It is true that Kennedy was a good president, before him it was impossible for anyone under 50, to identify themselves with the president, apart from being president he became a symbol for Americas most cherished ideals, during his presidency he offered his public an opportunity to join him in the fantasy he projected, The man who was president still exerts a mythical pull generated by the drama of his presidency, his physical grace, and the terrible events surrounding his death captured on film, the image of his head exploding that we can never erase, but myth’s can cut both ways, allowing most to see Kennedy as a hero, still some as a villain. The man who saved the world from nuclear war in the Cuban missile crisis, or the cold war warrior who brought the world to the brink of destruction, The lost leader who could have saved the agony of Vietnam, or the man who set the scene for the tragedy, a devoted father and husband or a compulsive womaniser, who’s recklessness’ is more than any president since. What ever there opinion, they still see him as an icon in this essay I have tried to explore the reasons for this.

Photojournalism paid a big part in Kennedy’s appeal, photos showing John and Jackie such as figure three, made the American people aspire to them, they were beautiful, glamorous and had huge sex appeal, they had film star qualities

When appearing on TV instead of thinking of the public as his voters, he saw them as his audience; his attitude when appearing on television was very cool and collective. In the past when politicians had appeared they had seemed uninteresting and un-composed, this could be due to the fact that it was still quite new medium, only being used since the forties some of the politicians were still getting to grips with it, though Kennedy realised its full potential, he looked good on camera and is charisma came through. An example of his early successes was just before he was voted into presidency a live debate against Nixon, up until this point many voters still believed JFK was too inexperienced to become president, although in this debate he out shun Nixon, he answered questions directly and to the point, where Nixon hesitated, he looked better on camera than Nixon, and used humour to get the public on his side an make Nixon look bad. His style and elegance swung many voters into believing he would make a good president.

Some topics in this essay:
Oliver Stones, Southeast Asia, Camelot” JFK, Practice Looking, Rauschenberg’s Kennedy, Kennedy Presidency, John Jackie, Robert Rauschenberg, Texas November, John Kennedy, american people, kennedy presidency, assassination footage, jackie kennedy, oil canvas, iconic figure, american public, iconic status, world nuclear war, romantic hero, nuclear war, saved world nuclear, war cuban missile, cuban missile crisis, nuclear war cuban,