November 22nd

On, this date in 1963 our 35th President was assassinated (what a shame) ...had he lived what a different would we would be living in today..

Now, 50 some years later.. America has a chance to do it again...IF, we can put aside some of our differences and unite behind the 47th President...

Not good that anyone should be assassinated.

But he did enough 'good' while he was President.

He was a once-in-a-lifetime leader ,,Some of his greatest accomplishments as president include:

The Cuban Missile Crisis,,and working toward civil rights for African Americans. 

Kennedy was a supporter of firearms and the Second Amendment. JFK was one of eight U.S. presidents to “have been lifetime members of the NRA.” He believed that the Second Amendment was important for protecting citizens against government tyranny.

Most of the Democrats of today ..probably wouldn't vote for him..

JFK was anti-communism and socialism, and supported tax cuts and low taxes.

@SarasotaSlim

 How do you address his 'failures' or non-achievements and reconcile it with his achievements?  In fact, one of the main knocks on him is that the civil rights was a lot of non-action and lip-service.

But what about some of the other issues.  How do you feel about them?

My contention is that he is overrated by at least 5 - 10 spots, more or less, because he was assassinated.

@Raiders22

Since, I was a young man when JFK was President ...I can remember how people of that time felt about him.. They were excited and happy and believed he would change things for the better.....He was only President for 2 yrs and 10 mths and did not have the full time to finish some of the actions he wanted implemented...

 Some critics do say JFK was not fully committed to civil rights. However,the 1964 Civil Rights Act.is one of the most significant legislative achievements in American history and it was proposed by him..

As far as,some of the other issues...just because he was considered a womanizer does not diminish him in my mind.

@SarasotaSlim

 For sure he was very charismatic and good-looking.  Those are two of the three main reasons he won.  He drew the women's vote out and that was, more or less, the first election that women decided.  It can be argued they have decided every one since then.

Not just womanizer.  

The Cuban Missile Crisis, the support of the Baathist, worsening Vietnam, Bay of Pigs, Vienna, After being irate about the Freedom Riders he succumbed to immense pressure to start a Civil Rights move -- but still drug his feet, okayed the Equal Pay Act -- but otherwise not much on the domestic front.  Abuse of use of the IRS and FBI, etc.

I am not big on thinking a President has to be morally like a priest.  So, the womanizing I give a 'pass' on.  But the dirty campaigning tricks would lend a case for where the problem(s) with 'dirty poltics' started in the modern times and set the stage going forward.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was not completely the win that so many proclaim.  You have to see it in its entirety with the situation where he then had to pull missiles from Turkey, etc.

I agree that the modern Democrats would want him to be more radical.  I also agree with him on a lot of his stances -- like supporting the EC and the ones you mentioned.

But I think the not-so-good that he did, caused, or did not prevent are glossed over.  Mainly because he was killed in office and from the way he sold himself when running with the family and war-hero as opposed to the way things had been done before.

So, especially with TV, the folks had a 'certain' perception of who he was and that helps to 'overrate' him somewhat.

I do think he was top 2-4 Democrats, just not as good as some historians and the media have led the public to believe.

I am not saying I think was horrible; simply regarded too highly.