Read through a couple of
John F Kennedy’s speeches today, fifty years to the day after his death in 1963,
and with clichéd clarity recalled where I was (home) and what I was doing
(watching the black & white TV) when the news of the assassination came
through, and even to a ten year-old in England it was, judging by the impact on
the grown-ups around, big and shocking news that seemed to deal a huge blow to
the programmes of reform and renewal embodied in his presidency and
personality; the “what if” question has been asked continuously since (for one
take on it read Stephen King’s fine novel 11-22-63) but I’m not so sure had he lived much
would have been different as the forces of reaction would have kicked in to dampen
and weaken the bright new hopes – much as it has with Obama, the nearest thing
the USA has elected since.
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