KENNEDY & FITZGERALD BEGIN TERMS IN STATE SENATE
Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Patrick Joseph Kennedy began his 2nd term as state senator today serving the 4th Suffolk Senatorial District.
P.J. Kennedy
Senator Kennedy will serve as chairman of the Committee on the State House as well as the Committee on Street, Railways & Water.
P.J. Kennedy is the youngest child of Patrick Kennedy & Bridget Murphy, both from New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland.
The senator attended Boston College & was prominent in local business before getting into politics.
Senator Kennedy & his wife Mary have one child, Joseph Patrick Kennedy, age 4 (JFK's father).*
*"Campaigning, speech-making & legislative maneuvering were less appealing to him than the behind-the-scenes machinations that characterized so much of Boston politics."
Robert Dalleck
John F. Fitzgerald began his 1st term as state senator from the 3rd Suffolk Senatorial District today.
John F. Fitzgerald
Senator Fitzgerald, known as "Honey Fitz", will serve as chairman of the Committee on Engrossed Bills & on the Committee on the Election Laws, as well as the Committee on Liquor Law.
John F. Fitzgerald is the son of Thomas Fitzgerald of County Limerick & Rosanna Cox of County Cavan, Ireland.
Senator Fitzgerald was educated at Boston Latin School & Boston College.
The senator & wife Mary have 2 children, Rose Elizabeth (JFK's mother) & Mary Agnes.**
**"(John F. Fitzgerald) was a natural politician--a charming, impish, affable lover of people. Politics, with all the brokering that went into arranging alliances & all the hoopla that went into campaigning, was his calling."
Robert Dalleck
JFK+50 Note: This was the only term that both P.J. Kennedy & J.F. Fitzgerald served as state senators at the same time.
January 4, 1962
JFK CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT OF SYRIA
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy sent congratulations today to the President of Syria Nazim al-Kudsi on his inauguration.
JFK called the president "a friend of the United States."
Syria has been unstable since succeeding from the United Arab Republic in September of last year.
President al-Kudsi, who was born in Aleppo, holds a PhD. from the University of Geneva.*
*As president of Syria, Nazim al-Kudsi worked to restore friendship with the anti-Nasser regimes in Jordan, Saudi Arabia & Lebanon & sought to improve his nation's relationship with Great Britain & the U.S.
Nazim al-Kudsi
President of Syria
Online Museum of Syrian history
January 4, 1965
LBJ DELIVERS FIRST NIGHTTIME TELEVISED STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered tonight the 1st nighttime televised state of the union address to a joint session of the Congress.*
*FDR gave the 1st night (non-televised) state of the union address in 1936.
LBJ began by saying:
"200 years ago, in 1765, 9 assembled colonies joined together to demand freedom from arbitrary power. Tonight...in 1965, we begin a new quest for union. We seek the unity of man with the world that he has built--with the knowledge that can save or destroy him--with the cities which can stimulate or stifle him--with the wealth & the machines which can enrich or menace his spirit."
Mr. Johnson continued:
"The unity we seek cannot realize its full promise in isolation. Our concern & interest....extend to every corner of a dwindling planet. We were never meant to be an oasis of liberty & abundance in a worldwide desert of disappointing dreams. Our nation was created to help strike away the chains of ignorance & misery & tyranny wherever they keep man less than God means him to be."*
*LBJ's message included proposals for a set of domestic programs designed to eliminate poverty & racial injustice known as "The Great Society".
The term "Great Society" was coined by JFK/LBJ speechwriter Richard N. Goodwin.
LBJ Gives State of the Union Address
January 4, 1965
House of Representatives Photo
