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NNadir

(36,471 posts)

72. This is a guy who watched King's "I have a dream speech" a few blocks away on television, afraid it would cost him....

Reply to Jack Valentino (Reply #62)

Wed Jul 2, 2025, 03:39 AM

Jul 2

....votes.

It is a historical FACT that Kennedy ran for President on complaining about a non-existent "missile gap," and was a fucking cold warrior. His father assured everyone who asked that his son was "no liberal," and was correct in that assessment.

He enthusiastically embraced a nuclear arms race. The N reactor had Hanford was built by his administration to scale that arms race up.

His actions around the Diem assassination were appalling. It's on tape.

The greatest Democrat of the 20th century, Eleanor Roosevelt, addressed him, as "my dear boy," with a certain distain and he went to Valkill to plead with her not to withhold her endorsement, to which she reluctantly agreed. When she died she was organizing actions against his weak Civil Rights record.

History isn't "right wing" or "left wing." It's history. The guy campaigned on a "missile gap," and missiles, if one can read, were what the whole unnecessary Cuban MISSILE crisis was all about. The result of the stumbling incompetent events around the crisis was the arms race.

It is very possible that his lightweight incompetence might have killed hundreds of millions of people. I don't applaud arsonists for fighting forest fires, thank you, and I don't need to be lectured on where my politics lie, particularly when I see weak understandings of history.

If there's anything that anyone should be "careful" about, it should be a lack of insight and a failure to engage in critical thinking.

LBJ was a far superior President, marred only by taking the advice of the "Best and Brightest" set up by Kennedy, men like the automobile executive Robert McNamara in an administration that didn't bother to reach out to anyone who even spoke Vietnamese or learn anything about Vietnamese history or culture before giving assurances that the US would do nothing to oppose the assassination of Diem.

The big mistake that LBJ made was to not take Sam Rayburn's advice to not be awed by the "Best and Brightest," when he assumed office.

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Joe Biden is NOT 'The Greatest President in my Lifetime' [View all] speak easy Jul 1 OP

Gracious. H2O Man Jul 1 #1

At times liked this, grace is more than a luxury. speak easy Jul 1 #5

On various internet sites, H2O Man Jul 1 #12

JFK did not prevent a nuclear war. He almost CAUSED one. NNadir Jul 1 #31

Since you didn't mention him, where do you rank Obama in that list? Polybius Jul 1 #56

Highly, of course, close, if not equal, to Truman, the 2nd greatest President of the 20th century. NNadir Jul 2 #71

You are welcome H2O Man Jul 1 #58

The US missiles in Turkey were obsolete, and intended for removal anyway.... Jack Valentino Jul 2 #62

Right. H2O Man Jul 2 #68

Yeah. Jack Valentino Jul 2 #69

This is a guy who watched King's "I have a dream speech" a few blocks away on television, afraid it would cost him.... NNadir Jul 2 #72

I think you're right about suceeding in everything but the most important detail. harumph Jul 1 #23

"I've read Joe Biden was the greatest president in my lifetime far too many times." LudwigPastorius Jul 2 #61

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Jimmy Carter too. n/t garybeck Jul 1 #51

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And the SCROTUS Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jul 1 #17

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LBJ was fortunate to have a supermajority in the senate IIRC Fiendish Thingy Jul 1 #14

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A historical side side note: usonian Jul 1 #32

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