“He’s shown what he’s made of - gelatin.”
Actually, a smart reporter would have phrased the question by quoting JFK’s strong support for the need to use the bomb (while he was a liberal on domestic policy, too many forget how hardline Kennedy was when it came to military matters and foreign policy) and asking Obama whether he agreed with this. It is unimaginable that Obama would have publicly voiced any criticism of JFK. Of course such a response would not have revealed the man’s true feelings, but at least it would have avoided embarrassing Americans to have to see their spineless president show his true colors.
Harry Truman was a Democrat as well. Obama should have said that he would not second guess the decision made by a US President fighting for national survival in the midst of a global war that consumed over 80 million lives, including 416,000 Americans killed and more than 800,000 wounded. He could then say that he preferred to look forward than backwards and that Japan and the US have a strong alliance and warm friendship with Japan and its people.