John Kennedy: a political profile

by James MacGregor Burns

PB

Genres: Biography, Presidents, History, Politics, Nonfiction

309 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

An award-winning author of presidential and leadership studies, James MacGregor Burns was the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government Emeritus at Williams College and Distinguished Leadership Scholar at the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received his bachelor's degree from Williams College and his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard, and he also attended the London School of Economics. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he was past president of the American Political Science Association and the International Society of Political Psychology.

Reviews

[Lee Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, more so when it was published (mid-1960) than the writting. The author had a first hand account and intimate access to the up and coming presidential candidate. Great perspective without the natural pro-bias that came after his assassination.

[Davy Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just dug this book out of my attic. The authors forward was in November 1959. Thus it is about early JFK.
I like contemporary accounts like this sometimes.

I just skimmed a little but found some of the stuff about Kennedys stance and votes on Sen. Joseph McCarthy pretty interesting.
My Moms family were all Democrats and my Dad was a moderate Republican. I got caught up in the Reagan Revolution and have been a Libertarian leaning right Republican in my adult life, but not doctrinaire. Like I am okay with just destroying our rogue enemies ten times rather than 25x.
I also detested the Patriot Act and losses of personal freedom that came under W.
I just can't find any Democrats that are remotely acceptable alternatives.

I am on a Kennedy Conspiracy jag and I am coming around to the idea that he was going against the powers that be and wanted to pull us out of Nam but was waiting for reelection in 1964. John M Newman's JFK & Vietnam and Patrick Sloyans Deception book are my sources.
I mainly held the Bay of Pigs fiasco strongly against JFK for years because he withheld air support. Looks like according to Fletcher Prouty (saw the video, ex CIA guy maybe shady) the CIA plan was to take out all of the 10 Cuban fighter jets, but 3 were not there to take out. It was these 3 that wreaked havoc, the plan should have been aborted.

Anyway, I don't like a lot of things JFK did but now I think he was a good President. There was shakiness and Deception yes, but there were sharks swimming everywhere around.