Why Craze for Kennedy

Precedent to the 50th anniversary of the death of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy (Nov. 22), U.S. President Barack Obama said in his speech, “He captures the imagination of Americans till today not because he was assassinated.” He stressed that they should inherit Kennedy’s indomitable spirit to confront all challenges and make the world a better place. In his imagination, Obama himself may be the embodiment of Kennedy. He must have wanted to urge people to support him who just looks like Kennedy.

Kennedy who was assassinated at the peak of his popularity at the age of 46 will never be dead in the hearts of the American people. Robert Dallek, a renowned historian, explains that his continuous popularity is because “the succeeding presidents were disappointing.” In the midst of grim reality affected by the withdrawal from the Vietnam War, Watergate scandal, Iraq war and the recent financial crisis, President Kennedy symbolizes the dream, ideal and hope of America in its heyday.

Especially, his beautiful wife and lovely children represented the ideal of American family for baby boomers. Jaclyn Kennedy who had the classic elegance of a good wife even in the luxurious clothes of Chanel and Dior was the pride of Americans who did not have a royal family. Japan treated Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, the only daughter of President Kennedy, as a royal family member. It seems to the nation takes pride in this. Ryuichi Teshima, a professor of Keio University, said, “What is important is that Ambassador Kennedy is one of the few people who can make a phone call to Obama even in the middle of the night,” explaining the atmosphere then in Japan.

Because he passed away only in 1,036 days after his inauguration, no one can know what kind of president he would have become. Although he resolved the Cuban missile crisis and prevented a nuclear war between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union, the Vietnam War could have become a disaster to Kennedy. In addition, his involvement with a lot of women might have been disclosed gradually despite his aide’s relentless efforts to prevent it. If people had known that the source of his youth and vigor was steroids, his reelection would have been questionable. But one thing for sure is that people with a president whom they can be crazy about are happy.

Editorial writer Kim Sun-deok (yuri@donga.com)