Interesting facts
Don Juan (The White Sun, The Black Venus, The Black Saturn)
The main Kennedy’s hobby in life were the women. A writer Truman Capote in one of the interviews wrote that Kennedy is the worst example of Don Juan. 35th President of the United States saw a relationship with a woman as a kind of sport. He often boasted, calling himself a "sexual giant". Kennedy himself once told the reporters: "I am satisfied with a girl only after we were close at least three times and each time differently". John Kennedy had many mistresses, both before and after marriage. He even bought a separate house for his wife, where she was often sent to in order make room for the love pleasures with other women.
Kennedy’s mistresses were the most famous actresses of Hollywood, including the sex symbol of the twentieth century, Marilyn Monroe. But, despite the huge number of love affairs with women, Kennedy has always tried to avoid close emotional contact with them and kept them at a distance. He himself admitted that he had never lost his head in a burst of passion. Kennedy explained it this way: "I am nowise a tragic lover".
The comedian (The White Moon)
Sparkling and emotional sense of humor, which John F. Kennedy possessed not only helped him to win the hearts of women and voters, but also succoured him in difficult circumstances. After John withstood a dangerous surgery on the spine, Jacqueline debrided terrible festering wound on her husband’s back every morning. Anybody could lose the courage. Anybody but not Kennedy. He endured the pain with a smile and never missed a chance to make a joke on any occasion, whether it was the hospital policy or his own illness. Perhaps due to the sense of humor he survived.
The reformer (The White Sun, The Black Mercury)
A democrat, a reformer, a strong supporter of active transformations, John F. Kennedy drew the American nation from a certain lethargy, where it threatened to fall during the last years of Eisenhower’s presidency. He more than fulfilled his promise to give to the compatriots "1,000 days of intense presidential leadership". With Kennedy’s team a new spirit and a new style entered the White House. Stormy political activity was based on the optimistic assumption that with the help of intelligent analysis and energetic leadership one can solve any problem and that the United States on the basis of simple willpower can be made a model of global modernization. According to the words of John F. Kennedy, "The United States should move quite quickly not to stand still".
The principled democrat (The White Jupiter, the White Moon)
John Kennedy was consistently introducing the principle of democracy into society. Protection of the rights of Afro-Americans became one of the most significant trends in domestic politics of the president. For example, in 1962 the governor of Mississippi forbade Afro-American James Meredith to attend university. The president on television urged citizens to obey the law of Mississippi. After this the students who did not want to study with the Black started disorders. Kennedy sent troops there and Meredith was accepted to the university. "The nation will not be truly free until all of its citizens are free" – that is how the president explained his position.
John F. Kennedy also considered the implementation of social reforms aimed at improving the living conditions of the working class and the regulation of prices and fees for housing an important task. Taking care of the interests of trade unions, Kennedy voted against the Taft-Hartley Act. "Let every American stand for the rights, even sitting" - he said in support of the sit-ins for the civil rights.
The politician (The White Mars, The Black Mercury)
John F. Kennedy was a master of the art of politics. The tricks by means of which he eliminated his rivals are very interesting. For example, in 1960 during the election campaign Kennedy let the rumor through the headquarters that his rival from the Democratic Party Hubert Humphrey was an objector, and later he bewailed in every interview about this, saying: "It's terrible when they talk about Humphrey that he is an objector, is terrible..." And he said it so often that the voters believed that Humphrey was an objector. His other rival, Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy neutralized by offering him to run for vice-president.
Skillfully using the support of others, Kennedy relied primarily on his own opinion and political sense in his decisions and actions. He was not afraid if he saw the need to go contrary to the opinions of the colleagues. "Compromise is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of progress," - said Kennedy.
The orator (The White Mars)
During his lifetime, John F. Kennedy won all the elections which he participated. His important trump was the oratorical gift, which he perfected by constant practice. The inaugural speech of the 35th president is still considered to be a role model. John F. Kennedy as no one else was able cut to the heart the audience with his expressing speech. Despite the 20-degree cold, he took the coat off, so it did not prevent him to gesticulate. After Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt, the Americans found a charismatic personality of the leader in Kennedy again, and the media reinforced this effect throughout the world. It is known that Kennedy preferred to use television for self-display to establish a direct, immediate communication with the American people. The reason for this was given not only by the big speeches about the state of the nation or foreign policy crises, but also regular press conferences, where Kennedy without any special preparation answered journalists' questions.
The national hero (The Black Saturn)
An example of the tragic death of his older brother Joseph led to the fact that the early death was an obsessive nightmare for John. However, after two years and ten months of John F. Kennedy’s presidency he fell a victim to assassination, having plunged the nation into shock and mourning. This tragedy helped to create an image of the flawless national hero in the eyes of Americans, and John F. Kennedy was turned into an idol, the "leader of the free world". Like after the assassination of Lincoln, the image of personal sacrifice in the name of higher, universal values began to overlap and transform the historical reality. "Kennedy myth" is still valid today among the general public, although historians and journalists have long been trying to create a sober, analytical, and even extreme-critical point of view.
