Chapter 28: Liberalism, Civil Rights, and War in Vietnam, 1960-1975
The Kennedy Presidency, 1961-1963
* A New Beginning*
i) Kennedy vs. Nixon
(1) Kennedy- pump new life into US, go in new directions
(2) Nixon- appealed to middle class, middle aged
(a) Wanted stability; more well known, experienced
ii) Televised presidential debates
(1) Nixon- appeared haggard, insecure vs. Kennedy- confidence
(2) Viewers- saw Kennedy as winner; radio listeners- thought debate a tie
(3) Result- Kennedy went up in polls, Nixon didn’t recover
iii) Kennedy- benefitted from Lyndon Banes Johnson as vice president candidate
(1) Lost votes to being Catholic; won due to Catholic vote in mid west, north east states
iv) Inauguration- set new era’s tone
(1) Kennedy- surrounded by liberal intellectuals
(a) Showed role with culture, excellence through wife
(b) Seen as vibrant leader, adoring husband by public due to grace, taste, wit, wealth
*Kennedy’s Domestic Record*
i) New Frontier- doomed by:
(1) Conservative collation of Republicans, southern Democrats
ii) Domestic priority of JFK- stimulating economic growth
(1) Combined higher defense spending and investment incentives for private enterprise
(2) Increased nuclear weapons, strengthened military’s conventional forces, created Special Forces for guerilla warfare (Green Berets)
(3) Persuaded Congress to finance race to the moon
(4) Called for large cut in corporate taxes
iii) Spending during presidency
(1) Led to huge rate of economic growth, less employment
iv) Economic boom
(1) Further ecological damage, more environmental protection
(a) Based on emphasis of efficient resource use, preservation, 1950’s fall out scare
(b) Intensified by Silent Spring
v) Postwar prosperity =
(1) Less concern about production, more concern about quality of life
(2) Clean Air Act (1963)
(a) Regulated automobile, industrial emissions
*Cold War Activism*
i) Kennedy- stand on Cold War
(1) Major buildup of military, security...