John F Kennedy Strengths And Weaknesses

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In 1961, one of the most famous American president began his term after a victory against the Republican candidate, Richard Nixon. Born into a family known for their democratic affiliation and larger wealth, John Fitzgerald Kennedy often stood out from the rest of his family as the trouble maker, frequently struggling in school and expressing annoyance with authority. Eventually, Kennedy’s attitude changed and was elected to congress in 1947. As his time in congress increased, so did his popularity. Soon, Kennedy decided to run for president, using his charisma, looks, and World War 2 popularity to earn him the votes that would elect him into office. JFK was a mediocre President because he was able to win over the hearts of many American …show more content…
Kennedy’s ability to use his personality and social abilities to gain the support of the American public was one of his most obvious strengths as president. However, when handling domestic issues, John F. Kennedy possessed both strengths and weaknesses. A strength Kennedy is often recognized for in regards to domestic issues is supporting and advocating for Civil Rights. For example, when Martin Luther King Jr., a major civil rights leader, was sent to Birmingham Jail, Kennedy called Mrs. King to see if she needed any assistance and to explain that he was going to attempt to release Mr. King from jail. In conjunction with directly lending assistance to the King family, Kennedy sent federal troops down to Mississippi to endorse James Meredith when the Ole Miss riot of 1962 broke out and Southern segregationists refused to allow attendance of the black US military veteran at the University of Mississippi. Before being assassinated in 1963, Kennedy confirmed his support of the Civil Rights movement by proposing a civil rights bill that would pass in congress following his death. It is believed Kennedy handled the civil rights movement well, and he stimulated the economy in several ways, but failed to surpass the resistance against a large number of bills that were part of his economic plan. One of Kennedy’s main goals concerning the American economy was to stop the current major recession, which he managed to do successfully. Nevertheless, his economic plan apart from the recession failed, with plans for a Department of Urban Affairs, aid to education, and medical care for the elderly failing to go beyond the stage of being a bill. Other plans Kennedy advocated for where lessened, making them less impactful to the economy, including tax cuts and civil rights bills. The most important characteristic of Kennedy’s presidency to be acknowledged when considering domestic issues is his failure to uplift American Morale under his

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