Introduction
John F. Kennedy is perceived by many as the first modern president in the history of United States of America and the whole world. Most renowned authors unanimously agree that his natural charisma and leadership qualities were overwhelming. His brave and courageous outlook made him to be admired by many during his lifetime and even after he was assassinated in 22nd November 1963. He positively affected American life and politics to present day. Although he may have developed political enemies which led to his death, John F. Kennedy left an indelible mark by setting new standards of leadership characterized by contemporary elements.
Leadership Abilities
Barnes observes that “you don’t have to look far for the evidence of the imprint Kennedy left…” Since his death, all the presidents and the presidential candidates tend to identify with him in many ways. In other words, his leadership skills were unique. He left a legacy which is still being cherished up to date. For example, “Lyndon Johnson was obsessed with living in Kennedy’s shadow”1. Another example was Jimmy Carter. He was extremely marveled when the Time magazine described him as “Kennedyesque”.
One of the reasons why John F. Kennedy was able to steer leadership well was his vision. This is a word applied mostly in leadership. To some people, vision is a very important phenomenon if leadership has to succeed. However, there are those who think that the process of crafting, developing and living by a particular vision is cumbersome and time consuming. John FK believed in leadership vision and as result, he developed one. He realized that the ability of vision to have people listen to him was paramount Barnes asserts his vision which said
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwillingness to witness the slow undoing….
Kennedy was definitely going deep in his quest for modern leadership. He did not want to do it the old way. None of the earlier American presidents had attempted to set up a clear vision as this one. Obviously, this created a new beginning in American politics.
It is interesting that Kennedy showed his leadership prowess while still young. As Barnes recounts, Kennedy was once described as a ring leader of “muckers” by St John who was presiding at a chapel. His father was summoned by the chapel master over the state of his in-disciplined son. Young Kennedy “gathered a group of about a dozen other like-minded boys”. This group’s aim was to create chaos in campus. This threat terrified St. John. As a result, Kennedy was not expelled. This brave challenge was just preparing him for higher leadership position in future.
Barnes notes that “leaders who leave a mark are all ‘muckers’ to some extent or another”. He eventually rose to leadership in a way that none of his predecessors could imagine. Even his rivals were greatly surprised at how he managed to achieve such enormous success.
His way of running political affairs of his country was completely different. When he “decided to run for Congress in 1946, Massachusetts Democratic politics was about as spontaneous Japanese Kabuki dance”. It was a joke for a young man to run for a political seat during that time. He, however, organized local neighborhood groups to set forth his political career.
The Use of Television
John F. Kennedy was a determined leader in all respects. According to JKF presidential library and Museum archive report, “he captured the Democratic nomination in 1960 and went on to win one of the closest elections in U.S. history”. This was a terrible time in the United States history bearing in mind that the Soviet Union and the United States were under high tension of Cold War.
He won the Democratic nomination still at a tender age of forty three. His rivals, according to the report, accused him of no experience in international matters. His faith as a Catholic also stirred a lot of controversy in his quest for leadership. “He had to overcome the traditional assumption that a winning candidate must have the support of entrenched party leaders.” Due to his charismatic nature, he even won with a big margin in Protestant West Virginia. This victory was not expected from him bearing in mind that he was young aspiring leader who perhaps was not popular during that time. Although he was a staunch Catholic, his eloquence nature led him to astounding victory in the end. After picking Lyndon Johnson, a Texas Senator, to be his running partner, he informed the convention that “he would get the nation moving again and declared that the United States would have the will and the strength to resist communism around the world”. There was something very new and interesting about his campaign tactics. Nixon led the polls after the conventions. This was the first time television was used for live debates. It was Kennedy who decided to “challenge the Vice President to a series of televised debates”. It was a unique campaign tool invented by none other than Kennedy. It also set a new order that would be followed by his successors long after his death.
The JKF presidential Library and Museum report continue to shed more light on this. It is surprising that less than 15 % of American households had black and white television by 1950. The entrance of John F. Kennedy into televised campaign debates changed the entire face of television use among the Americans. The report estimates that “seventy million Americans, about 2/3 of the electorate, watched the first debate on September 26th”. This was an incredible revolution in American politics. Kennedy still maintained his charisma even with this new development in place. He spoke one on one and eloquently to cameras and most important he impressed his countrywide supporters who were watching him speak with agility and courage. The general feeling from those Americans who were watching the live debate was that Kennedy was already a victor.
John F. Kennedy performed everything in his own ways and fashion. For instance, Letitia Baldrige was the social secretary to Kennedy’s wife, Jacqueline who was also the third youngest first lady of her time. Ms Letitia was just a friend and was appointed to this powerful position in White House. Her main duty was to “assist the First Lady in planning the many state dinners and social gatherings in the White House”. Kennedy drove a message of boldness to future American leaders. His new system of appointments was to shape the future history of United States. He also made it clear that communication is vital in every aspect of life including politics.
To recap this topic, it is evident that John F. Kennedy was an assertive character who did not consider stumbling blocks as an excuse to ones dreams. He illustrated in the many of his speeches that effort in communication is vital. Future leaders like Walter Cronkite, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Richmond followed his footsteps in their leadership skills.
Bibliography
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Historical Resources; JKF in History, Biographies and Profiles. 2009. Web.
J. A. Barnes. John F. Kennedy on Leadership. The lessons and Legacy of a President American Management Association, New York, 2007