CREATE A POLITICAL BAND OF BROTHERS & SISTERS
The second thing that JFK could teach President Barack Obama, according to the Time Magazine article by Chris Matthews of November 7, 2011, is to create a political band of brothers & sisters.
Mr. Matthews tells us that Jack Kennedy kept a diary when he 1st ran for Congress back in 1946.
In the diary, Mr. Kennedy kept notes on the advice he got from the people he met during that 1946 congressional campaign *
*JFK also discussed the diary on a dictabelt recording he made as president
One of the notes reads:
"In politics you don't have friends, you have confederates."
Matthews writes that as a 3 term congressman running for the US Senate in 1952, JFK had able "confederates" like Larry O'Brien, Kenneth O'Donnell & his brother Robert F. Kennedy.
Larry O'Brien
Kenny O'Donnell
JFK Library Photo
Chris argues that Mr. Obama, too, needs political loyalists "who have strong government ties to the people who are going to decide this election: the angry, scared people who didn't go to college."
Chris Matthews maintains that in the election of 2008, Obama ran & won without the help of a lot of the traditional Democratic leaders.
In Matthews' view, Obama "can't afford to be without them the second time around."*
*Source: "Five Things JFK Could Teach Obama", Time Magazine, November 7, 2011.
December 6, 1961
USAF GIVEN ORDER TO FLY COMBAT MISSIONS AGAINST VIET CONG
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy gave the order today to pilots of the United States Air Force to fly combat missions against the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.
The order, however, includes the requirement that at least one Vietnamese national be on board the striking aircraft "for training purposes."
President Kennedy originally ordered the USAF to send a combat unit to South Vietnam to assist the Saigon government in developing a counterinsurgency capability.*
*This was called "Operation Farm Gate".
USAF Douglas B-26B Invader
Operation Farm Gate
December 6, 1922
IRISH FREE STATE IS DECLARED
Dublin, Ireland (JFK+50) By virtue of the Ango-Irish Treaty signed by British & Irish representatives one year ago, the IRISH FREE STATE was officially declared today.
The Irish Free State will be a DOMINION or state of the British Empire with equal status as Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand & the Union of South Africa.*
*Northern Ireland "opted out" of the Irish Free State 2 days later as was permitted by the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
Irish Free State Passport of 1927
Photo by Peter Clarke (2008)
