Posted on 11/20/2013 6:46:51 AM PST by headsonpikes
WASHINGTON - John F. Kennedy's personal pollster came to Canada with an assumed name, the blessing of the president and a secret objective: help defeat the Diefenbaker Tories.
Canadians might be surprised by the extent to which political events in this country were shaped by the charismatic U.S. leader, famously assassinated 50 years ago this week.
Helping to elect the Pearson Liberals, for starters, who would go on to introduce a new national flag, expand the welfare state and create medicare, the old-age pension system, and the royal commission on bilingualism.
The Liberals got tactical support, with state-of-the-art polling. Diplomatic rockets rained down on their opponents. And in the heat of an election campaign, the opposition leader was invited to the White House as an honoured guest.
The perceived interference became so acute that a fuming John Diefenbaker eventually took the extraordinary step of recalling Canada's ambassador to the U.S.
That diplomatic riposte failed to stop the Diefenbaker Conservatives from disintegrating, through internal divisions and a non-confidence motion that focused specifically on relations with the U.S.
Did Kennedy play a determining role?
"I think he played a very major role in Canadian history," John English, Pearson's biographer and a one-time Liberal MP, said in an interview.
"He definitely influenced Canadian history through the 1962-63 election period. There's no doubt that his animosity to Diefenbaker made his position very difficult not only with the broader public, but within his own party."
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalnewswatch.com ...
ping
The world would be a much better place had Old Man Joseph K. been sterile
The world would be a much better place had Old Man Joseph K. been sterile
Kennedy was assassinated, that’s about it.
lets see now could itbe screwed Monroe..along with the rest of the brothers
Canada Ping!
So JFK played a major role in turning Canada left.
...or if he and his wife had been into abortion.
“Kennedy was assassinated, thats about it.”
—
You’re right-—the “Died Young Syndrome”.
Instant sanctification.
.
Ironically, the best PM of that time would have been an American capitalist who sat in the commons as a liberal, C.D. Howe.
I can not imagine a Democrat uttering those words today.
President Kennedy's inaugural address in Washington D.C. In his speech President Kennedy urges American citizens to participate in public service and "ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country." Democrats today will ever utter those words today nor vote to reduce taxes
The only part they accept that is he was weak at foreign policy.
If Kennedy hadn’t run like a rabbit at the Bay of Pigs Khrushchev never would have found the courage to move missiles into Cuba. Kennedy’s supposed finest hour, the Cuban Missile Crusis was a self-imposed near disaster. It was a product of his cowardice.
He demonstrated the value TV would be for politics. He was telegenic.. that is the lone reason that made him a "great" president.
C.D. Howe, eh? That d*mned Liberal!
My old man would have chased you around the yard!
Cheers!
In the aftermath of the Dief debacle and Liberal triumph, I was a Davie Fulton supporter, which I acknowledge to have been a futile gesture.
I think conservatives let the Left off easy on JFK.
” Lower rates of taxation will stimulate economic activity to yield and INCREASED... flow of revenues to the federal government “
...JOHN F. KENNEDY...(what Democrats used to be)
We should hammer them on the fact that the Leftists have taken over their Party.
Hell Kennedy was to the right of Reagan and Bush on foreign policy. He actually supported fighting for freedom everywhere and sent 15,000 advisers and Special Forces he invented just for Vietnam, to fight for freedom in Vietnam.
Think about it.
He was George W Bush before Bush an without a 9-11 to provoke him.
The speech may have had some catchy lines but it was not a great speech. Kennedy stated that we held the power to end poverty for mankind. Christ said the poor are with you always but here was JFK saying that with innovative progressive initiatives (proper liberal programs, foreign aid, the UN) poverty would be a thing of the past worldwide.
Dief killed the Arrow, Howe would have built it. What kind of a nation would we be now if we had built the Arrow?
“.. it be screwed Monroe.. along witht he rest of the brothers”.
He screwed Monroe’s brothers?!! /s
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