He was in Dallas that day to shore up support in the south for his re-election where one would naturally be pro-business, pro-economy - hardly surprising. Even Obama has been know to say one thing, do another.
•Was a staunch opponent of socialism and communism. He began our involvement in Vietnam to support fighting back Communism's spread in Asia. Would he have played for stalemate like LBJ - we will never know.
And, there are a lot of liberals out there that claim to this day one of the reasons he was killed because he was on the verge of pulling out of Viet Nam. Some even believe that this is why LBJ and the MIC had him killed. Or because he betrayed Cuban freedom fighters and the CIA at the Bay of Pigs invasion. Crazy theories all round.
•Was pro-life and publicly based his stance on his religious faith.
His party certainly wasn't/isn't. Must be why there isn't a whole lot of concrete data on the subject with any specificity.
•Showed national pride and belief in American exceptionalism. Space race, anyone?
Yes, and which President spoke with the astronauts on the moon? This President (along with LBJ) continued Kennedy's dream into reality.
By today's standards, Kennedy would certainly be a lesser of two evils Democrat with, say, Hillary or Obama - or Clinton. That doesn't make him Ronald Reagan by any stretch. Add to that a total lechery and hinted drug use (because of his back?),nepotism (RFK) and a questionable election via the auspices of his father and gangland (union?) Chicago and it isn't the pretty Camelot picture the media so loves to paint. If one wanted to see the 'real Camelot' he need only review the life of Ted Kennedy.
The media, even today, is still pining for a Camelot that never was. A dream they crafted after his death. And there are many out there that are more than willing to ascribe after-death events to Kennedy's 'vision' with great reverence and zeal.
Of course he was not the President who spoke with the astronauts on the moon. He wouldn't have been the President then if he lived out his two terms.
Do you deny his vision, based on national pride and to counter the USSR's Sputnik achievement, was the driving force in our space race? Did Obama get bin Laden or was it the completion of a decade long mission put into place by Bush?
Even though I would vote against him, there are a few policy issues and national sentiment ideals I can agree with JFK on. I cannot say the same for Obama, Reid or Pelosi.