While it’s been 50 years since John F. Kennedy was assassinated–Nov. 22, 1963–his political influence still lives on today.
Even before the start of his campaign, President Obama was compared to President Kennedy. Now, on the eve of what may be one of the most historic weeks for Obama in the White House, the comparisons between him and Kennedy continue.
To mark the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death The Atlantic compiled a special issues of articles dating back to the time before Kennedy took office all the way up to today.
Chuck Todd spoke with The Atlantic’s James Bennet, The Center for American Progress’ Daniella Gibbs Leger, The Washington Post’s Dan Balz, and Republican strategist Katie Burke to look back on Kennedy’s lasting legacy.
Stressing the idea that Kennedy’s influence lives on, Bennet said traces of the former president are evident in Secretary of State John Kerry’s policies.
“You hear echoes of John F. Kennedy, particularly of what you hear from John Kerry today,” Bennet said. “He sees himself, really conscientiously, of carrying the torch of liberal idealistic interventionism.”
Balz points out that Pres. Obama is operating in a much different environment than Kennedy had.
“If you look at Syria versus the Bay of Pigs, which was Kennedy’s catastrophic intervention, there was not a public debate about the Bay of Pigs in the way there is a public debate about Syria today,” Balz said.
Anna Tuman