John F. Kennedy
Election of 1960:
- Johnson was his vice president; they didn't get along but he could help Kennedy get southern states
- Between JFK and Nixon; one of the closest elections in history (popular votes especially)
- Kennedy Advantages: 1. First presidential televised debates took place
2. He was younger and more good looking than Nixon
3. His appearence on tv
4. His father, Joseph Kennedy, really pushed to make sure his son was president. The father was also very good friend with Frank Sanatra, the singer, who hooked him up with the Mofia(big time group with strong influences). They made a deal to promote him and the Kennedy's would not mind him when he became preseident.
Backround:
- Served in WW2, was a US representative and senator from Massachutes
- Very wealthy and "groomed" growing up
- Loved partying and loved beautiful women and cheated often; he married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier
- First and only catholic president our country has every had; made sure to let people know he believed in seperation of church and state with no influence from the Pope.
- Youngest elected president and second youngest president
- Killed in 1963 in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvery Oswald
Accomplishments:
- Created the Peace Corps = helping other countries and in people in need overseas; involved many young people
- Kept interest rates down which helped the economy
- He made a statement saying we would be on the moon by the end of the decade
- Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis
- Kennedy increased the number of helicopters, military advisers, and undeclared U.S. special forces in Vietnam
- Under Kennedy, the CIA helped the new Baath party government overthrow communists in Iraq; this turned out to be negative when Suddam Hussein and that government became our enemy
- Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963
- Signed Equal Pay- equal pay for men and women
- The New Frontier (like New Deal):
Promised federal funding for:
- education
- medical care for the elderly
- economic aid to rural regions
- governement intervention to halt the recession
- end racial discrimination
Scandals:
- Main thing was women; he cheated a lot and was attracted to beautiful women like Marilyn Monroe. His wife didn't like this but she didn't want to ruin his career
Civil RIghts Issues:
- Big believer in it; wanted equlity regardless of color of skin, gender, etc.
Assassination:
- November 22, 1963 In Dallas, Texas in the ELite Plaza on a campaign trip
- Assinator= Lee Harvery Oswald by a rifle
- Govenor of Texas and secret service man were wounded
- Kennedy was pronounced dead in Parkland Hospital shortly after brought there
- Later Oswald was killed people going into court by Ruby
- Harvey was in the marines (sharp shooter; means he has a really good shot)
- Harvery has defection to the USSR
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