Bloody conflict was becoming more prevalent on America's streets, and racial injustice remained rampant.Īssessments of Kennedy's presidency have spanned a wide spectrum. In the area of civil rights, some progress had been achieved, but these successes had come mostly in spite of-not because of-the White House. More importantly, the administration apparently had no realistic plan to resolve the conflict. Throughout the summer and fall of 1963, the situation in South Vietnam deteriorated by the end of Kennedy's presidency, 16,000 US military “advisers” had been dispatched to the country. And the work of civil rights activists and the occasional limited intervention of the federal government were slowly, but nevertheless steadily, wearing down the power of Southern segregationists.īut serious issues remained. Long-running, difficult negotiations finally resulted in a partial nuclear test ban treaty. Skillful statesmanship-and some luck-led to notable success in the showdown over Cuba. That impression began to change in the fall of 1962. A particularly difficult Cold War climate abroad, an antagonistic Congress at home, increasingly bold activist groups agitating for change, and a discouraging economic outlook all contributed to an increasingly negative view of the Kennedy White House. By the summer of 1962, the administration was in trouble. Many voters yearned for the dynamism that Kennedy's youth and politics implied, but others worried that Kennedy's inexperience made him a poor choice to lead the nation during such a challenging time.Įarly errors in judgment, particularly in the Bay of Pigs fiasco, seemingly confirmed these fears. Style became an essential complement to substance.īefore winning the presidency, Kennedy had lived a life of privilege and comfort, and his relatively short congressional career had been unremarkable.
Television began to have a real impact on voters and long, drawn-out election campaigns became the norm. Kennedy played a role in revolutionizing American politics. It was, in the words of one notable biographer, “an unfinished life.” For that reason, assessments of the Kennedy presidency remain mixed. Kennedy had promised much but never had the opportunity to see his program through.
0 kommentar(er)
