“For the great enemy of truth is very often
not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent,
persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our
forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We
enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
“I saw how ideally politics filled the Greek
definition of happiness: ‘Full use of your powers along lines of excellence in
a life affording scope.’”
One
of my personal heroes is Robert F. Kennedy. My Dad looks a lot like JFK. So it
was a no-brainer that Ted Widmer’s “Listening In: The Secret White House
Recordings of John F. Kennedy” would resonate with me on a number of levels.
The
book captured conversations held in the Oval Office about a variety of topics.
Not only is it fascinating to hear how JFK related to visitors and audiences of
different priority and status, but it reveals quite a bit about the state of
the world during his Presidency.
It is
difficult for future generations to grasp the breadth of issues that faced JFK
and his Cabinet, but these tapes open the blinds on struggles with the Cold
War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, racism and equality, the space race, and other
monumental challenges. In particular, a revealing statement by the author on
the fallout of the New Frontier and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“But those achievements came at a cost,
including the departure of much of the South from the Democratic coalition, the
rise of a powerful right, and a stridency that has never left our politics
since.”
Some
of JFK’s insights also show the evolution—or, perhaps, the de-evolution—of politics
from that generation to its current (disastrous) state. As Kennedy himself said
on the art of being a politician, “I
think you have to be able to communicate a sense of conviction and intelligence
and rather, some integrity. That’s what you have to be able to do ... Those
three qualities are really it.”
Unfortunately,
one of the most humorous and humanizing comments by JFK wasn’t offered on
either of the CDs that came with the book. In an exchange with his air force
aide, Godfrey McHugh, about a snafu to do with a furniture purchase, he minced no words:
“McHugh: Why sir, this is obviously ...
JFK: Well, this is obviously a fuckup.
McHugh: That’s right.
JFK: That’s right.”
However,
the sublime 1952 campaign song (“Do you
want a man for president,/Who’s seasoned through and through?/But not so
doggone seasoned,/That he won’t try something new.”) was included on a CD, to
much amusement.
“Listening
In” made for a rather quick read, but I found its unique perspective refreshing
and educational. Being thrown into the proverbial middle of Camelot to witness
JFK’s one-of-kind governing style and the massive potential that his approach
and brilliance portended also made this a tremendous addition to my personal library.
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