are there more lessons? Am I stretching it with the ones that I’ve presented? Post your comments.