You want a Kennedy?

The man, in office for less than three years, accomplished exactly nothing (yes, there was one exciting moment when we faced down the Soviets but that came about because of Kennedy's lack of experience and misunderstanding of world politics).

I used to think he was a great man, a great president. But as I grew up and started reading, I realized that he was none of those things.

He was just a politician who actually accomplished very little in his short time in office. (And people criticize Bill Clinton for his personal behavior? Kennedy was a one man sex machine and not very shy about it.)

Kennedy hardly won the Presidency (if it weren't for Daley stealing some votes, he would not have won. And I say that a a dedicated Democrat but also as an historian and researcher).

What was remarkable was the times -- the sexual liberation movements, the women's liberation movement, the civil rights movement. The end of two wars and great prosperity allowed the nation to begin to free itself of some of the old notions. The times and the great people who made them are what changed the nation. Kennedy had little or nothing to do with any of that. He just happened to be the youngest elected President (Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest) and that was a novelty. But a novelty that had no lasting effect. He, in fact, was on the slightly conservative side of things.

It was the liberating times that made Kennedy not the other way around.

So, when you say you want a Kennedy, it's a little bewildering.