by Emily Carter-Dunn

Created on: February 20, 2007   Last Updated: September 09, 2007

John F. Kennedy took office in 1961 after a marginal victory over Richard Nixon. Kennedy signaled the beginning of a new era for the United States as he was the youngest president to ever hold office and was hailed as a celebrity by many Americans. In Kennedy's inaugural speech in 1961, he declared that "the torch has been passed on to a new generation of Americans", one that was "unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has been committed." Kennedy was very interested in his foreign policy and this was apparent throughout his term in office.

How great a president John F. Kennedy was has been a widely debated subject since his assassination in 1963 and this essay aims to discover whether John F. Kennedy was as great a president as he has been remembered or if his assassination has overshadowed his poor presidential skills.

John F. Kennedy has been remembered in a number of ways. One way he has been remembered is as celebrity and the ideal family man. John F. Kennedy was elected in 1961 as the youngest president to ever come to office in the United States. He was married to a beautiful and wealthy woman, Jackie, with whom he had 2 children. Kennedy was seen as the ideal family man and many people looked up to him, so it was hardly surprising that thousands turned up to see him wherever he visited.

Kennedy's youth and energy made him very popular among many Americans which led him to gain celebrity status. Kennedy also led a playboy' lifestyle during his time as Senator which also led him to be branded as a celebrity by many Americans. For these reasons, Kennedy has been remembered as a wonderful man who was an icon for many American families. His image led him to be very popular among his people who represented the young and energetic America of the 1960's.

However, there was a downside to this image. Many of his opponents saw his youth and playboy' lifestyle as a sign of weakness and thought this showed a lack of experience in the president. Kennedy, therefore, lacked support in Congress when he most needed it. Even Vice President Johnson failed to support him when he needed it most. The above is what Kennedy has been mostly remembered as, but Kennedy has also been remembered for his successes in his domestic policy.

John F. Kennedy achieved a number of successes in his domestic policy. One in particular that was viewed in such a way was his improvement to the US economy. When Kennedy came to office in 1961, there

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