JFK: History of an Image - Study Notes
Introduction: Book Overview
Title: "JFK: History of an Image" by Thomas Brown, published by Indiana University Press (1988), copyright ©1988.
Library of Congress: Subjects include JFK, U.S. Presidents' biographies, and U.S. politics (1961-1963). LCC , Dewey Decimal , ISBN .
Dedication: To his mother and the memory of his father, with lines from Goethe's "Dedication" to Faust.
The Image Created: Keepers of the Flame
The Kennedy Family's Role: Post-assassination, the family (especially Robert F. Kennedy and later Edward M. Kennedy) actively cultivated JFK's image as a political asset.
Family Custodianship of JFK's Image - Dealings with Authors:
Cooperation: Loyal authors (e.g., Lincoln, Schlesinger, Sorensen) received access to confidential sources for favorable memoirs, often with family censorship.
Intervention: The family blocked or altered unaligned books: Jacqueline Kennedy objected to Maud Shaw's "White House Nannie," and Paul "Red" Fay's "The Pleasure of His Company," revealing JFK's "all-too-human traits," was cut by the publisher, leading to Fay's exclusion.
The William Manchester Controversy - "Death of a President": The Kennedys commissioned Manchester, but clashed over the manuscript's hostile references to LBJ (political concern) and Jacqueline Kennedy's personal details (personal concern). A lawsuit led to Manchester altering the text, but the family's aggressive actions inadvertently harmed their public standing.
Other Perpetuators of the JFK Image: LBJ used Kennedy's name to pass legislation; the Democratic Party elevated him to a "secular saint"; Catholics promoted him as a symbol of acceptance; African Americans viewed him as a "second Lincoln"; and liberal authors and journalists found the "Kennedy theme" irresistible.
Emergence of a Coherent Image: Despite varied motivations, a consistent image of JFK emerged.
Man of Reason
Defining Narrative Post-Assassination: JFK was portrayed as a man of reason, a victim of hate and fanaticism, often blamed on a "climate of hate" in Dallas or "irrational forces" in American life, with Lee Harvey Oswald as an alienated "mass man."
Kennedy's Attributes Reinforcing the Image: His calm, unemotional "style," love for books, and association with intellectuals (Ivy League Ph.D.s) were highlighted, contrasting with 1950s anti-intellectualism. He was seen as an "antidote to Eisenhower-ism," making intellect respectable.
Dissociation from Impractical Intellectualism: Admirers distinguished him from abstract intellectuals like Adlai Stevenson, emphasizing his pragmatic interest in ideas convertible to concrete action. He "used" ideas without being "enthralled" by them.
Emphasis on "Pragmatism": Kennedy's "practical" intelligence was lauded as pragmatism, defined by interest in tangible results, aversion to ideology, willingness to experiment, and problem-solving. This reflected modern, progressive liberalism and post-WWII disillusionment with fixed ideas, transcending traditional political divisions.
Equating Dissent with Unreason: Portraying Kennedy as reason implicitly labeled opponents (right-wingers, liberals, left-wing extremists, bureaucrats, Southern racists) as irrational, clouded by "delusory myths." This legitimized the leadership of intellectual elites.
Style
A Common Yet Elusive Claim: Kennedy's distinct "style" was frequently asserted but hard to pinpoint.
Congeries of Qualities: Described as cool, charming, witty, elegant, and pursuing excellence.
Association with Privilege: Often called an "aristocrat" or "English Whig," linking his attributes to wealth and "class," subtly conveying disdain for the ordinary.
Context of American Social Thought (1950s - Early 1960s): His style was lauded during a period of liberal critique of America as a "mass society" stifled by conformity, presenting an "aristocratic" standard against "dull mediocrity." Schlesinger praised Norman Mailer's capture of Kennedy's "existential" quality.
Kennedy Style as an Antidote to Mass Conformity: It rejected "corny, folksy, and sentimental" aspects of American life, avoided stereotypical political behaviors, elevated cultural life through arts patronage (e.g., Pablo Casals concert), and embraced cosmopolitan sophistication. It subtly critiqued "dogmas" with irreverence and wit.
Reflection of Changes in American Politics: His style mirrored a "new politics" appealing to an atomized electorate via mass media, turning voters into consumers of political "images." It resonated particularly with "Metroamericans" (young, educated urban professionals) for whom the Kennedys were "role models," offering vicarious satisfaction.
Questions Regarding Values and Authenticity: Kennedy's personal taste was rather commonplace (preferring popular culture like James Bond and Broadway tunes). His arts patronage was driven more by civic benefit than genuine appreciation, reflecting a "middlebrow" conception of culture as a status symbol. Admirers valued the prestige culture gained from power, seeing it as shedding the "onus of being effete."
The Utility of Vagueness: "Style" served eulogists to inflate Kennedy's legacy despite limited achievements, with effusive descriptions (e.g., Schlesinger's) promising future results from a "new national style."
The Inner Kennedy
The Mystery of the Self: Kennedy's inner life remained enigmatic, revealing different "layers" to various associates, with complexity as his defining trait.
Foundation for Unfulfilled Promise: This elusiveness fueled claims of his boundless, unrealized potential, as noted by Norman Mailer's "existential" portrayal.
Interpretations of Elusiveness: Opponents saw his "cool" as a lack of passion; admirers saw it as a virtue protecting him from extremism, aligning with Max Weber's ideal statesman.
Ideal Inner Balance (Schlesinger and Sorensen): They attributed his balanced inner self to early experiences with illness and pain, fostering both a "hunger for experience" and an awareness of limitations, creating an "autonomous" personality. His "cool" was seen as emotional equilibrium, not lack of conviction, and his irony as profound valuing of life.
Underlying Frailty: Preoccupation with Image: Despite idealized portraits, biographers noted his "inordinate concern" with his public "image." Examples include canceling a newspaper subscription for critical articles, attempts to "manage" news, and "Red" Fay's anecdote of Kennedy whispering about Renoir/Cézanne to maintain "a semblance of class."
Youth
Central to the Kennedy Image: Youth was vital, with Kennedy as the youngest elected president, symbolizing activism, optimism, vigor, and idealism.
Ideological Content of Youth: New Frontiersmen infused "youth" with ideological content, linking its impatience with established ideas to progressive causes like civil rights, though this assumption was later challenged.
Youthful Idealism and Anti-Bureaucracy: Youth's idealism was tied to a disdain for bureaucracy. Initiatives like the Green Berets and Peace Corps channeled youthful energy outside conventional structures. His reliance on personal loyalists bypassed red tape and led to clashes with entrenched interests (CIA, FBI).
Kennedy's Appeal to a Younger Generation: His WWII generation, marked by "impatience with mediocrity, instincts for action and distrust of convention," resonated with younger voters, challenging Eisenhower's "routineer" regime.
Generational Divide and its Impact: Kennedy's generation's "toughness" often led to aggressive foreign policy, contrasting with the post-WWII generation's values of cooperation and peace. Robert Kennedy's 1968 campaign highlighted this divide, splitting youth support and intensifying future Democratic problems.
Growth
A Pattern for Life and Legacy: "Growth" served as a narrative for Kennedy's life, resembling a hero myth where suffering leads to wisdom, amplifying the tragedy of his death. It aligned with "pragmatic" liberalism, valuing a leader who mastered change, making his entire life meaningful by interpreting failures as "lessons."
The "Growth" Narrative in Biographies: Accounts traced his growth from childhood challenges (illness) and early manhood (WWII service, family deaths) to political evolution (from isolationist congressman to internationalist, developing introspection, and deepening social understanding).
Growth During the Presidency: Each challenge led to growth: the Bay of Pigs fiasco revealed immaturity, leading to skepticism of "expert" advice; the Cuban Missile Crisis showcased newfound wisdom (disregarding Joint Chiefs' advice, leading to the Test Ban Treaty); Southern resistance compelled his embrace of civil rights; and economic stagnation prompted support for a sweeping tax program. By summer 1963, Schlesinger saw him "putting the office of the Presidency on the line" for key issues.
Separating Kennedy from Posthumous Consequences: The "growth" narrative allowed admirers to speculate that a second term would have drastically altered policy (e.g., Vietnam pullout), maintaining his "unsullied historical image" and absolving liberal followers from Johnson-era problems. This led to "wishful thinking" of détente, normalized relations, and harmony.
Growth and Conspiracy Theories: For some, the idea of a continually growing Kennedy gave meaning to his death. Left-leaning admirers, unwilling to believe in an isolated killer, presumed insidious right-wing forces or LBJ's involvement.
Left-Wing Conspiracy Theorists' Image of JFK (Amalgam): Portrayed him as an "existential" leader aligning with insurgent forces. Selective history claimed he was evolving into an economic radical, Cold War critic, and egalitarian. Villains included Texas oil men, right-wing "oligarchs," segregationists, military/intelligence agencies, and Cuban exiles. His death represented a "lost opportunity" for fundamental change.
JFK, LBJ, and RFK Comparison
Kennedy's public image was frequently defined by comparison, especially with Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy, as political reputations often exist through contrast.