When presidents understood the gravity of the office
Working through a few primary sources for my autobiographical fiction novel-in-progress, I merely wanted to know the date that JFK announced his candidacy for president. The other important dates and speeches and such come a few chapters later. His announcement, however, was critical for the chapter titled, Red and Yellow, Black and White.
I got way more than I bargained for. Kennedy’s speech on January 2, 1960 defined the presidency as we had come to expect the presidency.
Long before his famous “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech, Kennedy spoke of the duties of the executive branch, the dangers the USA faced in 1960, and how he intended to address those topics if elected.
Kennedy’s view of us as Americans, as US citizens, was not doom and gloom. He did not speak of American carnage. There was no talk of American exceptionalism. Weaponization of government—oh, how the word “weaponization” disgusts me, as it is wielded as a sword against enemies—weaponization of government was not on Kennedy’s lips.
John F. Kennedy did not have an enemy’s list (although he would be on Nixon’s). Instead, Kennedy ended his short, well-written announcement as follows:
From all of this, I have developed an image of America as fulfilling a noble and historic role as the defender of freedom in a time of maximum peril—and of the American people as confident, courageous and persevering.
It is with this image that I begin this campaign.
I so long for the days when imperfect, flawed men (and women) once again ascend to the presidency, seeing you, seeing me as confident, courageous, and persevering. Then perhaps we can restore our country’s kindness, strength, and genuine, proper humility. Perhaps we can once again study the sciences, support the arts, and help those who are down and out.
Perhaps once again when the USA commits to a treaty, it will not be flippantly revoked. Perhaps once again, we can have a president who respects and values leaders of other democracies. Perhaps once again, we can have a president who respects and values us. All of us. Citizens, immigrants, and refugees alike.
Perhaps one day, we can take our place at the table among nations who love freedom and justice.
Statement of Senator John F. Kennedy Announcing his Candidacy for the Presidency of the United States, January 2, 1960
U.S. Senate Caucus Room, Washington, D.C.
January 2, 1960
I am announcing today my candidacy for the Presidency of the United States.
The Presidency is the most powerful office in the Free World. Through its leadership can come a more vital life for our people. In it are centered the hopes of the globe around us for freedom and a more secure life. For it is in the Executive Branch that the most crucial decisions of this century must be made in the next four years—how to end or alter the burdensome arms race, where Soviet gains already threaten our very existence—how to maintain freedom and order in the newly emerging nations—how to rebuild the stature of American science and education—how to prevent the collapse of our farm economy and the decay of our cities—how to achieve, without further inflation or unemployment, expanded economic growth benefiting all Americans—and how to give direction to our traditional moral purpose, awakening every American to the dangers and opportunities that confront us.
These are among the real issues of 1960. And it is on the basis of these issues that the American people must make their fateful choice for their future.
In the past 40 months, I have toured every state in the Union and I have talked to Democrats in all walks of life. My candidacy is therefore based on the conviction that I can win both the nomination and the election.
I believe that any Democratic aspirant to this important nomination should be willing to submit to the voters his views, record and competence in a series of primary contests. I am therefore now announcing my intention of filing in the New Hampshire primary and I shall announce my plans with respect to the other primaries as their filing dates approach.
I believe that the Democratic Party has a historic function to perform in the winning of the 1960 election, comparable to its role in 1932. I intend to do my utmost to see that that victory is won.
For 18 years, I have been in the service of the United States, first as a naval officer in the Pacific during World War II and for the past 14 years as a member of the Congress. In the last 20 years, I have traveled in nearly every continent and country—from Leningrad to Saigon, from Bucharest to Lima. From all of this, I have developed an image of America as fulfilling a noble and historic role as the defender of freedom in a time of maximum peril—and of the American people as confident, courageous and persevering.
It is with this image that I begin this campaign.
COMMENTS WORTH KEEPING
How I long for those days…. Thanks for putting our basic American values out there in black and white for everyone to see/be reminded.
--Sylvia G, February 27, 2026.
Thanks for this. I was born 13 days after John-John was born. My father remembers me saying when we all learned that JFK had been assassinated, “Daddy, they killed my president.”
I was two years old, soon to be three years old then. Perhaps all of us were naive then. But at minimum we believed in possibilities of a better future.
I will hold on to what my late Drew always said, “Sometimes you must let everything fall apart and then let dissension cease.”
The United States has believed in its own mythology to the point where it has been perpetually blind.
--Leslye Joy Allen, historian, February 28, 2026.
Source: Papers of John F. Kennedy. Pre-Presidential Papers. Senate Files, Box 905, “John F. Kennedy statement announcing candidacy for President, 2 January 1960.” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
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Introduction © 2026 Denise Elaine Heap. Please contact me for permission to quote. Kennedy’s speech is public domain, but it would be wise to cite the source from his presidential library as a courtesy.
Image credits: Top photograph--John F. Kennedy delivering his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, July 15, 1960. Photographed by San Jose News. This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1931 and 1963, and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed.
Bottom photograph--The 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) holds a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy in Section 45 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 8, 2023. This ceremony is held yearly to commemorate President Kennedy’s contributions to the U.S. Army Special Forces, including authorizing the “Green Beret” as the official headgear for all U.S. Army Special Forces and his uncompromising support to the regiment. U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery. Public domain, government photo.
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