KENNEDY. DOMESTIC POLICY

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  • Created by: Megan1900
  • Created on: 14-04-18 14:41

KENNEDY (1960-1963)

DOMESTIC POLICY

   

Why Was Kennedy’s Youth And Father Both A Disadvantage And Advantage To His Campaign?

Youth: 

Advantage - Kennedy was good looking, he attracted people as he could work the crowds. He cited that not all Americans participated in the American Dream, 7% were unemployed. 

Father:

Advantage - Joseph Kennedy used his money and influence highly effectively in the 1960 election.

Disadvantage - His father supported the appeasement of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Many Americans thought that his father was trying to purchase the presidency for his son.

Kennedy was the only Catholic President. 

Why Was His Religion A Disadvantage To His Campaign?

Anti-Catholism remained strong in America. The narrow margin of his victory in terms of the popular vote owed much to Protestant reluctance to vote for the first Catholic President of the United States. 

How Did Eisenhower Contribute To Kennedy Winning The 1960 Election?

Eisenhower was not helpful to Nixon’s campaign (Republican option & Eisenhower’s vice president). Instead of Eisenhower promoting Nixon, he was defending his presidential record against Kennedy’s attacks on his policies on defence and poverty when Kennedy claimed 17 million Americans went to bed hungry. Eisenhower damaged Nixon’s campaign with huge cuts to ensure a surplus in 1960 and he refused to refute Kennedy’s accusations that there was a ‘missile gap’ in the soviets favour.

In the Live Debate Kennedy looked the better option to vote for. He was:

-Charismatic 

-Appealed to African Americans

-A good public speaker

-Kept looking down the camera and speaking directly to American people.

Kennedy’s Government Priorities And Administration 

How Did Kennedy’s Attitude To Poverty Change And Why? 

Campaigning in the impoverished areas of West Virginia in 1960 apparently opened Kennedy’s eyes to the problem of ‘Poverty and Surplus’

Why Was Foreign Affairs The Preferred Area Of Politics For Kennedy?

He had an intelligent grasp of foreign policy issues in his book Why England Sleeps (1940). Kennedy was more interested and confident in foreign politics. 

Personalities Of Kennedy’s Administration

Theodore Sorensen - He was a superb writer of speeches and articles whose skills Kennedy had used (He wrote articles in Kennedy’s name and contributed a lot to Kennedy’s 1956 Profiles In Courage.)

Lawrence O’Brien - Focused on legislative liaison

Kenneth O’Donnell - Appointment Secretary 

Robert Kennedy - Kennedy’s Brother, who became Attorney General, he

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