The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. KennedyAn original and illuminating narrative revealing John F. Kennedy's lasting influence on America, by the acclaimed political analyst Larry J. Sabato. John F. Kennedy died almost half a century ago-yet because of his extraordinary promise and untimely death, his star still resonates strongly. On the anniversary of his assassination, celebrated political scientist and analyst Larry J. Sabato-himself a teenager in the early 1960s and inspired by JFK and his presidency-explores the fascinating and powerful influence he has had over five decades on the media, the general public, and especially on each of his nine presidential successors. A recent Gallup poll gave JFK the highest job approval rating of any of those successors, and millions remain captivated by his one thousand days in the White House. For all of them, and for those who feel he would not be judged so highly if he hadn't died tragically in office, The Kennedy Half-Century will be particularly revealing. Sabato reexamines JFK's assassination using heretofore unseen information to which he has had unique access, then documents the extraordinary effect the assassination has had on Americans of every modern generation through the most extensive survey ever undertaken on the public's view of a historical figure. The full and fascinating results, gathered by the accomplished pollsters Peter Hart and Geoff Garin, paint a compelling portrait of the country a half-century after the epochal killing. Just as significantly, Sabato shows how JFK's presidency has strongly influenced the policies and decisions-often in surprising ways-of every president since. Among the hundreds of books devoted to JFK, The Kennedy Half-Century stands apart for its rich insight and original perspective. Anyone who reads it will appreciate in new ways the profound impact JFK's short presidency has had on our national psyche. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 6 | |
All the Marbles | 34 |
Victory Without a Mandate | 58 |
The Torch Is Passed | 74 |
Steel at Home and Abroad | 98 |
Europe Space and Southeast Asia | 118 |
Echoes from Dealey Plaza | 132 |
Crossed Swords Camelot vs the Great Society | 275 |
Tin Soldiers and Nixon Coming JFKs Repudiation and Revival | 299 |
The Carters and the Kennedys Democratic Hatfields and McCoys | 322 |
Reagan and Kennedy Opposites Attract | 337 |
Clinton Grabs Kennedys Torch | 370 |
G W Bush Back to the Republican Kennedys | 390 |
Full Circle The Twinning of Barack Obama and John Kennedy | 395 |
The Peoples President | 406 |
112263 Questions Answers Mysteries | 160 |
Rounding Up the Usual Suspects The Assassinations Puzzle Palace | 186 |
Examining the Physical Evidence Old and New Controversies | 208 |
Inevitability The Assassination That Had to Happen | 231 |
The Assassination and the Kennedy Legacy | 240 |
Let Us Continue Lyndon JohnsonPretender to the Throne | 257 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accessed April accessed January accessed July American Presidency Project asked August Barack Obama Bay of Pigs Bill Clinton Bobby Boston bullet Bush campaign Carter Castro civil rights Committee Communist conspiracy Cuba Cuban Dallas Dallek Dealey Plaza debate Democratic Dictabelt election film Folder Ford Gary Mack Gerhard Peters History Jack Jackie JFK Assassination JFK’s John F John Kennedy June Kennedy assassination Kennedy Library Kennedy’s Khrushchev killed knew later LBJ’s Lee Harvey Oswald legacy Lyndon Johnson March Missile motorcade murder National nedy never November 22 Obama October Online by Gerhard percent Peters and John political President Kennedy presidential Press record Report Republican Richard Nixon Robert Kennedy Ronald Reagan Ruby Senator September shot Sorensen Soviet speech Ted Kennedy Ted Sorensen television Texas tion told United vice president Vietnam vote wanted Warren Commission Washington Post White House Woolley