Where's the Aura? (Without Question, The Best JFK Editorial That I Have Read This Week)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Friday, November 21, 2003 | CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS

[presidio9]

A short while ago, I chanced to be in Dallas, Texas, making a documentary film. One of the shots involved a camera angle from a big commercial tower overlooking Dealey Plaza and the former "book depository," and it was later necessary for us to take the road through the celebrated underpass. The crew I worked with was younger than I am (you may as well make that much younger) and consisted of a Chinese-Australian, an English girl brought up in Africa, a Jewish guy from Brooklyn and other elements of a cross-section. As we passed the "Grassy Knoll," and looked up at the window, and saw the cross incised in the tarmac, I was interested by their lack of much interest. The event of Nov. 22, 1963 isn't half as real to them as the moment, say, when the planes commandeered by suicide-murderers flew into the New York skyline. Nor, as I realized, is it half as real or poignant to me as the site of Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. Time has a way of assigning value.

[kabar]

At least he was a terrific speaker and an inspiration to an entire generation of young people. At least he knew the facts and had the courage to execute his policies - and to change direction when he felt he'd made a mistake. These are no small things.

I agree with you about Kennedy's impact upon the nation and the body politic worldwide. It may have been a triumph of style over substance, but Kennedy did inspire many Americans to "ask not what you can your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." As an 18 year old, I delivered pamphlets door to door for him during the 1960 elections. He had energy, charisma, eloquence, and style presaging a new generation of Americans (including Irish Catholics) taking over the reins of power and the leadership of the free world. His Ich bin ein Berliner speech was great political theater and sent shockwaves through Eastern Europe. I am a card-carrying, contributing Republican conservative, but I have warm memories of Camelot and the inspiration it gave in terms of public service, e.g., the Peace Corps, and America's role in the world, i.e., "bearing any burden, paying any price in the defense of freedom."

[Redbob]

Back when the movie "PT-109" came out, the marquee on the Martin Theater in Eufaula, Alabama, read "PT-109 - See the Japs Almost get Kennedy!"

Naw, he wasn't universally loved by a long shot.
(Ah, no pun intended...)

[presidio9]

"ask not what you can your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

Plagarized quote.

[Overtaxed]

Ping!

[presidio9]

His Ich bin ein Berliner speech

Translation: "I am a jelly doughnut."

The Germans mocked him for that speech.

[Sam Cree]

Was Kennedy even a "liberal" by today's standards?

I was 14 when he was assassinated, but remember clearly my conservative parents, after having done volunteer work for the Nixon campaign, being somewhat agreeabley surprised by Kennedy's actual job performance.

Perhaps it was lowering of taxes that got their attention.

[carton253]

Didn't Joe die after John's boat was rammed and he became a hero? Wasn't jealousy of his brother that caused Joe to volunteer to take that fateful mission?

So, the buying of the PT boat wouldn't have happened because Old Joe lost young Joe in war.

[presidio9]

I am a card-carrying, contributing Republican conservative, but I have warm memories of Camelot

All "Republican conservatives" who use the term "Camelot" have been compromisd. What you remember fondly are the carefree days of your youth not an effective presidency.

The next time I hear someone bring up the Peace Corps as an accomplishment of an important presidency I am going to throw up.

[kabar]

The construction of the Berlin Wall was one of the biggest misteps ever made by the Russians and East Germans. It became a huge PR liability as every visit to Berlin by world leaders, parlimentarians, tourists, etc. included a visit to the Wall, which was built to keep people in, not others out. If we had tried to prevent it, it could have been the trigger for armed conflict, including the use of nuclear weapons. In 1989 the Wall came down and so did the Communist Empire.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Maybe Kennedy is too emotional a subject for him to tackle from an unbiased perspective."

Fer many liberal Democrats--perhaps including LL--you are exactly correct..."Camelot" was a heartstring-tuggin' bit of propagandizin' on a scale never before seen and--with the rise in alternative medias--never to be seen again. If you were a young idealist back in the early-60's, immersed in said propaganda, I can see where it'd be tough to give it up.

FReegards...MUD

[FastCoyote]

"Islamos not only don't care, they welcome death. It's like you literally have to eradicate them because rational self-interest doesn't control them the way it would anyone else"

Yup. I was debating an Egyptian gal in a chat, I told her "the suicide bombings stop, we leave". Her reply was, "suicide bombings continue so you leave". However, to allow them to win on these grounds would mean we would be vulnerable through eternity to suicide bombings worldwide. There may be no option but to wipe out large numbers of them for real, rather than just threatening to do so as in the Cold War.

[presidio9]

So, the buying of the PT boat wouldn't have happened because Old Joe lost young Joe in war.

Who said it did? Joe Jr. became a pilot against dad's wishes.

[ErnBatavia]

I like the keywords...

[liberallarry]

I respect that, but it says nothing about his second son's record as a President or as a naval commander. And it counter-balanced by the fact that he was an immoral crook with ties to the mob

MRCD has some very damaging things to say about Kennedy's war record. I hear some of them for the first time so I can't comment but - in general - war is a difficult arena and many unpredictable things happen for which men are often credited of blamed unjustly.

The Navy gave the man medals which you say were corruptly purchased. So be it.

Government has had intimate connections with the mob at least since WWII. I'd have to see a lot more evidence to believe that made Kennedy corrupt.

Immoral? Because he slept around? Because he recognized the hard Machiavellian realities of the world and was willing to act accordingly? Maybe in your book. Not in mine.

And yet you spend so much energy defending him? Why is that?

You've got to be kidding to make such a childish remark.

I see the man's flaws so I don't worship him.
I see the man's strengh's which I admire.
On balance, I have great respect for him - so I defend him.

I'm an adult and have adult opinions.

Gee, what a glowing recommendation. Favorably comparing a man to Clinton won't win you any points here.

If you don't yield to the charms of Nefertiti or Cleopatra are you a man at all?

And this "inspiration" becomes less and less relevant as that generation ages.

It's often been remarked that American culture is becoming increasingly vulgar - as your remark demonstrates.

The point is that he was forced "to change direction" a lot more often than he should have. He was not an inactive president. Just an ineffective one.

And you and those who think like you are the best judge of that?

I don't think so. The man was a great leader and, like all such, his legacy will be discussed and disputes for a long, long time.

[kabar]

His Ich bin ein Berliner speech Translation: "I am a jelly doughnut." The Germans mocked him for that speech.

I lived four years in Berlin (1983-87)while the wall was still up. Yes there was joking about the phrase, but believe me, JFK was and is revered by most Germans, including the woman I married. Many cities in Germany have streets, squares, etc. named after JFK. He is far from being a mocked figure.

[presidio9]

Kennedy died before I was born. My parents are both Irish Catholics. Neither of them voted for him, but neither of them ever said a bad word about the man. Here is my point: I agree that middle aged liberals can't get over JFK. But for the rest of us, especially those who never met the man or his "aura," his assassination is a somewhat relevant bit of history, but we can not begin to get worked up over "potential."

Mostly I'm pissed off because I like to go home and watch The History Channel every night, and I have seen nothing but JFK for a week. The man died 40 years ago and he did not do much of anything. I'm sick of it, and I don't care. And he better be off my TV by Monday or the folks at THC are getting a nasty letter from me.

[kabar]

All "Republican conservatives" who use the term "Camelot" have been compromisd. What you remember fondly are the carefree days of your youth not an effective presidency. The next time I hear someone bring up the Peace Corps as an accomplishment of an important presidency I am going to throw up. What qualifies you to decide who or who has not been compromised based on the use of the word Camelot? What's wrong with the Peace Corps?

[liberallarry]

Thanks MUD. I've always enjoyed our conversations...and your wit.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The biographers and archivists have done most of the relevant job of reporting and disclosing, and what they have reported and disclosed is a president frantically "high" on pills of all kinds (that's when he was not alarmingly "low" for the same reason); a president quick on the draw and willing to solicit Mafia hit-men for his foreign policy; a president willing to risk nuclear war to save his own face; a president who bugged his own Oval Office; a president who used the Executive Mansion as a bordello and a president whose name we might never have learned if not for the fanatical determination of his father to purchase him a political career.

He forgot to mention turning Cuba over to the Communists.

[liberallarry]

Where? Where did he lead us?

He led me to public service and love of country. To pride in being an American. Too bad he didn't do the same for you...if you were around at the time.